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Ministry of Finance and Industry Highlights future plans on Human Resources Management System
Dubai, March 28, 2005: The Ministry of Finance and Industry today organized a workshop in tandem with eCompany, to highlight the implementation plan of the Human Resources Management System (HRMS). Several ministries participated in the workshop.
“The HRMS would be an instrumental tool for planning and managing activities of federal employees relating to recruitment, personnel administration, career development and assignments. It would also provide integrated HR and payroll services to employees” said Dr. Ali Bin Abood, Deputy Director General of the Civil Service Bureau.
“We aim to enable the federal government to exercise transparency and quality in its HR activities. This is in line with the efforts that the government is making to develop its operations according to the best international standards by introducing advanced projects such as the e-Government, which is considered as the umbrella of HRMS,” added said Dr. Abood
Mohamed Qambar, Director of Information System Department at the Ministry of Finance and Industry, noted that the HRMS teams would, as a first step undertake a comprehensive review of the existing HR procedures and rules that are implemented across the federal government. He also said that under the HRMS, advanced procedures in HR would be implemented through an integrated electronic system.
“We organized this workshop with the Ministry of Finance and Industry in order to discuss the best practices that can be implemented in HRMS. We also presented a definition of the concept of human resources management to the federal ministries and representatives of independent bodies. Also, our aim was to shed light on the link between HRMS and the e-Government project as they are both integrated,” said Ahmed Bin Ghanam, e-Government Project Manager from eCompany.
The Emirates Telecommunication Corporation (Etisalat) through eCompany is the official partner in implementing the e-Government project. It provides IT support such as selection of IT solutions, network design, and integrated network security.
The HRMS is one of the projects that the e-Government steering committee has launched recently. These include the federal government e-Portal, the Financial Management Information System, and the e-Projects supervised by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing.
Ministry of Finance and Industry steps up its customer services efforts
Survey aims to gauge industrial sector’s satisfaction
Dubai, March 22, 2005: The Ministry of Finance and Industry has launched a customer satisfaction survey in order to gauge its industrial customers’ opinion about its various services including the electronically conducted transactions, said Jamal Nasser Lutah, assistant undersecretary for industrial affairs at the Ministry.
“We are interested to know our stakeholders’ opinions and comments about our services because we want to constantly improve them. This comes in line with the high performance government concept that the Ministry of Finance and Industry is driving across the federal government.
“The survey also concurs with the requirements of the e-Government project, as it aims to solicit the customers’ feedback about the effect the electronic transactions have had on their business in terms of simplifying procedures and saving time and effort,” said Lutah.
Lutah added that the aim is to analyze the stakeholders’ feedback in order to improve the work procedures and reach a common ground that balances between their needs and our services.
The number of industrial establishments operating in the UAE is according to the latest statistics 3036 with an approximate investment of 62 billion dirham.
The Ministry of Finance and Industry issues a new 50 e-Dirham card category
Abu Dhabi, 21 March, 2005: A new category of the e-Dirham has been launched by the Ministry of Finance and Industry, announced Khaled Al Jorhari, Director of Revenues Department at the Ministry. The new category that has been issued is worth 50 Dirhams.
“ Issuing a 50 Dhs worth e-Dirahm card is a step to facilitate the e-Dirham system for clients who need small amounts of money to proceed with their transactions through ministries and governmental departments.
" The e-Dirham unit at the Ministry of Finance and Industry works continuously towards providing the best services to its clients. Providing best services and offering world-class quality are the main objectives that were behind the initiation of the e-Dirham system," said Al Johari.
Al Johari added that there is a huge demand on e-Dirham cards from all categories, which required the issuance of new categories. Currently, the Ministry has issued different categories to satisfy the requirements of the government customers. The available categories now come in 50 Dhs, 100 Dhs, 200 Dhs, 300 Dhs, 500 Dhs, 1000 Dhs, 3000 Dhs, and 5000 Dhs. Additionally, the Ministry has issued the government client card, which offers a range of advanced personalized services.
The official statistics of the e-Dirham use nationwide shows a solid growth in the number of e-Dirham users. The e-Dirham recharge transactions at the banks registered a stunning half a million since 2002.
The e-Dirham is a payment tool devised by the Ministry of Finance and Industry in order to facilitate collection of revenues, providing the government with a secure payment mehod, and providing the public with a convenient payment tool.
Government Innovation Award named after late President Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahayan
Top honour will reward innovation in government
Abu Dhabi, March 15, 2005: H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Presidential Affairs, announced that a Government Innovation Award named in honour of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, has been launched under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance and Industry in tandem with Zayed University and the University of California, Berkley.
“The Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Award for Government Innovation” will encourage innovation in public sector organizations and inspire a modification of organizational missions and the best means for those missions to be carried out in ways that better serve the stakeholders.
“We named this award after the late Sheikh Zayed in recognition of the part he played in inspiring the innovation that has led to the development of the UAE and driven its progress to become a modern nation. Sheikh Zayed ensured the Government actively encouraged innovation through a variety of programmes and incentives,” said H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
“Applicants will benefit tremendously from this Award in terms of stimulating improvement in their organizations’ performance with respect to innovation. Through a self-evaluation process that is an integral part of the application procedure, applicants will share and learn from best practices and experiences of other organizations,” he added.
This prestigious award will reward creative and effective problem solving and is expected to play a crucial role in driving performance in the government. Organizations from federal ministries, statutory federal bodies, local government departments/agencies, and all humanitarian organization based in the UAE can apply for the Award.
The introduction of the Award reflects the UAE’s progress and emergence as an outstanding model of development in the region. The UAE Government continues to drive innovation in its own operations to match the progress made elsewhere across the public and private sectors. The Award will be linked to the International Innovation Award and the UNPAN Innovation Award in the public sector.
To qualify for the Award entrants will need to demonstrate original thinking and implementation of change in management, processes or policy that has led to a fundamental change and improvement in their organizations. Qualifying programmes must show tangible results in improving efficiency and effectiveness.
Within the scope of the Award, any innovation programs that tackle all policy areas will be considered. These include but are not restricted to justice management, civic engagement, management of debt, public health, e-Government, and quality improvement.
The Ministry of Finance and Industry along with the University of California, Berkley and Zayed University have agreed to consider four selection criteria in order to meet the general purpose of the Award. The innovation programs which will be eligible to win the Award would need to demonstrate some aspects of novelty that represents a fundamental change in governance, management, process improvement, or policy application. Applying programs should also display more effectiveness in the application of processes and procedures and demonstrate concrete results.
The scope of the innovation program and its significance is another criterion that will be scrutinized by the Award administrators. The program has to reveal the degree to which it successfully addresses an important problem or a public concern. Lastly, the transferability of the program is another factor that will be into consideration. The innovation program that would apply for the Award should have enough elasticity to be replicated in other government departments with a scope of work different from where the innovation program emanated.
Late last year, MOFI signed a Memorandum of Understanding with University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) and Zayed University to design and administer the Award. The aim is to drive fundamental change across the UAE federal ministries and bodies.
The MoU will lead to a three-phase collaboration with UC Berkeley. The first phase involves a strategic review that will look at existing processes and best practices, develop UAE-specific case studies and create the awards programme.
The second phase will focus on developing the awards programme after identifying any gaps or weaknesses. The awards will provide an incentive for the staff to strive for excellence in these areas and will act as a vehicle for the UAE government to increase understanding and awareness.
The third phase involves the actual programme delivery where a series of custom-made executive education programmes focused on strategy will be conducted. A “market” orientation will be developed, and integration of technology and strategy, leadership, human resource management, measuring processes, change management, and communication of new innovative initiatives within the context of UAE ministries and culture will take place.
The Ministry of Finance and Industry will in collaboration with the two academic institutions conduct a review of every government department to advise and execute executive training programs and develop incentives, such as Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahayan Government Innovation Award, to drive through innovation and change.
“In the world governed by the forces of globalization, it is important that we maintain our competitive edge through incentive programs such as this Award,” said H.E. Dr. Mohammed Khalfan bin Kharbash, UAE State Minister of Finance and Industry. “Problem solving and creativity should be both important and essential elements of the skill sets of our government officials and employees.
“This Award will go to those who are keen and proactive about bringing in new ideas that can be turned into efficient and effective procedures that lead to better services and world-class organizational systems,” Dr. Kharbash added.
The Ministry of Finance and Industry launches e-Portal
Portal provides a single point of access to government information and services
Abu Dhabi, March 13th, 2005: The Ministry of Finance and Industry officially launched the UAE e-Portal website during a workshop organized today in Abu Dhabi, with the participation of ministries and government entities. The e-Portal is the federal government electronic gateway that offers a wide range of government information and services.
Dr. Mohamed Emir Mavani, the e-Government Project Director at the Ministry of Finance and Industry, said: “The launch of the e-Portal is a vital step towards implementing the overall federal e-Government project. It is the foundation for establishing an e-Government system that will provide the highest levels of performance efficiency to the citizens and residents of the UAE.”
Dr. Mavani added that the e-Portal was established to convey the UAE government’s vision, which aims to increase coordination and integration among ministries and government agencies, with a view to the provision of a maximum level of accuracy and speed in serving customers. The e-Portal will increase individual and cross-departmental collaboration, improve public interaction and involvement, and provide a centralized content management for all government ministries and entities with decentralized e-Services.
The e-Portal will also serve as a networked and integrated environment for all public sector employees, offering information on employee vacancies and raising levels of performance and productivity in the public sector.
