Vice President Faisal Naseem concluded his official visit to the middle east.

VP Naseem departed on the official visit to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on February 12.

His visit carried the purpose of attending the ninth World Government Summit 2023 and came upon the official invitation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

This year’s World Government Summit took place from February 13 – 15 at Madinat Jumeirah and revolved around shaping a better future for humanity and highlight six main themes.

The summit brought together world leaders, global experts as well as decision-makers to exchange ideas and contribute to development policies and models that will prove to be critical in defining future governments.

VP Naseem addressed the Future of Work Forum as part of the visit. In his speech, the vice president urged the international community to better use the available opportunities and resources to achieve the future required for the citizens.

Further, he also attended the launching ceremony of the "Maldives Leadership Programme."

The Maldives Leadership Program is the first training programme launched as part of the UAE's Government Experience Exchange Programme (GEEP) and targets Maldives' government employees as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the UAE and the Maldives.

The program is designed around the critical aspects of learning and innovation for the government's continued growth and success in better providing services to the people.

Launching the program, VP Naseem noted that incorporating technology and innovation into government service delivery will prove to increase efficiency, transparency, and accountability.

Shedding light on the significance of frequently investing in learning and innovation to stay ahead of technological advancements, VP Naseem stressed on the "Executive Enhancement and Enrichment Program (EEEP)" launch in 2021.

As such he stressed that enhancing opportunities for learning and development for government staff had been a priority for the administration.

An initiative by the Public Service Training Unit of the President's Office and the Civil Service Training Institute of the Maldives, the two-year joint initiative aims to improve the skills and capabilities of political and executive staff in management positions in the civil service.

VP Naseem expressed gratitude to the government of UAE for making the program possible and added that the program, which is part of the Capacity Building in Leadership Development initiative, is expected to provide participants with the knowledge and praxis of the UAE government's best practices and experiences through workshops, online lecture sessions, and field visits to UAE government organizations.

Aiming to promote the core elements of bridging the gap between policy design and implementation, building a proactive work culture, assisting in citizen-oriented public service through digitalization, promoting collaborative leadership in decentralized governance, assisting in strategizing social media for effective governance, developing digital mindsets for innovative and efficient administration as well as boosting intergovernmental cooperation, the program aligns with the administration's Strategic Action Plan (SAP).

As part of the visit, he also paid a courtesy call on Dr. Sultan bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber, the Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology of the United Arab Emirates, President-designate of COP28, Managing Director and CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Chairman of Masdar and UAE's Special Envoy on Climate Change.

Congratulating the minister on his appointment as the President-designate of COP28, VP Naseem expressed hope that the conference will be a resounding success under his capable leadership and guidance.

He also spoke about the close friendship shared between the Maldives and the UAE and stated that the island nation highly values its long-standing fraternal bonds of friendship with the UAE.

The vice president described the long-standing fraternal bonds of friendship Maldives has with UAE as both special and unique.

Highlighting that UAE has been a consistent and reliable friend and an invaluable development partner to the Maldives, VP Naseem went on to engage in extensive discussions regarding the efforts made by both parties on the international front.

As such, both leaders highlighted the multiple challenges and how to work together to resolve the issues effectively.

VP Naseem also expressed gratitude to the UAE government for its continued support and assistance to the island nation in several sectors, over the course of the years and expressed hope that the close partnership between both nations will continue to prosper and flourish for the mutual benefit of the people of both countries.

Further, the Maldivian vice president called on the Crown Prince of the Emirate of Fujairah Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi during the trip as well.

During the meeting, VP Naseem applauded the UAE leadership for its anticipation and for successfully hosting the World Government Summit for a decade, which has helped shape the world's future.

VP Naseem stated that the close brotherly relations between the Maldives and UAE stem from Islamic, cultural, and historical links and shared values.

He added that the UAE has been an invaluable development partner of the island nation and has provided generous support and assistance to the country over the course of the past years.

Discussions were also held on areas of mutual interest for further cooperation, including development cooperation, trade and investment, tourism, increasing people-to-people connectivity, and international cooperation.

Before concluding the call, VP Naseem expressed hope that the Maldives and UAE's close partnership would continue to prosper and flourish for the mutual benefit of the people of both nations.

Maldives and UAE celebrate 45 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, this year.