His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, attended the graduation ceremony of the first batch of the “Nafis Leadership Program,” alongside His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Deputy Head of the UAE Cabinet, Head of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, as part of the UAE Government Annual Meetings 2024 held in the capital, Abu Dhabi.
The ceremony was also attended by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council; His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Finance; and General His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior.
170 Training Hours
Participants in the first batch of the program, launched by the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council in collaboration with the UAE Government Leadership Program and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation last year, completed 170 training hours. These hours included interactive workshops, both in-person and virtual, as well as field visits inside and outside the country, which featured direct meetings with leaders and specialists.
The “Nafis Leadership Program” enables participants to interact with leaders and experts across various industries, benefiting from their experiences and knowledge. The goal is to foster innovation and creativity among participants, equipping them to apply modern concepts and theories in the workplace. One of the most notable field trips was the educational journey to Singapore to learn about the Singaporean experience and its advanced model in business leadership. During this trip, they visited the National University of Singapore, ranked among the top 8 universities worldwide and the number one in Asia.
National Competencies
His Excellency Ghannam Batti Al Mazrouei, Secretary General of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, affirmed that the program is a result of the visionary leadership of the UAE’s wise leadership and the diligent follow-up by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Deputy Head of the UAE Cabinet, Head of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council.
Al Mazrouei praised the close cooperation with the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation in designing and implementing the program. He pointed out that the program is part of the UAE government’s efforts to prepare, train, and qualify a generation of national talents capable of leading and developing the private sector, which is a key partner in the country’s ongoing development and competitiveness on the global stage. He also expressed pride in the trainees, saying, “Today, we are proud to graduate the first batch of distinguished individuals from the private and banking sectors, selected after passing rigorous conditions, standards, and tests supervised by accredited training bodies.”
A Significant Milestone
For his part, Khaled Sharaf, Director of the UAE Government Leadership Program, emphasized that the graduation of the first batch of the Nafis Leadership Program represents a significant milestone in the UAE government’s efforts to build capabilities and empower national talents with the skills and tools necessary to strengthen their participation in establishing the future economy framework.
He noted that the Nafis Leadership Program serves as a hub for national talents and competencies, providing a motivating environment for sustainable development and a vital support for the nation’s efforts to achieve the wise leadership’s vision. The program helps realize the goals of “We the UAE 2031” by developing competitive national talents that drive economic productivity and contribute to making the UAE a global center for the new economy.
It is noteworthy that the Nafis Leadership Program contributes to achieving the vision of “We the UAE 2031,” which aims to develop competitive national talents at the heart of the economic growth process. This will place the UAE among the top 10 countries globally in the Human Development Index. The program also aligns with the National Employment Strategy 2031, which focuses on attracting and qualifying national human resources and enabling their participation in the labor market. It is one of the distinguished programs that extend other initiatives launched by the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council in partnership with industry organizers to develop and employ young Emirati talents in various vital sectors, designed to provide exceptional training programs that add qualitative value to Emirati competencies.