The main page of the portal has been designed both in Arabic and English to cater for the needs of citizens and residents. It also aims to be a friendly government interface with businesses and individuals, offering focused and crisp information.
Maha Al Aidarous, Deputy Director of Information Systems Department at the Ministry of Finance and Industry, and e-Portal Project Manager, said that implementation of the e-Portal project has been divided into measurable phases to become an integrated means of electronic communications between government, businesses, and individuals.
Al Aidarous added that the objective during the first phase is to establish an e-Government single-entry portal, develop concept, high-level introductory content, and provide links to participating ministries and related portals. “Enhancing the informational content, developing content specific to high-frequency services, and introducing access to limited online services are the projected milestones of the second phase,” noted Al Aidarous.
The third phase of the e-Portal implementation will witness the launch content management applications, define content types, sources and workflows, expand portal structure to include participating ministries, and add service downloadable forms. While the fourth phase will be a transition to transactional services where transaction tracking for existing services will be introduced, user feedback will be solicited, and traffic and traffic and visitor patterns will be reviewed for input into next phase.
When the fifth phase of the e-Portal will be completed, administrators will be able to add personalized notifications and alerts develop content specific to address feedback/patterns from previous phase, and add advanced indexing / cross referencing capabilities for ministries portal content.
The e-Portal project will come to an end during the sixth phase where the different teams will review and consolidate existing information, a presentation for improvements will be made, and an enhanced presentation according to feedback from stakeholders will be developed.
Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Finance step up Total Quality Management (TQM) efforts
Abu Dhabi, 12 March, 2005: The Ministry of Interior recently began the implementation of the second phase of the Total Quality Management (TQM) program, under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance and Industry (MoF&I). This follows the successful completion of the first phase of the program, which resulted in the Information System department at the Ministry of Interior receiving the ISO 9001 certification.
The Ministry of Finance and Industry formed a consultation team that will train the Ministry of Interior’s quality team through workshops and specialized courses to enable them to manage the quality project effectively.
Major General Matar Salem Bin Said Al Niyady, the General Manager of the Information System department at the Ministry of Interior, who was delegated to manage the quality project, by His Highness Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan said,” The members of the team were chosen based on very strict standards in order to guarantee the effectiveness of the team’s performance in executing the project”.
He added that this project is in line with the policies imposed by the UAE government and the Ministry of Interior to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of employees, raise the level of performance, and offer best services to clients.
Dr. Mohammad Amir Mavani, the TQM advisor at the Ministry of Finance and Industry, said “The project will be implemented in several stages to achieve maximum results. We will put in place an execution plan for the project, outline strategic goals that reflect the ministry’s vision, and then develop procedures according to TQM guidelines.”
Mavani clarified that training is the most important aspect of the project. The team from the Ministry of Finance and Industry will offer the required training to the quality team, so the quality team will be able to do an internal audit for the quality system and solicit and analyze feedback from stakeholders.
The TQM initiative introduces key governance and performance-related reforms into Federal Government with the aim of achieving the ISO 9000:2000 quality certification right across the full spectrum of government institutions.
The TQM project focuses on customer satisfaction, teamwork and employee participation. It also promotes open and flexible organizational structures.
The Quality Group set up within MOFI has been given the task of overseeing the implementation of the project. It operates on two fronts, to license and to recommend to government bodies how to achieve quality certification.
FTA Negotiation Council gears up for upcoming US discussions
Sub-teams meetings with private sector discussed
Abu Dhabi, 1st of March, 2005: The UAE Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiation council held a meeting today in Abu Dhabi to discuss preparations for the first round of negotiations with the USA to be held next week at the UAE Palace, Abu Dhabi.
The meeting with the council’s sub-teams was co-chaired by H.E. Dr. Mohamed Khalfan bin Khirbash, UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry and H.E Shaikha Lubna Al Qassimi, Minister of Economy and Planning.
“The aim of this meeting was to unify the UAE’s position on various trade-related matters for the forthcoming rounds of negotiations with the US,” said Dr. Khirbash. “The UAE’s position on these matters has come about as a direct result of discussions held between the negotiation sub-teams and both the public and the private sectors.”
Dr. Khirbash noted that all the recommendations of both the public and private sectors and the consultants appointed to support the UAE negotiating initiative were put forward at the meeting, ensuring that all sectors affected by the agreement were properly heard.
Dr. Khirbash stressed that the council’s sub-teams will hold intensive meetings and negotiations with other sectors in the country after the end of the first round of negotiations with the US, where they will be able to discuss the outcome and express their opinions.
“The signing of the Free Trade Agreement has turned to be an essential step for those aiming at expanding their markets. The FTA with the US will enable UAE to compete in international markets and benefit from the transfer of modern technology and expertise that support the improvement of our services and products,” said Shaikha Lubna.
She commented: “Thanks to our open economic policy, the UAE has been able to attract huge investments and international companies to operate within our shores. We work relentlessly to develop the investment environment to make the UAE the first choice for investors from around the world.”
She added that the economic partnership with the US is based on many years of strong bilateral relations, during which both countries developed an interest to expand their bilateral trade relations. The FTA is a natural development of these relations.
The free trade agreement with the US will grant the UAE access to the largest consumer market in the world. This will not only encourage bilateral trade and economic relations, but will also impact positively on UAE production and exports. The UAE and US have preceded the FTA negotiations with a Trade and Investment Frame Work Agreement, which was ratified in April 2004 by the UAE cabinet.
Ministry of Finance and Industry turns spotlight on Leadership training
Abu Dhabi, February 22, 2005: The Ministry of Finance and Industry (MOFI) organized yesterday a ”Leadership in the Twenty First Century” seminar in Abu Dhabi, with the participation of its undersecretaries, department directors and their deputies.
“The Ministry of Finance and Industry is stepping up its efforts to fully inform its senior staff about the latest information and techniques in the field of administration and management. The seminar also reflects MOFI’s continuous drive towards a high performance government,” said H.E. Jassim Al Shamsi, Undersecretary of salaries and audit.
Al Shamsi added that this course represents a model that the Ministry uses to improve the overall performance of its employees at different levels. To achieve this, the Ministry regularly organizes similar training seminars for employees and higher management personnel to ensure that services are channeled to its stakeholders in the most efficient ways.
During the training seminar, attendees were briefed about different leadership skills, modern concepts of leaderships, understanding and dealing with change, adoption of different management styles, and the appropriate techniques to formulate an appropriate vision.
Federal e-Government Steering Committee approves 2005 Master Plan
Progress report about vital e-Government projects reviewed
Dubai, February 16, 2005: The master policy plan of 2005 for the vital e-Government project was approved by the e-Government steering committee at a meeting today in Dubai under the chairmanship of H.E. Dr. Mohamed Khalfan bin Khirbash, the UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry. The steering committee members also reviewed progress reports of ongoing projects, and discussed the e-Government Policies, Standards, and Processes (PSP) project.
Commenting on the meeting, Dr. Khirbash said: “The progress that has been made thus far is satisfactory. The work that has been completed by our technical partners at Etisalat, represented by eCompany, together with the e-Government project management team from the Ministry of Finance and Industry, has been widely lauded. We call on parties involved in this project to speed up the process to meet the deadlines set for the various phases of this landmark project.”
“We aim at establishing an e-environment to help us finalize and achieve a world-class UAE e-Government with cutting edge ITC technology. This objective complements our drive to achieve a highly efficient government, and enhances our efforts to provide the corporate sector and individuals, UAE nationals and residents, with up to date solutions for any anticipated problem,” added Dr. Khirbash.
The master plan of 2005 revealed a number of expected delivery items for the projects that were already approved by the steering committee. These will focus on core applications to increase effectiveness and efficiency of the federal government. The master plan offers a seamless interface between the government, businesses, and citizens through a number of e-Services available through different channels, such as Internet, mobile phones, public kiosks, call centers, and other dedicated service centers across the country. The master plan takes also into consideration specialized training programs to enable federal employees to meet the challenges of implementing the e-Government project.
The steering committee was also briefed about the progress made on different ongoing e-Government projects. These comprise of e-Projects, e-Expat, the Human Resources Management Information System (HRMIS), and the Financial Management Information System (FMIS).
The e-Projects, e-Expat, and HRMIS teams have recently conducted, in collaboration with eCompany and e-Government project team from the Ministry of Finance and Industry, kick-off workshops with their relevant stakeholders. The methodology of these projects and the phases of implementations have been presented and discussed, and an initial vision for each project was then formulated.
The members of the steering committee were also updated about the FMIS, a project that strengthens auditing and financial scrutiny and is regarded as one of the main pillars supporting performance-based budgeting. The necessary hardware for this system has been provided, the infrastructure is already hosted in eCompany data centres, and all essential network, security, and administration requirements for the launch of FMIS have been set. For the next three months, the FMIS project team will complete all documentation and training requirements for the implementation of the system. One vital element is a comprehensive change management plan that has been formulated in sync with the implementation plan for FMIS.
The Policies, Standards and Processes (PSP) project was also discussed at the meeting today. Dr. Mohamed Emir Mavani, the e-Government project Director at the Ministry of Finance and Industry, said that PSP aims to develop necessary standards and policies covering all areas of e-Government. The project also aims to establish a process of ongoing maintenance and update of the recommended policies and standards, and will serve as a benchmark for new government services that will enter the realm of e-services in the future.
The e-Government project has been designed in such a way to allow the government officials responsible for the project to implement the programs and systems in structured ‘wave’ stages, whereby each wave has its own milestones and benchmarks. The initiative was introduced as a tool to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the UAE Federal Government and is a key component in sustaining the country’s competitiveness.
