His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, attended a ceremony honoring the government entities, leaders, and professionals who won the Mohammed bin Rashid Government Excellence Award 2026. The event highlighted the UAE’s progress in developing government performance and establishing excellence, innovation, and achievement as central elements of public service.
Organized by the UAE Government, the ceremony was attended by H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai.
Also attending were H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai; Lt. General H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; and H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, alongside a number of sheikhs, ministers, senior officials, and government leaders.
The ceremony recognized federal entities that had made significant progress in developing their performance and services, as well as national leaders and professionals whose work and dedication have set examples of government excellence. It also celebrated projects and initiatives that have contributed to national priorities and strengthened the UAE’s competitiveness and leading position.
Mohammed bin Rashid: Excellence Is a Continuous Culture, Not Just a Goal
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum expressed his pride in the achievements of government institutions and employees, praising those whose contributions have helped improve government performance and advance the UAE’s ongoing development.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: “Today, we witnessed the ceremony honoring the winners of the Government Excellence Award 2026.. where we honored the best leading federal entities.. and the best directors and best specialists in the federal government.. The most beautiful part of the ceremony was honoring my brother, H.H. Sheikh Suroor bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, with the Mohammed bin Rashid Sash.. in appreciation of his distinguished national career and his contributions to the country’s journey over many decades of his life.”
His Highness also said: “We congratulate all the winners on winning the excellence awards.. which we began more than 30 years ago as a new concept in our country.. and we will continue them.. because excellence is not a goal.. but rather a mindset and a culture.. a mindset that strives for perfection but never reaches it.. a mindset that constantly redefines success and possesses the courage for continuous change and experimentation.. excellence is one of the virtues of good government.”
During the ceremony, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented the Mohammed bin Rashid Sash to H.H. Sheikh Suroor bin Mohammed Al Nahyan in recognition of his distinguished national service and his contributions to building the UAE and developing its institutions over several decades.
The honor acknowledged the role Sheikh Suroor played during the country’s founding years. He was among the national figures who accompanied the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, and contributed to realizing his vision of building a modern state and developing the vital sectors that formed the foundation of the UAE’s comprehensive development.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also honored three government entities with the Leading Federal Entity in Sustaining Excellence Award. The Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs received the award for establishing excellence as a sustainable institutional approach while maintaining advanced standards of performance and continuous improvement.
Mansour bin Zayed Honors the UAE’s Leading Federal Government Entities
H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, honored the winners of the main institutional award categories, recognizing their achievements in improving government operations, strengthening performance, and enhancing service efficiency.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation won the Leading Federal Entity Award in the category for ministries with more than 500 employees, while the Ministry of Economy and Tourism received the award for ministries with fewer than 500 employees.
Among federal authorities, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security won the Leading Federal Entity Award in the category for authorities with more than 500 employees. The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources received the corresponding award for authorities with fewer than 500 employees.
Recognition also went to federal entities that demonstrated notable improvements in performance. The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Community Empowerment jointly received the Most Improved Entity in Performance Award in the ministries category, while the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat won the award in the federal authorities category.
The results reflected the progress federal institutions have made in strengthening their capabilities and encouraging positive competition, supporting the UAE’s efforts to develop an efficient and adaptable government that places service quality and measurable results among its main priorities.
Hamdan bin Mohammed Honors Government Leaders in Innovation and Artificial Intelligence
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, honored the winners of the subsidiary institutional awards, covering innovation, competitiveness, legislation, institutional integration, and future readiness.
The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority won the Best Entity Contributing to the UAE’s Leadership and Competitiveness Award, while the Ministry of Interior received the Best Entity in Adopting Innovative Solutions Award.
The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security received the Best Entity in Distinguished Value Award, recognizing its performance in this category.
The Ministry of Justice won the Best Entity in Developing Legislation and Laws Award, while the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment jointly received the Best Entity in Partnership and Integration Award for their efforts to strengthen institutional cooperation and achieve shared objectives.
