His Excellency Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, has emphasized that investing in government leaders and strengthening their capabilities in artificial intelligence are essential to improving government performance and preparing institutions for the future. He also highlighted the UAE’s commitment to sharing its experience and expertise in government modernization with countries around the world, supporting the development of more efficient, flexible governments capable of responding to rapid changes.
His Excellency made the remarks during a meeting with participants in the Artificial Intelligence Executive Leadership Program in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The program is organized by the Government Knowledge Exchange Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, in cooperation with Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, as part of the strategic partnership between the governments of the UAE and Ethiopia.
Mohammad Al Gergawi: Developing Capable Leaders Is Key to Successful AI Transformation
His Excellency said: “Artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of governments and their operating models. Governments’ success in leading this transformation begins with investing in people and developing leaders who possess the knowledge, vision, and ability to use advanced technologies to improve government performance, enhance services, and achieve a tangible, positive impact on people’s lives.”
His Excellency stressed the importance of equipping government leaders with the knowledge and skills needed to make effective use of artificial intelligence. He highlighted the role of these capabilities in advancing government institutions, improving their performance, and enabling them to deliver services that better meet the needs of communities.
This approach reflects the importance of developing human talent alongside the adoption of advanced technologies, strengthening governments’ ability to lead future transformations and turn technological opportunities into practical improvements in government operations.
UAE Strengthens Knowledge Sharing to Develop Future Governments
His Excellency added: “The UAE believes that exchanging knowledge and expertise accelerates government development and strengthens governments’ ability to keep pace with future transformations and benefit from the opportunities they present. Through our international partnerships, we continue to share our experiences and expertise in developing government models that are more efficient, flexible, and proactive.”
Through its strategic partnerships with governments worldwide, the UAE continues to support government modernization and the exchange of successful experiences and practices. These efforts reflect its belief that knowledge sharing plays an important role in accelerating development and helping government institutions prepare for future changes.
Such partnerships also create opportunities for governments to learn from advanced experiences, strengthen institutional and human capabilities, and improve their readiness to adopt artificial intelligence and other modern technologies across government operations.
Specialized Program to Empower Ethiopian Government Leaders
The Artificial Intelligence Executive Leadership Program aims to equip government leaders in Ethiopia with the knowledge and capabilities needed to lead AI-driven transformation, improve government performance, and enhance the quality of public services.
The program includes training sessions, practical activities, and knowledge-sharing visits covering artificial intelligence strategies, government applications of AI, governance, and capacity building. These activities give participants an opportunity to explore approaches and practices that can support the development of government institutions.
It also focuses on providing participating leaders with practical knowledge and experience to help them understand the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence and its applications in government. The program is designed to strengthen their ability to lead institutional development and transformation initiatives effectively.
Knowledge Visits to 15 Leading Institutions in the UAE
As part of the program, participating leaders visited the UAE to learn about the experiences of 15 government institutions and leading organizations involved in applying artificial intelligence, improving government services, and advancing digital transformation.
The visits included the Prime Minister’s Office, the Artificial Intelligence Office, the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence, and Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, along with several organizations specializing in government service development and digital transformation.
These visits gave participants a closer look at the UAE’s experience in adopting advanced technologies and an opportunity to learn about practices that help improve government performance and support the use of artificial intelligence in service delivery.
They also highlighted the value of sharing practical knowledge and experience between governments, particularly in developing leadership capabilities and expanding cooperation in government innovation and modernization.
Strategic Partnership Delivers More Than One Million Training Hours
The Artificial Intelligence Executive Leadership Program forms part of the strategic partnership between the governments of the UAE and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in government modernization. Launched in 2023, the partnership has supported a wide range of knowledge-sharing and training initiatives.
Since its launch, the partnership has delivered 1,224 workshops, with a combined total of more than one million training hours, benefiting over 5.3 million trainees. These figures reflect the scale of cooperation between the two countries in exchanging expertise and strengthening government capabilities.
The results also demonstrate the importance of the UAE-Ethiopia partnership in supporting government development, expanding access to advanced knowledge and experience, and helping government professionals acquire the skills needed to keep pace with future transformations.