Free Trade Agreement Negotiation Council holds its first meeting in Abu Dhabi
Teams representing vital economic sectors formed
Abu Dhabi, 15 February 2005: The UAE free trade agreement negotiation council established earlier this year held its first meeting today at the Ministry of Finance and Industry under the chairmanship of H.E. Dr. Mohamed Khalfan bin Khirbash, UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry. The aim was to prepare for the first round of negotiations with the US slated for next month in Abu Dhabi.
“The meeting comes in line with the recent cabinet’s decision to form sub-teams that will represent sectors that would be subject to negotiation. The sub-teams have been formed, and their responsibilities have been outlined. They will work closely with both the public and private sectors to unify the UAE’s position during the various rounds of negotiations with the US,” said Dr. Khirbash.
The sub-teams represent intellectual property, customs, standards and metrology, services, agriculture, labour, market penetration, environment, textile, government procurement, telecommunications and e-Commerce, investment, and financial services such as banks and insurance.
The sub-teams have been assigned to different government departments with relevant expertise. The Ministry of Information and Culture will oversee the intellectual property team, the Federal Customs Authority will oversee the customs and market penetration teams, and standards and metrology will be overseen by the Emirates Standardization and Metrology Authority.
The Ministry of Economy and Planning will chair the services, textile, and financial services (insurance) teams, agriculture team will be chaired by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and the Ministry of labour and Social Affairs will chair the labour sector team. It has also been decided that the environment team will be chaired by the Federal Authority for Environment, the Ministry of Finance and Industry will oversee the government procurement and investment teams, telecommunication and e-Commerce will be represented by the Telecom Regulatory Authority, the Central Bank will chair the financial services team, and the legal affairs team will be handled by the Ministry of Justice.
“We also discussed other issues related to FTA such as the outcome of the first two rounds of talks of the UAE-US joint council which was formed after the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) was signed. We also discussed other FTA agreements sealed between the US and various Arab and other countries,” added Dr. Khirbash.
The negotiation council which was approved last week includes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance and Industry, Ministry of Economy and Planning, Ministry of Information and Culture, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Endowment and Islamic Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Transportation, the UAE Central Bank, Federal Customs Authority, the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology, Federal Authority of Environment, Abu Dhabi Department of Economy and Planning, Dubai Ports and Customs and Free Zone Corportation, Telecom Regulating Authority, Environmental Research & Wildlife Development Agency, and Tejari.com.
The free trade agreement with the US will grant the UAE access to the largest consuming market in the world which will not only encourage bilateral trade and economic relations, but will also impact positively on UAE production and exports.
The UAE cabinet ratified in April 2004 a UAE-US Trade and Investment Frame Work Agreement after it was signed in Washington in March 2004.
Abu Dhabi, 11 February, 2005: The free trade agreement negotiation council aims to properly oversee ongoing preparation for the first round of official UAE-US FTA negotiations, due to take place in Abu Dhabi next month, said H.E. Dr. Mohamed Khalfan bin Khirbash, UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry. Earlier last week, the Ministry of Finance and Industry presented a memo to the cabinet to form this council. The cabinet approved the memo and appointed H.E. Dr. Mohamed Khalfan bin Khirbash and H.E. Sheikha Lubna Al Qassimi, UAE Minister of Economy and Planning, as the council's co-chairs. The council comprises of a number of federal and local ministries as well as other relevant parties.
The cabinet assigned the negotiation council to set up several negotiation sub- teams to oversee the sectors that would be subject to negotiation. These include intellectual property, customs, standards and metrology, services, agriculture, labour, environment, textile, government procurement, telecommunications and e-Commerce, investment, and financial services such as banks and insurance.
“The sub-teams will be set up in order to formulate a comprehensive UAE negotiation strategy, under which all relevant sectors in the negotiation will be dealt with separately and thoroughly,” added Dr. Khirbash.
The teams will organize workshops and conduct debates with relevant public and private parties in order to finalize their position and requirements from the free trade agreement.
Dr. Khirbash also said that the council is made of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance and Industry, Ministry of Economy and Planning, Ministry of Information and Culture, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Endowment and Islamic Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Transportation, the UAE Central Bank, Federal Customs Authority, the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology, Federal Authority of Environment, Abu Dhabi Department of Economy and Planning, Dubai Ports and Customs and Free Zone Corporation, Telecommunications Regulating Authority, Environmental Research & Wildlife Development Agency, and Tejari.com.
“The free trade agreement with the US will grant the UAE access to the largest consuming market in the world which will not only foster our bilateral trade and economic relations, but will also impact positively on UAE production and exports,” highlighted Dr. Khirbash.
The UAE cabinet ratified in April 2004 a UAE-US Trade and Investment Frame Work Agreement (TIFA) after it was signed in Washington in March 2004. The TIFA aims to foster an open and predictable environment for international trade and investment and economic cooperation between the two countries. A joint council has been created to serve as a forum for permanent dialogue between UAE and US officials with the aim of expanding trade and investment between the two countries.
MoFI plays key role as GCC industrial development strategy reaches crucial stage
GOIC meeting brings Gulf-wide integrated approach a step closer
Abu Dhabi, February 1, 2005: The UAE Ministry of Finance and Industry (MoFI) yesterday met representatives of the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC) to discuss a key stage of the progress towards a common industrial development strategy. The meeting signaled completion of the preliminary phase of the lead up to the all-important unified GCC States report.
Mr. Shabib bin Ahmad Shabib, Director General of MoFI’s Industrial Development Department and strategy expert at GOIC, and other Ministry officials to finalise quantitative measures of the rate of progress towards an integrated industrial development strategy. Preparations were made for a forum to take this phase of the initiative forward and that meeting has been scheduled for the end of this month.
Technical issues will be top of the agenda. Topics expected to be given priority include identifying the challenges for applying the quantitative indicators, providing technical support and building resources necessary for creating the national report. Mr. Shabib said: “The industrial Development Strategy aims to speed up the integrated industrial development of all the GCC States, taking into consideration the individual circumstances and resources of each country.
“The strategy will also focus on increasing the local component in the gross industrial production, utilizing GCC resources in industry and encouraging the nationalisation of industries in less developed areas. It also intends to establish a database for research and applied sciences related to the industrial sector.”
One of the main planks of the new strategy is to increase the role of the private sector and diversify its activities.
MoFI awards for veteran officials
Minister Khirbash leads drive towards incentive-led management in Federal Government departments
Abu Dhabi, February 1, 2005: The UAE Ministry of Finance and Industry (MoFI) today announced it had made a series of awards to senior staff. The move caps sustained efforts to move towards a more incentive-driven framework of staff development throughout the Federal Ministries.
The awards were made by H.E. Dr. Mohamed Khalfan Bin Khirbash, Minister of State for Finance and Industry, who praised the efforts of his department to create effective programmes to train and develop staff. These policies are being pursued as MoFI pushes ahead with the performance-based budgeting-led initiative to drive through change across all Ministries and Federal institutions and transform practices and processes.
The aim is to ensure Federal Government departments perform to the highest international standards. Dr. Khirbash said: “The Ministry has invested in its human capital and this has created the capabilities that are now being employed to transform Federal government operations and introduce modern management techniques.”
Veteran staff with more than 20 years service in the Department and senior officials were handed awards during the ceremony. Dr. Khirbash said the awarded were as much recognition for the excellence of the department as of the individuals who received them.
He said: “The results of even the most talented individuals could not be achieved without the help of those around them. These awards should motivate staff throughout the Ministry and encourage to even greater efforts and achievements. They prove that those who work hard will be rewarded.
“At the beginning of each year the Ministry devises an annual training to cover ever sector and with the clear aim of boosting the employees’ capabilities. We are beginning to see the results of this policy and we have every reason to be encouraged by what we are seeing.
“Progress cannot be made solely on the basis of modernisation. We need to develop our people too.”
Federal Governments employees receive their salaries before Eid
Abu Dhabi, 17 January, 2005 : The Ministry of Finance and Industry announced today that it shall start transferring this month’s salaries and the monthly budget of concerned independent authorities to the banks in the country for the beneficiaries to get their salaries before Eid Al Adha.
Khalid Mirza, Director of the Accounting Department at the ministry, said that the ministry has also transferred the money designed for social aid beneficiaries who receive aid through the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
The Ministry of Finance and Industry has also finalized the salaries documents of its employees on Sunday and sent it to the banks on Monday.
Mirza pointed out that the ministry took this initiative on the occasion of Eid Al Adha in order to enable the families to cover their needs during this special occasion.
Constituent Assembly for Islamic Arbitration Center to meet in March
Abu Dhabi, January 1, 2005: The constituent assembly for the Islamic Arbitration Center (IAC) will hold its meeting in Dubai next March to approve the IAC by-laws and its board members.
The announcement came at the conclusion of the coordinating committee meeting which was chaired by H.E. Khaled Ali Al Bustani, Assistant Under-secretary for Budget and Revenues at the Ministry of Finance and Industry (MoFI).
“Representatives of MoFI, Islamic Bank for Development, General Board of Islamic Banks and Institutions, and Dubai Islamic Bank have attended this coordinating meeting that prepares for the IAC constituent assembly general meeting,” said AL Bustani.
“The IAC board members to be selected will be most probably representatives of some Islamic banks and commercial banks that run some of its operations under Islamic financing umbrella. Other probable board members would include representatives of developments funds from all over the world,” he added.