In categories focused on future development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received the Best Entity in Proactiveness and Future Readiness Award. The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources won the Best Entity in Artificial Intelligence Applications Award, reflecting the progress government institutions are making in adopting advanced technologies and improving working methods.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed also honored two national projects under the Special Recognition for Projects category.
The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology received recognition for its Make it in the Emirates project, which supports industrial growth and enhances the competitiveness of the UAE’s manufacturing sector.
The Ministry of Health and Prevention was honored for the National Program for Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation, known as Hayat, in recognition of its humanitarian and healthcare contributions to society.
The awards highlighted the importance of government initiatives that deliver tangible results and support national priorities, from industrial and economic development to healthcare improvements, innovation, and future-focused solutions.
Prime Minister’s Medals Recognize Outstanding Government Leaders and National Talent
The Mohammed bin Rashid Government Excellence Award 2026 ceremony also recognized a distinguished group of government leaders and employees with the Prime Minister’s Medals, celebrating their contributions to government performance and their achievements across different sectors.
Lt. General H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, honored the winners in several leadership and professional categories.
Captain Sultan Mohammed Al Nuaimi of the Ministry of Interior received the Prime Minister’s Medal for Best Young Employee, while Abdullah Talal Al Hammadi of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure won the medal for Best Employee in Future Jobs.
Abdullah Ghuloom Al Bastaki of the Federal Tax Authority received the Prime Minister’s Medal for Best Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer.
H.E. Eng. Sharif Salim Al Olama of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure won the medal for Best Undersecretary, while H.E. Fatima Abdullah Al Jabri of the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates received the medal for Best Director General.
H.E. Dr. Mohammed Al Hammadi of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment won the medal for Best Assistant Undersecretary, and H.E. Abdullah Ahmed Al Naqbi of Emirates Health Services received the medal for Best Executive Director.
The Prime Minister’s Medal for Best Department Director was awarded jointly to Colonel Mohammed Abdullah Abu Shihab of the Ministry of Interior and Colonel Mohammed Abdullah Bourhaima of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security.
Recognizing excellence across a broad range of public service professions, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, honored winners of the Prime Minister’s Medals in diplomacy, education, healthcare, government communications, customer service, and specialized roles.
H.E. Ahmed Waheeb Al Attar, the UAE Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, received the medal for Best Ambassador, while H.E. Dr. Al Saghira Wabran Hamad Al Ahbabi, the UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Paraguay, won the medal for Best Female Ambassador.
In education, Maimouna Hashem Al Muaini, Principal of Zayed Educational Complex in Dubai, received the Best School Principal Medal. Eman Mohammed Al Khouri of Madinat Al Riyadh School in Abu Dhabi won the Best Teacher Medal.
In healthcare, Dr. Noura Salem Marzouk, a general practitioner at Al Qassimi Hospital, received the medal for Best Doctor.
Afra Mahash Al Hameli of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs won the Best Government Communications Director Medal, while Ali Abdulkarim of Emirates Health Services received the medal for Best Customer Happiness Employee.
Fatima Khalifa Al Anzi of the General Civil Aviation Authority won the Prime Minister’s Medal for Best Specialized Employee.
The 2026 evaluation cycle brought together 30 federal government entities, with 57 government leaders and 236 government employees nominated for the Prime Minister’s Medals. More than 130 Emirati and international experts and assessors participated in the evaluation process.
The award adopted a comprehensive 360-degree evaluation methodology focused on results and actual impact, assessing government performance from the perspectives of government, society, customers, and employees. The approach supports accurate evaluations and helps institutions identify opportunities for improvement and better service quality.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Government Excellence Award is the UAE’s highest government excellence award and a central pillar of its government excellence framework. It aims to encourage institutions, leaders, and employees to achieve significant results, promote positive competition, and share best practices.
The award builds on the UAE’s government excellence journey, which included the establishment of the Sheikh Khalifa Government Excellence Program in 2006. It forms part of the country’s continued efforts to develop an integrated government system based on innovation, proactiveness, and efficiency, delivering achievements that positively affect people’s lives while reinforcing the UAE’s position as a leading global model in government administration.
