DUBAI: The governments of the UAE and the Republic of Malta have announced the launch of the Malta Executive Leadership Programme, inspired by the UAE’s model of government leadership.
The announcement was made during a visit by a delegation from the Government Experience Exchange Office (GEEO) at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs to Valletta, capital of Malta, as part of efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two governments in government modernisation.
The official visit included a series of meetings with senior officials in the Maltese government. These meetings reviewed the achievements of bilateral cooperation and updates on collaborative efforts across various facets.
Discussions also covered future initiatives and projects in knowledge exchange between the two governments.
The UAE delegation included Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, together with members of the GEEO team.
They met with Dr. Ian Borg, Minister for Forei
gn and European Affairs and Trade, and Keith Azzopardi Tanti, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation. The delegation also held meetings with various officials in the Maltese government and visited the University of Malta as part of a series of knowledge-sharing sessions with several institutions.
Keith Azzopardi Tanti praised the fruitful collaboration between the governments of Malta and the UAE, highlighting the importance of partnerships in building the capacities of government employees and providing training opportunities to support their contribution to enhancing services for citizens.
He stated that the Malta Executive Leadership Programme underscores the significance of continuous education and professional development, aiming to provide government employees with opportunities to sustain their professional growth and continue delivering excellent service to the public.
Abdulla Lootah affirmed that the launch of the Executive Leadership Programme in Malta reflects the focus of co
operation between the UAE and Malta on building government capacities and empowering them with future tools through the exchange of experiences and knowledge and the development of government tools, models, and methodologies based on the successful experiences of the UAE.
He stated that the cooperation with the Maltese government in government modernisation aligns with the directives of the UAE’s leadership to enhance collaboration and expand the scope of sustainable international partnerships. This aims to share knowledge, successful experiences, and future models that empower governments, enhance their future readiness, elevate government work, and help build a better future.
The GEEO delegation met with Anthony Sultana, Principal Permanent Secretary, for a discussion on the prospects of bilateral cooperation between the two friendly nations.
The visit also included a meeting with Gavril Flores, Chief Officer for Strategy, Policy and Governance at the Malta Digital Innovation Authority, who is also a par
ticipant in the Global Government Leaders Programme. During this meeting, the successful achievements of the UAE-Malta partnership were reviewed.
The GEEO team also learned about best practices implemented at the Esplora Interactive Science Centre. They also met with Professor Alfred J Vella, Rector of the University of Malta, and Professor Ing Simon G Fabri, Pro-Rector for Research and Knowledge Transfer, to learn about the university’s experience in technology and research.
The Executive Leadership Programme in Malta is designed to equip participants with specialised skills to enhance the capabilities of government leaders. This programme enables them to elevate performance levels and reinforce government administration with their improved leadership and managerial skills. It introduces innovative leadership practices to drive development and growth in Malta. The initial edition comprises 20 executive leaders from the Maltese government.
With pillars that include “Future Foresight”, “Agile Government”, ”
Designing Best Policies and Strategies”, “Digital Transformation”, and “Future Leadership”, the Executive Leadership Programme spans four months. It involves specialised sessions, dialogue workshops, knowledge-sharing sessions, and interviews with experts and specialists in various leadership fields. The aim is to familiarise participants with practical leadership experiences, enhancing Malta’s government capacity to address challenges and explore new opportunities aligned with its future aspirations.
The “Future Foresight” pillar focuses on tools for anticipating the future, as well as building and evaluating future scenarios and studying their impact on various sectors. Meanwhile, “Agile Government” addresses the role of leaders in understanding the future, emerging trends, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, tools used for monitoring trends and their impacts, and the importance of possessing a digital mindset to enhance performance and achieve optimal results.
The “Designing Best Policies and Strategies” p
illar emphasises the role of leaders in developing, evaluating, and implementing policies, engaging the community in decision-making and policy design. The “Digital Transformation” pillar highlights the importance of digitisation in designing policies, strategies, and government services, improving overall quality of life.
“Future Leadership” introduces leadership methods, self-leadership, teamwork, training on leadership flexibility, and positive impact on the team.
The programme includes knowledge-sharing sessions with various government entities and learning about the UAE government’s notable experiences to support executive leadership in Malta.
It seeks to empower participants to develop transformative projects in the Maltese government, relying on innovative and proactive solutions. Participants will be informed about crucial global variables and trends, enabling them to adopt the latest technology solutions and leadership skills necessary to confront challenges and shape a better future for humanity.
Signed during World Government Summit 2023, the bilateral cooperation agreement in government modernisation between the UAE and Malta covers six key areas: digital technology, health and wellbeing, sustainable use of resources, smart manufacturing, space and aviation, and capacity building.
Since the inception of the partnership, the Government Experience Exchange Programme has played a crucial role in enhancing the capabilities of approximately 800 Maltese government trainees. This has been achieved through the facilitation of 100 workshops and meetings, involving a total of 1400 training hours.
Source: Emirates News Agency