Al Bustani pointed out that the cabinet approved on an agreement to set up the center in August 2004 after the country won the opportunity of hosting the center. Choosing the UAE to be the hub of this center was based on several reasons including the high security measurements available, strong infrastructure, developed telecommunication network as well as being an international business hub.
UAE Ministry of finance and industry actively assessing for the opening round of the Free Trade agreement with the United States
Dubai, 18 January 2005: In preparation for the opening round of negotiating talks in March on the Free Trade Agreement between the United Arab Emirates and the United State, the UAE ministry of Finance and Industry (MoFI) is currently undertaking an impact analysis of the effects a free trade agreement might have on the local economy.
H.E Khalid Ali Al Bustani, Undersecretary for Budget and Revenues, said that any agreement will have to be clearly beneficial to the United Arab Emirates, and as such the Government considered it vital to asses the impacts prior to the negotiations decisions being taken in relation to the proposed agreement, and will guide the upcoming negotiations.” Mr. Al Bustani also commented,” the United States has free trade agreements with Bahrain, Jordan and Morocco, and we are closely examining the measures these countries have taken.”
To assist with the study the Ministry has contracted an international economic consultancy firm, Maxwell Stamp, which has assembled a team of experts from around the world. The consultants, who have experience negotiating such free trade agreements with the USA, have been in the UAE for the last 10 days meeting with key stakeholders in both Government and the business community. Their work will asses the current situation and future impacts, examine possible cost and benefits, and make recommendations for the upcoming negotiations.
The work will focus on assessment of both the impact on traded goods (traditional imports and exports of goods), and on trade in services (including for example area such as telecommunications, financial services, transport). It will also look at cross cutting areas of the agreement such as investment, intellectual property rights, environment and labour.
Al Bustani added that the UAE and USA signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement on the March 15th, 2004 to foster economic ties between the two countries. “The negotiation delegation has been formed out of all the involved ministries, and a joint business council was then formed to foster UAE-US private sector relations.”
OPEC Fund offers loans to six developing nations totaling to US 70 million
Dubai, January 18, 2004: The OPEC Fund for International Development has approved a $ 70 million loan to six developing countries from Asian and Africa, said H.E. Jamal Lutah, chairman of OPEC Fund board of governors, and assistant undersecretary for industrial affairs at the Ministry of Finance and Industry.
After singing the agreements with the relevant parties, Lutah said that loans will be distributed on Egypt $ 18 million, Morocco $ 20 million, Zambia $ 10 million, Cambodia $ 1.5 million, Madagascar $ 5 million, and finally Malawi $ 7 million. The loans will be used to finance various projects including roads construction, water and energy supply, and combating contagious diseases.
The OPEC Fund for International Development was established in January 1976 by the member countries of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The Fund was established to support low-income countries in their efforts to make economic and social progress. It aims to promote cooperation between member countries of OEPC and other developing nations.
OPEC Fund donates 1.2 million dollars for Tsunami-affected countries
Abu Dhabi, January 2, 2005: The OPEC Fund for international development has donated $ 1.2 million to the countries affected with the disastrous Tsunami earthquake, announced Jamal Nasser Lutah, Under-secretary for industrial affairs at the Ministry of Finance and Industry, and Chairman of the Fund’s board of governors.
“The Fund decided to donate this money to help these countries to face the ramifications of this natural disaster and to extend our help to the people who were most affected and are in dire need of basic food and medical supplies.
“The Fund has decided to donate $ 600 thousand to Indonesia, $ 200 thousand to Sri Lanka, $200 thousand to India, $100 to Thailand, and $100 thousand to the Maldives,” added Lutah.
Lootah mentioned that the Fund expresses its deep sorrow and sympathies with to the countries which were at the center of this natural disaster, and called for a full cooperation between all international organizations to face this human catastrophe.
The OPEC Fund for International Development was established in January 1976 by the member countries of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The Fund was established to support low-income countries in their efforts to make economic and social progress. It aims to promote cooperation between member countries of OEPC and other developing nations.
GCC industry body approves new initiatives to boost regional co-operation
Khirbash outlines plans to meet challenge posed at GCC Summit
Dubai, December 30, 2004: New measures to boost regional cooperation on industrial development was revealed yesterday, at the opening of the final meeting of the year for the high-powered Gulf Organisation for Industrial Consulting (GOIC).
The meeting highlighted the crucial role industry can be expected to play as GCC member countries wind down their dependence on oil. “One of the biggest challenges facing the GOIC is how to best deploy its expertise and contribute to the development of the economies of the GCC country,” stated H.E. Dr. Mohamed Khalfan Bin Khirbash, UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry (MoFI) in his opening speech to the of 58th session of the Organisation.
In his speech, read by H.E Jamal Nasir Lootah, under secretary of industrial affairs at MoFI, Dr Khirbash added: “The GCC Summit that took place a few weeks ago outlined the pace of change that needs to be set to meet the growing expectations of governments and the public. We will all have to work harder to satisfy those expectations.”
H.E Ahmed Khalil Al Mutawea, the first UAE Secretary General of the Organization, added: “We are delighted to that there is this opportunity here in the UAE to discuss among the GCC states measures to consolidate collaboration in the industrial sector. We are looking to develop new strategies to increase efficiency in regional output and develop technical skills and abilities.”
Dr. Nasir AL Ojail, Director of the Kuwaiti Public Authority for Industry and outgoing President of the Organization, handed over leadership of GOIC to H.E. Jamal Nasir Lootah for the first meeting in 2005.
Arab Industrial Development Strategy approved
Dubai, 29 December 2004: HE Dr Mohamed Khalfan Bin Khirbash, UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry has headed the UAE delegation to the extraordinary meeting of the ministerial board of Arab Industrial Development, which has been concluded today in Khartoum, Sudan.
H.E. Jamal Nasser Lootah, the Assistant under Secretary for industrial Affairs at the Ministry of Finance and Industry, confirmed that Arab industry ministers have approved the Arab industrial development strategy for the next ten years. The draft of the strategy will be submitted to the Arab summit next March 2005 in Algeria. The strategy came as a result of long discussions by the participant delegations and is designed to face the challenges that the Arab industry faces.
“The draft strategy included five main points: technology development, human capital development, bridging the industrial gap between Arab countries and quality, in addition to enhancing the business environment through developing the small and medium industries, integrating Arab financial laws and improving the environmental conditions of Industry.
“The strategy comes as a result of the last Arab summit’s resolution, which called for setting up an industrial development strategy, before the end of 2004 to enhance the competitiveness of the Arab industry,” Lootah indicated.
The strategy aims at establishing economic environment, which focuses on the industrial sector, through speeding up the economic growth in Arab country, enhancing the Arab industrial contribution in the gross industrial domestic product, enhancing the trading volume in the operational industries and raise workers income levels.
The UAE delegation has presented a clear idea about Industry in the country and the development volume achieved in the last ten years, especially that UAE currently confers high importance to industrial development and offers all the necessary support to enhance the sector’s growth.
Cabinet requests ministries to speed up implementation of second phase of e-Government project
Efforts of e-Government team commended
Abu Dhabi, December 28, 2004: The UAE Cabinet requested all the federal ministries and bodies to speed up the implementation of the second phase of the e-Government project said Dr. Mohamed Khalfan bin Khirbash, Minister of State for Finance and Industry. The call came during the meeting which was held yesterday, presided by over by H.H. Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister.
“The Cabinet has been updated about all the completed work with regard to this vital project. The Cabinet commended the efforts of all parties involved in the previous phase, and highlighted the importance of continuing at the same pace for the next phase.
“The Cabinet confers importance to this project as it reflects the development and modernity of the UAE, in addition to playing an essential role in supporting the demands of our growing economy,” added Dr. Khirbash.
Dr. Khirbash stressed that the strategic importance of this project is not only restricted to its technological dimension, but also transcends this aspect to improve the competence of the UAE human capital, leading to the overall development of the country and enabling it to maintain its competitive edge.
Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, General Manager eCompany, said that the report presented to the Cabinet detailed all the work completed in phase one of the e-Government project.
“Phase one of this project focused on finalizing the implementation strategy, prioritizing the projects, and analyzing budgetary requirements.
“Now, our focus is on second phase of this project, which we have indeed started three months ago. In coordination with our team and the e-Government team from the Ministry of Finance and Industry, we have already conducted several meetings with a number of federal ministries and set up e-Government teams from each concerned ministry,” added Julfar.
Julfar mentioned that phase one of the e-Portal project has been completed with all the content about the federal government finalized. The other projects lined up are e-Human Resources Management System (e-HRMS), e-Expat, and e-Project.
The e-Government team has already met with the Civil Service Bureau to start the implementation phase of the e-HRMS. When fully operational, this system will allow the government to better manage human capital as it will macro and micro manage all aspects of employment, from demography to the mobility of the workforce and locating skill shortages.
The e-Government team has also met with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs to kick off the e-Expat project. This project will eventually provide a single entry point for all expatriates in the UAE, allowing them to process their visa and residency services, labour permits, health cards, and other services.
The team has met with the Ministry of Public Works and Housing to put the e-Project program in motion. This project is a budgeting and tracking tool for Federal Government projects. It will enable the Federal government to access, monitor and manage infrastructure and building projects through a central system. It will also enable it to accurately report on progress, management and financing.
Dr.Khirbash to inaugurate Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting meeting
Dubai, December 28, 2004: H.E. Dr. Mohamed Khalfan bin Khirbash, UAE Minister of State for Financial and Industrial Affairs, will inaugurate Thursday, December 30th, , the 58th Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC) to be held in Dubai.
Jamal Nasser Loutah, Assistant Under-secretary for Industrial Affairs at the Ministry of Finance and Industry, and head of the GOIC board, said: “The board will discuss GOIC 2005 budget, the working plan as well as the strategy for the coming phase.”
The Gulf Industrial Consultancy Organization includes in its membership the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. The organization is considered a hub for Gulf expertise specialized in offering industrial consultancy services. Its headquarter is located in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
GOIC provides a client-focused research, information, and consulting services on industrial and economic development issues of critical importance to customers and governments in GCC member states. It is also involved in training industry sectors employees from the member states.
UAE chairman of OPEC development Fund board announces loans worth
$160 million
Windfall
targets specific projects to aid developing countries
Abu Dhabi, December 21, 2004: The UAE-chaired OPEC Fund for International Development today announced it approved loans worth a total of $157.4million at a recent board of governors meeting in the Fund’s Vienna offices.
Jamal Nasser Lutah, the board’s chairman and assistant undersecretary of Industry at the UAE Ministry of Finance and Industry (MoFI), unveiled the details of the loans. He said: “The board has approved 17 loans totaling $157.4 million to offer credit finance for projects in Angola, Armenia, Bosnia, Congo, Jordan, Turkey and Turkmenistan.
“The loans are for as long as 20 years. The first five years offer a grace period and the interest payable varies from 1 per cent to 1.75 per cent.”
The board also set aside $4.325 million to be split between combating polio in Africa, providing assistance to inhabitants of Maya in Nicaragua, and supporting a number of Palestinian NGOs. An amount of $2.25 million was allocated to support the AIDS epidemic combat program.
The board also considered a report by Salman bin Jaber Al Harbash, its General Director, about the Fund’s 2004 activities. The total value of loans approved by the Fund to the end of October this year stands at $5126 million offered to 111 developing countries to finance 950 projects.
“The Fund has supported 60 private sector projects worth $299 million,” said Mr. Lutah. “We have also approved about $316 million in grants to finance 684 projects in many poor and developing countries.
“The UAE is one of the principal founders of the Fund and is one of the biggest contributors to it. This is in line with the UAE’ commitment to play an active role in the field of international development.”
MoFI introduces new Federal Accounting Information System
- Project to commence in January 2005 -
Abu Dhabi, 20th December 2004: The Ministry of Finance and Industry (MoFI) announced today that it is introducing a new comprehensive financial management and accounting system starting January 2005 as one of the key priorities under the strategic UAE e-Government project .
The new system is a business accounting suite which comprises the main accounting systems used in the federal government like the performance-based budgeting, purchasing, ordering , expenditure, revenue, payroll, fixed assets and cash management.
H.E Jassem AL Shamsi, Undersecretary for Accounting & Audit division in the ministry in a presentation delivered today for all representatives of the federal governments ministries and authorities said : “The introduction of the new financial management and accounting system (FMIS) is part of the ministries’ endeavor to enhance the government’s overall financial performance, and is in compliance with the general policies drawn by the UAE leadership”.
“The Legacy systems used in the federal government for financial management systems do not adhere easily to international accounting and reporting standards. Therefore a need was felt to procure and implement a new modern financial management information system ” he added.
AL Shamsi noted that “By adopting the (FMIS) we are aiming to gain international recognition for our accounting systems as well as strengthen our management reporting, resulting in an overall improvement in planning and control, while providing decision makers with crucial financial data”.
The (FMIS) will be introduced gradually from January 2005 and will initially be centralized in the Ministry of Finance and Industry. Decentralization of the accounting operation will be handed back to the federal ministries’ over a period of the first six months of 2005, as staff of the federal ministries are trained and become competent in the use of the system .
In the second phase of the FMIS, ministries with proven capability and capacity in accounting and audit will become self-accounting ministries, operating their own bank accounts while being accountable to the Ministry of Finance and Industry in retaining compliance with the federal budget’s laws and circulars.
MoFI awards five new patents for innovative inventions
Dubai, December 19, 2004: The Ministry of Finance and Industry, represented by the Industrial Property Directorate awarded five new patents this month as per its laws and regulations. The department has awarded 35 patents to date.
Mr. Rashed Al Mualla, Assistant Under-Secretary for Industrial Affairs, MoFI, said: “Knowledge and science are the main factors that enable the development of societies from an economic point of view and inventions of this kind are fundamental to the growth of our economy. Technical developments in the industry have ensured that the world is witness to new and innovative inventions every day, and it is important to protect these inventions in order to encourage and promote continued research.”
“MoFI is committed to protecting industrial property in order to maximize its direct impact over national economy and attracting foreign investments,” he added.
“Industrial property includes all inventions created by the human mind in one of the scientific fields and used in the industry and commerce sectors,” said Mr. Al Mualla. He point out that the patents are usually awarded in accordance with internationally implemented laws and regulations, under the supervision of international organizations such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), The World Trade Organization and The Austrian Patents Bureau and others.
Al Mualla highlighted, “The UAE realized the importance of protecting intellectual property and its role in the social and economic development in 1975 when it joined the WIPO. In 1992, the federal law was issued to protect and organize Industrial Property.”
The Industrial Property Directorate aims to develop and encourage inventions, creations and scientific research in the UAE by providing encouragement and financial support. It also works hard to protect inventions, creations, drawings and industrial models and makes the best use of scientific resources that can be implemented and used in the industrial field.
MoFI and Civil Service Bureau put e-Human Resources Management System in motion
Move signals significant advance towards full e-Government
Dubai, December 11, 2004: The process of implementing e-Human Resources Management Systems (e-HRMS) across federal ministries in the UAE has begun with the appointment of special e-HRMS teams from the Civil Service Bureau (CSB), the UAE Ministry of Finance and Industry (MoFI), and eCompany, Etisalat’s one-stop e-powerhouse offering internet services and total e-Solutions.
The appointment of the special e-HRMS teams took place at the first of a series of meetings between the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) and the UAE Ministry of Finance and Industry (MoFI) that will eventually witness the e-Human Resources Management System being implemented across the federal ministries in the UAE.
The meeting was chaired by Dr. Ali bin Aboud, Deputy General Director, CSB and attended by Dr. Emir Mavani, e-Government Project Director and Mr. Mohamed Qambar, Information Systems Department Director at the Ministry of Finance and Industry. The meeting was also attended by senior officials from eCompany, which is a strategic partner of the Federal e-Government for their entire ICT (Information & Communication Technologies) requirements.
Commenting on the meeting, Dr. Bin Aboud said: “ This is both an ambitious project and a very complicated one as it involves the human resources development in all the federal ministries. The implementation of the e-HRMS will allow us to match the output of education with the job market realities.”
Bin Abboud added that the e-HRMS project provides a tool for planning and managing employee related activities including recruitment, personnel administration, career development and assignments. It also provides an employee integrated HR and payroll service.
Dr. Emir Mavani said that the e-HRMS would develop a government employee community covering employee related services such as HR, online training providers, and career professionals.
“Sharing of human resources data and knowledge related to employees is another advantage of this system. However, this system also provides a foundation for future e-learning offerings and distance learning through the employee portal by forming alliances with training institutions,” he added.
MoFI and Ministry of Public Works and Housing put e-Project in motion
Move signals big advance towards full e-Government
Abu Dhabi, December 7, 2004: The Ministry of Public Works and Housing (PWH) in cooperation with the UAE Ministry of Finance and Industry (MoFI) began a series of meetings here today towards the establishment of the e-Project.
Today’s meeting was also attended by senior officials from eCompany, Etisalat’s one-stop e-powerhouse offering internet services and total e-Solutions, which is a strategic partner of the Federal e-Government for their entire ICT (Information & Communication Technologies) requirements.
Both ministries confirmed that the process of implementing of the new system has started with the appointment of e-Project teams from the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, the Ministry of Finance and Industry, and eCompany.
Commenting on the meeting, H.E. Ibrahim Abdul Malik, Assistant Undersecretary for Administrative and Financial Affairs, at the Ministry of Public Works and Housing said: “ The PWH Ministry has already implemented an electronic project three years ago that links different ministries with each to implement projects that are specifically related to the ministry of PWH. e-Project is a second and crucial step to link external entities and different ministries with our ministry to oversee the implementation of the federal government related projects.”
Abdul Al Malik highlighted the advantages of the e-Project saying that it would provide a single entry point to the federal government to access, monitor and manage federal projects impacting most of the ministries within the federal government.
“ It will conveniently allow all the ministries to log, monitor, control and manage their projects. It will also provide a “One Stop Shop” that links federal ministries and provide a common interface through which involved parties can identify and obtain all required information, follow progress and services, etc related to the federal projects,” he added.
Mr. Mohamed Qambar, Director of the Information System Department at (MoFI) confirmed that the meeting has set the ground for the working teams to finalize the coordination mechanisms and to start the early stages of the project.
“We have witnessed enthusiasm and commitment from the Ministry of Public Works and Housing as well as from other ministries. This makes us confident that we are on the right track in terms of e-Government projects roll out,” Qambar added.
MoFI steps up its service delivery through the use of SMS
Abu Dhabi, November 27, 2004: The UAE Ministry of Finance and Industry (MoFI) became today the first Ministry in the country to deliver some of its services through Short Message Service (SMS). The new service comes in line with MoFI’s strategy to use information technology for a better and faster service delivery.
“ The use of SMS to deliver some of our services is yet another step towards a fully-fledged e-Government. There are five systems, which will be covered by the new service. These are e-Procurement, e-Task, e-Sinaee, Industry exemption system, and government housing system,” said AbdulRaheem AL Zarooni, Director of the Information Systems Department at MoFI.
MoFI personnel would be notified through SMS of tasks notice received on their computers pertinent to their departments and/or sections. This would allow them to delegate and execute the task even when they are not physically present at their offices, which we will efficiently reduce, the follow up time and effort. The MoFI Human Resources department will also use the new service to inform MoFI staff of any new circular or changes.
The e-Procurement, e-Sinaee, and Industry exemption system will also be covered with the SMS service, as MoFI will notify suppliers and companies in case there is a tender one week before floating it. The second phase of implementing this service will see the financial system benefit from this system, as MoFI employees will be notified of salary deposits details and related information to financial transactions.
A Bahraini delegation looks into MoFI’ tax exemption system
Promoting cooperation between brotherly states to establish integral market
Dubai, 13th October 2004: A delegation from the Bahraini Ministry of Finance visited yesterday, the industrial division at the UAE Ministry of Finance and Industry to find out the industrial tax exemption system and how to utilize it.
Welcoming the Bahraini delegation headed by engineer Khalid Fathallah, charge d'affaires of the manager of industrial projects department, Mr. Nasir Khamis Al Suwaidi, manager of MoFI industrial division, offered detailed description of the system, its merits, benefits, as well as mechanism.
During the meeting attended by Mr. Saeed Abdullah Al Riken, deputy manager of information systems at the MoFI, Mr. Al Suwaidi highlighted the significance of cooperation between the departments in the two brotherly states, in order to promote industrial development in the GCC countries that represent an international economic block. To consolidate their position, it necessary to establish an open environment between the departments that share the same interest and facilitate product access though the gulf tax vents as well international ones, he added.
Mr. Al Suwaidi demonstrated the MoFI’ tendency to offer support and help to the people in the Bahraini industrial projects department, and provide them with the expertise to meet their work requirements at the mutual and the regional levels.
A group of officials at the MoFI’ industrial division explored the procedures of tax exemption and the benefits of deploying eGoverment projects that provide an extensive database for all areas of work.
Khalid Fathallah praised the UAE MoFI’ efforts in promoting industry in the Gulf region and its endeavors to establish an integral Gulf market.
Ministry of Finance and Industry ties up with DIB to channel social assistance through ATM
System to be fully operating next month
Dubai, October 12, 2004: The Ministry of Finance and Industry (MoFI) announced today a deal with Dubai Islamic Bank that will see social assistance provided through ATM machines. The move comes as in an effort to streamline the process of providing social assistance and to ease the hardship on those who collect their monthly assistance.
Mr. Jassem Rashed Al Shamsi, Assistant Undersecretary for Salaries and Audit at MoFI said: “ We have been contemplating to implement a better system for providing social assistance since last year. We have met several times with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and many national banks to craft a solution for an increasingly difficult process, and the result was to produce this ATM card.”
He added that this new system has many advantages mainly reducing the length of the queues from social assistance centers and banks, reducing the time for the people, and providing those who use it with the option of using the same card to purchase according to the limit of their accounts.
Dubai Islamic Bank has been chosen as a partner in implementing this system. “ We have selected DIB because it was very enthusiastic about this idea and assisted us in producing this system. Also, DIB possesses a world infrastructure and state-of-the-art programs and systems that would allow us to run this system smoothly and efficiently,” noted Al Shamsi.
The Ministry of Finance and Industry will transfer the monthly value of social assistance to the nationals who have accounts at DIB, which in turn will produce a regular report to MoFI and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs detailing all the transactions that have been completed and all related information thus creating a solid data base for both ministries for better planning in the future.
DIB has already opened a sample of 2000 cases among the 33 thousands cases present in the UAE. The 2000 beneficiaries were invited to the bank where the new system was fully explained to them. The new system is expected to operate across the country later this year.
Humaid bin Dimass, Assistant Undersecretary for Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, said that the partnership between the public and private sector is a positive initiative that will provide real benefits. “The sample that we chose for the first application of this system is not the final one. All those who benefit from social assistance will, ultimately, will have this option. For those who cannot collect their assistance from a DIB ATM, such as the elderly and infirm, a relative could collect their social assistance if they receive the appropriate legal permission,” he added.
Abdullah Al Hamli, Executive Vice President-Support Services at DIB, said that DIB would deploy its resources and world-class electronic infrastructure to develop the level of service-provision for beneficiaries of social assistance according to the best standards and practices.
UAE’s success the result of visionary leadership: Dr.Khirbash
First
Harvard Alumni Convention to facilitate networking of alumni in the
Middle East
Dubai, October 9, 2004: The UAE’s exceptional achievements are the result of a clear vision and determined leadership, said H.E. Dr. Mohamed Khalfan bin Khirbash, UAE State Minister of Finance and Industry speaking at the first Middle East Harvard Alumni Convention (HAAA) Convention. The convention, held today at the Jumeirah Beach hotel in Dubai, aims to build a network of Harvard alumni in the Middle East in order to facilitate their combined efforts towards global shared goals.
Dr. Khirbash clarified to a Harvard alumnus of diverse academic and professional background that there were no secrets behind the success story that the UAE enjoys today. “ It is hard work combined with a clear strategy and work plan that is not based on a certain blueprint or copied model.
“ We set
targets and we work hard towards achieving them. From a simple
society some 30 years ago, we have developed into an ultra-modern
society; one that values knowledge, excellence and information,” he
added.
Dr. Khirbash referred to successful projects in Dubai such as Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City and the Knowledge Village as evidence of the great strides that have been taken towards achieving the targets set by the UAE’s leadership. “The diverse activities of commerce and trade combined with the life style people find here, have led to a high global profile for the UAE, and one that is increasingly referred to in the international arena,” noted Dr. Khirbash.
The convention held several workshops on promoting education in the Arab world, networking events, promoting interaction between Harvard and the Arab world, conference planning and expanding the reach of the HAAA. The workshops fall in line with the increasing potential of future projects for the HAAA.
“ We value
education in the UAE. It is our hope that these alumni can work
together collectively to bring to society the fruits of what they
learned in one of the world’s finest education hubs. We value
innovation and development. Therefore, we would be pleased to work
together to bring the necessary development to our sectors within
the framework of our vision and targets,” added Dr. Khirbash.
It is important to mention that the UAE Harvard Alumni Club in association with HAAA is striving to organize selective educational and cultural projects of interest and facilitate dialogue between the members in order to increase cooperation and interaction. Future goals incorporate the support of such interface by increasing admissions to Harvard University from the Arab world and encouraging Harvard faculty to pursue research projects in the UAE.
The meeting today was meant to heighten the curriculum’s focus on the Arab World and work with local universities to strengthen research and development. Selected educational and cultural projects will be along the lines of local internship programs and will involve setting up scholarship funds for students to attend Harvard University.
e-Dirham the highlight as MoFI’s GITEX stand proves a big draw for visiting government officials
Dubai, October 4, 2004: The e-Dirham section of the UAE Federal e-Government programme proved a big attraction yesterday, especially for foreign government officials visiting the Ministry of Finance and Industry (MoFI) stand at GITEX 2004. There was huge interest from official visitors from abroad in the entire MoFI-led programme, which is rapidly becoming a model for implementing first class e-Government services.
Mr. Abdul Rahim Ismail Al Zarouni, Head of MoFI’s IT and Administrative Department, said: “Several government officials from the Algerian, Bahraini and Sudan governments, as well as representatives from various public and private sector organizations, showed interest in the electronic services provided by the federal e-Government programme. They were especially interested in the possibilities offered by the e-Dirham smart card payments system.
“Understandably, many of them were interested in adopting a similar system and were keen to look at the possibility of transferring the new technology to their countries. Of course, they were also interested in the benefits of the system.
“We were able to tell them how the system can increase revenues and produce cost savings at the same time as reducing the time taken to generate precise statistics. Effectively, the e-Government programme can transform the performance of even those government services traditionally described as weak and slow.”
The adoption of cutting edge e-Government technology by the UAE’s Federal Government is a further sign of its commitment to providing the country with the best and most modern services available anywhere in the world. Mr. Zarouni said more and more countries are using this tool to enhance productivity and increase transparency and accuracy at levels of government.
The technology has been particularly useful in the government’s attempts to collect statistics and the data on which many of its policies, planning and budgeting is formulated. Mr. Zarouni said that by participating at GITEX, the Ministry hoped to get feedback from the private sector and see the latest technology and investigate if there are applications we can use.
The MoFI team at GITEX revealed details of some of the new e-Government services that will be launched soon, such as the e-Gulf portal which has been developed by MoFI and all industries in the UAE in co-operation with Etisalat’s e-Business unit under the umbrella of the strategic partnership between Etisalat and the Ministry.
MoFI also announced today that it had signed a contract with Peribit Networks that will lead to an enhancement of performance of the Ministry’s network by reducing the document load, which has tended to slow the traffic on the entire governmental network.
Zarouni said that signing this contract will help reduce the time needed to process applications and will help provide feedback about the Ministry’s future network needs for its future expansion.
Dr. Khirbash to deliver keynote speech at Middle East Harvard Alumni Convention
Dubai, October 4, 2004: H.E. Dr. Mohamed Khalfan bin Khirbash, UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry will be the keynote speaker during the Middle East Harvard Alumni Convention to be held on October 9th at the Jumeirah Beach hotel in Dubai.
The meeting, the first of its kind, intends to help promote a network of Harvard alumni in the Middle East in order to facilitate their combined efforts towards developing productive initiatives among the Harvard Alumni & Harvard University.
Dr. Khirbash will highlight the importance of working in close co-operation with the Harvard Arab Alumni Association (HAAA) and Harvard Alumni Society of the UAE (HAS) to promote interaction between the University and the Arab World and provide a networking forum for the members. In addition, Professor Brian Hall of the Harvard Business School and a member of Harvard’s administration will discuss the usefulness of relational economic model for businesses.
This event is the first of its kind and is expected to be a yearly milestone event to discuss relevant points on promoting education in the Arab World, Promoting interaction between Harvard and the Arab World, promoting networking & conferences among the alumni for mutual benefits.
This convention will be attended by delegates coming from UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Lebanon and other Arab countries.
Khirbash calls for a Free Trade Agreement
with US to boost business relationships
American Business Council meets to discuss closer economic ties
Dubai, September 18, 2004: H.E. Dr. Mohamed Khalfan bin Khirbash, UAE Minister of Finance and Industry today called for a fully-fledged Free Trade Agreement between the UAE and the United States of America. He was addressing the American Business Council today in Dubai.
“It goes without saying that the signing of a fully-fledged Free Trade Agreement in the fullness of time will constitute a significant milestone in our efforts to drive forward economic progress here. It is our hope that this will lead to the introduction of an even greater number of vibrant American businesses to our shores, and increased UAE business in your country,” said Dr. Khirbash in his opening remarks.
“The ties between our countries have been consistently characterized by a mutual willingness to cooperate and develop our cordial relationship. The American model of hard work, economic prosperity and entrepreneurship is one that we aspire to here in the UAE,” said Dr. Khirbash in his opening remarks.
The UAE has held strong ties with the USA during the past three decades and with the amount of trade possibilities that both countries are benefiting from, it is crucial to strengthen the relationship by laying down new prospects of great opportunities for business. The UAE has consistently ranked among the USA’s top 10 trading partners in terms of trade balance and American exports to the UAE - excluding defense - totaled more than $3 billion at the last count. Moreover, the US enjoys market share of 45% in oil and gas equipment, and 28% of imports of medical equipment and supplies.
Phil Garrison, American Business Council President, said:” We are very excited about the progress of this treaty. The sole mission of the American Business Council of Dubai and the northern Emirates is to promote trade between the United States and the UAE. Our membership is made up of private sector companies of all sizes from many different industries and we believe the treaty will benefit the entire UAE/UA business community. We look forward to the benefits it will bring to the business communities of both countries.”
The presence of over 500 American companies in the UAE results in the exporting and investment of other companies in a business-friendly yet competitive market. “It must be clear, therefore, that the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement our countries signed earlier this year is absolutely crucial in defining the future of economic relations and trade between the US and the UAE,” noted Dr. Khirbash.
“When U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and I put our signatures to this agreement in Washington earlier this year, the joint council we created meant a new and vital forum for discussion of mutual trade and investment had been put in place,” he added.
UAE’s policies of openness and cooperation earned it its leading position today. The UAE has long upheld the concept of a liberal economy and an open and free trading environment. Strong blue chip presence like IBM, Citigroup, Microsoft, Visa International, General Electric, Cisco Systems, Oracle, Hewlett-Packard, Yahoo, McDermott, and Halliburton all have regional offices based in the UAE.
The UAE’s strategic location, political stability, growing economy and its world-class infrastructure all contribute to the success of the partnership with the USA. This agreement would not be the final goal of any type of cooperation between the US and UAE. Hopes of further ties in other sectors and mutual exchange of commercial activities is an extended aim of the two countries.
MoFI e-Portal project steps up a gear
IT overhaul all set to transform UAE federal ministries
Abu Dhabi, September 18, 2004: The Ministry of Finance and Industry (MoFI) announced that its huge groundbreaking e-Portal project to transform the use of information technology throughout the Federal government has reached an advanced stage.
Details of sections of the portal were revealed at a forum, attended by more all government ministries, and organized in Abu Dhabi by MoFI in tandem with Etisalat represented by E-Company.
Dr. Mohamed Emir Mavani, Director, Group Public Sector Reform at the Ministry of Finance and Industry, said: “The e-Portal is an essential element of the e-Government project and reflects the determination of the UAE government to develop its systems and procedures to take performance to a higher level.”
He said this electronic gateway brings closer the day when the UAE could realistically be described as a knowledge-based society. The e-Portal project will lead to a radical overhaul of government services as it sets new targets for communicating with customers and end users and develops a knowledge base that draws on all federal ministries and authorities.
Maha Al Aidarous, MoFI’s Deputy Director, Information Systems Department, said that the e-Portal aims at providing a single point of access to government information and services. “ The portal also means a unified infrastructural gateway, and a user-friendly and secure government tool,” she added.
Al Aidarous noted that the importance of a unified government website cannot be overstated. It is expected to make a big contribution to delivering a standard and consistent look and feel to all government information and services.
The e-Portal is expected to be beneficial to the operation of government and to its customers. It will allow federal government to get rapid feedback, speed up processes in general and take away much of the burden of administrative work.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Finance and Industry signed a major agreement with Emirates Telecommunication Corporation (Etisalat) to put in place the technical framework that would form the basis for a comprehensive system of e-government. Etisalat has since been the Ministry’s technical partner in creating the electronic network that links all federal ministries and bodies and has delivered a range of cutting edge e-services.
Ahmed bin Ghanam, from Etisalat’s E-Company, who participated in the workshop said: “ Etisalat’s participation in this project through E-Company is indicative of the overall role we play in the e-Government project. We do have the technical capabilities to make the e-Portal project a success and we are looking forward to work closely with all ministries and authorities during the implementation phase.”
Innovation award programme spearheads MoFI-led initiative to transform federal ministries
Zayed University and Top US business school sign as partners in innovation programme
Dubai, September 11, 2004: The Ministry of Finance and Industry (MoFI) tied up today with Zayed University and University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) to bring cutting edge expertise to the transformation of the UAE’s 22 federal ministries. The move is part of an initiative to inaugurate an innovation award programme within the UAE federal government.
The prestigious award will reward creative and effective problem solving in government and is expected to play a crucial role in driving performance as the MoFI-led strategic overhaul of the country’s ministries gets underway. The agreement confirms that key roles will be played by UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and Zayed University.
These will collaborate with MoFI in a strategic review of every government department and will advise and execute executive training programmes and develop incentives, such as the new award, to drive through innovation and change. The intention to proceed with the agreement was formally sealed with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at a ceremony in Dubai earlier today.
H.E. Dr Mohamed Khalfan Bin Khirbash, UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry, Dr Hanif Hassan Al Kassimi, Zayed University’s vice president, and Dr Rashi Glazer, Associate Professor at the Hass School of Business UC Berkeley were the official signatories on behalf of the respective parties to the agreement.
Dr Khirbash said: “This agreement and the ultimate award reflect the vision and philosophy of HH The President Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and his desire to see the country progress and meet the highest expectations and standards. It also reinforces the UAE government’s commitment to cultivating a culture of consistent innovation. We expect this agreement to lead to fundamental changes and improvements in government processes, services, policy development and regulatory functions throughout the UAE’s 22 federal ministries.”
Dr. Khirbash noted that this agreement is yet another step in MoFI’s ongoing efforts to foster change, development, and innovation with an aim to achieve high performance government across all federal Ministries. “ We believe that in order to maintain our competitiveness in the global village, problem solving and creativity should be both important and essential elements of the skill sets of our government officials and employees. This is why the programme is designed so that it rewards those in the UAE government who are keen and proactive about bringing in new ideas that can be turned into procedures that lead to better services and top quality organizational systems,” he added.
Dr. Hanif Hassan Al Qassimi welcomed the cooperation with the Ministry of Finance and Industry in this vital project that is encouraged by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and Industry, for developing the performances of federal ministries, and the support of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Director of the Office of His Highness the President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, for the new government innovation award.
He confirmed Zayed University’s commitment to building partnerships and cooperating with internationally renowned universities for its latest academic and research programmes. His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Higher Education & Scientific Research, President of Zayed University, added that such agreements embody the vision and mission of the university. Dr. Hanif said the new government innovation award would encourage innovation, creativity and deliver executive training and effective problem solving to the ministries.
“As an academic institution, our mission is to encourage exchange of information and foster knowledge in the UAE. We are, therefore, extremely proud to play a part in this ambitious programme of innovation undertaken by the UAE government”, Dr. Al Qassimi concluded.
Dr Glazer said: “Over the past three decades the UAE has emerged as an outstanding model of development. This is clearly because the UAE’s political leadership places a high premium on overall development while fostering a spirit of brotherhood among the people of the UAE and the rest of the world. We are thrilled to be able to play a part in the progress of this great nation through the understanding we have signed today.”
The MoU will lead to a three-phase collaboration with UC Berkeley to bring change to the ministries. The first phase is effectively to carry out a strategic review that will look at existing processes and best practices, develop UAE-specific case studies and create the awards programme.
The second phase will focus on developing the awards programme after identifying any gaps or weaknesses. The awards will provide an incentive for staff to strive for excellence in these areas and act as a vehicle for the UAE President to increase understanding and awareness.
The third phase involves the actual programme delivery where as a series of custom-made executive education programmes focused on strategy will be conducted, and a “market” orientation will be developed, and integration of technology and strategy, leadership, human resource management, measuring processes, change management, and communication of new innovative initiatives within the context of UAE ministries and culture will take place.
MoFI is currently undertaking four key initiatives aimed at providing integrated services and rendering government more responsive, more efficient and more effective. These are Total Quality Management; Performance-Based Budgeting; E-Government (including the E-Dirham), and, Executive Training Program.
MoFI completes first phase of e-system for export certificates
Initiative takes all document processing online
Abu Dhabi, July 20, 2004: The Ministry of Finance and Industry (MoFI) has completed the first phase of its massive project to implement its e-system, allowing certificates of origin and export permits to be requested online. The roll-out of the new system, carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, is part of a strategic shift towards e-government in all federal departments.
Saeed Abdullah Al Roken, Deputy Manager at the Department of Information Systems, said: “The e-system will govern the way we issue certificates of origin and export permits and calculate the UAE’s share in export agreements relating to trade with the European, USA and Canada markets.
“This marks an important step forward in the progress towards e-government. It saves our clients time and effort ‑ they can now file a request for certificate without having to visit the Ministry. Implementing the whole system will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, now complete, allows applications for certificates to be carried out electronically. The second phase is to fully implement the e-system across all operations, thus, allowing customers to receive certificate through the Internet.”
Maryam Rashid Al Baraiki, assistant programmer in MoFI’s IT Department, said: “The benefit of the e-system is that it enables clients to register and pay online for certificates of origin through the e-dirham system. They can also cancel applications through this system. Effectively, all document processing can be completed using the system.”
The e-government project uses the latest technology to boost customer service efficiency. The project is one of four initiatives launched by MoFI in order to increase the efficiency of government operations. The other projects include managing comprehensive quality programmes and performance budgeting, training the executive management and a high performance government programme.
Khirbash is the first to be re-elected Chairman of top OPEC body
UAE Minister accepts second term as leader of Ministerial Council
Vienna, June 16, 2004: H.E. Dr. Mohamed Khalfan bin Khirbash, the UAE’s Minster of State for Finance and Industry, has been re-elected to a second successive term as Chairman of the Ministerial Council of the OPEC Fund for International Development.
Dr Khirbash will continue in the post – the first chairman of the council to do so – when his current term ends next year. At the inaugural session of the Council attended by finance ministers from the oil exporting countries, Dr. Khirbash highlighted the importance of minimising the development gap between the industrialised world and developing countries.
He invited the international community to play a more active role in working to achieve the millennium development objective of halving the number of those trapped in poverty by 2015. He said: “The industrialised countries are invited to improve the quality and quantity of their aid to developing countries in parallel with the United Nations decision to allocate 0.7 per cent of their GDP to the developing countries. There should be more aid than there is at present.”
Dr. Khirbash said the Fund faced real challenges ahead in carrying out its role. He insisted, however, that given the right commitment and initiatives such as liberalising international trade and reducing the customs tariff imposed by industrial countries on agriculture products from developing countries, progress can be made.
Dr. Khirbash said recent decisions taken by the G8 at its meeting in Georgia, USA, signals a new commitment from the leaders of the industrialised countries who returned the fight against poverty back to the top of their agendas.
He thanked the member countries at the OPEC Fund for choosing the UAE to chair the Governors Council as a token of appreciation for its massive support of developing countries. The value of UAE aid to the developing countries has grown to Dhs100 billion in the past three decades.
Jamal Nasser Lootah, Assistant Under-secretary for Industrial Affairs, will chair the Council. Lootah said: “Within the increasingly challenging and complex international environment, the OPEC Fund has faithfully carried out its mandate to fight poverty and underdevelopment by assisting the South in pursuit of its socio-economic advancement.”
The Fund has endeavored to carry out this task in the past two years by making available a steady stream of concessional financing for development under its 15th Lending Programme. With the staunch support of its member countries, the Fund approved a total of US$236 million to finance 28 public sector loans in 2003.
Realising the special situation of the poorest countries, which receive priority in the allotment of assistance, the Fund also approved US$9.5 million to finance a commodity import program. A further US$10 million was provided in debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative.
The OPEC Fund also took steps to create employment and generate income in the private sector, which is increasingly recognised as the most effective engine of growth. Lootah said: “Whereas our focus had initially been on financing small and medium enterprises, we are now diversifying into a wider range of products and sectors.”
Government Institute is first in the UAE to win top quality award for services
ISO Certificate is the beginning of a journey towards excellence, says Kharbas
UAE e-government initiative moves into second phase with focus on new Financial Management Information System
Dubai, June 02, 2004: The UAE e-government Steering Committee, chaired by H.E. Saqer Ghobash, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information and Culture on behalf of H.E. Dr. Mohamed Khalfan bin Khirbash, UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry, reviewed today the next phase of the implementation of the UAE e-government project. The meeting included discussions on Etisalat role as service partner for implementation of the project.
“ After finalizing the overall strategy of the e-government project, we have brought into focus in the second phase the development of the Financial Management Information System (FMIS), the standards and policies which the implementation of the project stipulates, and the overall decision-making structure within the e-government project management,” said Ghobash.
H.E. Khalid Ali Al Busatani, Assistant Undersecretary for Budget and Resources at the Ministry of Finance and Industry, said: “ The FMIS, being one of the most crucial steps in the second wave of implementation is a modern, comprehensive and integrated system that is capable of meeting immediate financial accounting and management needs. The system is designed to take full advantage of sophisticated communications infrastructures as well as Internet and intranet interoperability.” Al Bustani added that while the existing financial system was fully automated, it required enhancement in order to be fully integrated with the overall e-government project.
The steering committee reviews and approves e-government projects based on defined criteria and in accordance with the e-government blueprint. It also sets guidelines for effective implementation of e-government project phases as well as reviewing implementation progress.
The e-government programme implementation is structured in ‘wave’ stages whereby each wave has its own set of benchmarks, while several projects can work in parallel. The initiative was introduced as a tool to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the UAE Federal Government and is a key component in sustaining the country’s competitiveness. It promotes greater transparency and facilitates the introduction of more liberal economic laws.
The e-government project is just one of four initiatives being driven by the Ministry of Finance and Industry with a view to creating greater efficiency and effectiveness in government operations. Total quality management, performance-based budgeting and executive training conducted in conjunction with Harvard University, are also being implemented as part of the government’s high performance programme. The e-government project draws from the experience of other countries that have implemented similar programmes including those in Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Performance Based Budgeting System presented by MoFI delegation at Beirut Conference 555
Beirut, May 19, 2004: The UAE delegation from MoFI (Ministry of Finance & Industry) to the two-day conference on “Fiscal Reforms in the Arab and Near East Countries”, held in Beirut, presented today the UAE’s experience in reforming its financial system through the implementation of the Performance Based Budgeting. The delegation was headed by H.E. Dr. Mohamed Khalfan bin Khirbash, UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry.
During the course of the second session that was chaired by Dr. Mohamed Hussein, the Syrian Minister of Finance, participants discussed issues related to revamping the public expenditure management, effective budget execution and treasury management, issues in budget design, and public expenditure management reforms.
H.E. Khalid Ali Al Bustani, Undersecretary for Budget and Resources at MoFI, highlighted during the UAE presentation the importance of implementing the Performance Based Budgeting (PBB) in better managing public expenditure and achieving specific targets and measured results. He noted that the introduction of the PBB by the Ministry of Finance and Industry is in line with its plan to implement specific programs to improve performance across government ministries and bodies.
Al Bustani explained to the participants that the PBB ties policy-making with resource realities, improving the allocation of funds to strategic priorities among and within economic and social sectors, and defines each output in terms of efficiency. The emphasis in PBB is also on the delivery of agreed outputs with available resources and focus on customers and quality services. PBB provides managers with more autonomy and encourages professionalism, initiative and innovation.
Al Bustani added that in the context of globalization and Information technology, the Ministry of Finance and Industry has spearheaded the drive for improvement in the country, pioneering many initiatives such as the Federal E-government, the Total Quality Management, and Executive Training for senior government officials.
Ministry of Finance and Industry gives a UAE National patent license for his invention
Abu Dhabi, April 27, 2004: On behalf of the Ministry of Finance and Industry (MoFI), the Industrial Property Department, gave away five patent licenses for different inventions. One of the patents went to a UAE national Moosa Easa Al Amri for inventing a boarding pass with encoded data and systems for issuing and processing it.
Mr. Rashid Abdullah Al Mala, Head of Industrial Property Department, said: “We gave patent licenses to these inventions in light of the regulations passed on by specialized organizations like the World Intellectual Property Organization, the World Trade Organization, and the Austrian Patent Office. The patents issued include a coupling for outer surface engagement of polymeric pipe, a guide pole fitting seal for floating roof storage tanks, Composite Material resistant to armor piercing bullets, and a process for the production of highly pure melamine.
Al Amri’s invention consists of a boarding pass and system for use in boarding passengers in aircraft or other means of transportation. The boarding pass has a main coupon part and a passenger coupon part detachable from the main coupon part. The front face of the main coupon and passenger coupon parts carry visible printed data associated with spaces were passenger data and travel data are printed.
The new boarding pass and system simplify and speed up passenger boarding and can be used for a wide range of applications including electronic clearance in case of change of airline, security check, activities during transit. They also include access to transit areas, point-of-sales transactions including duty-free shopping on ground or aboard, counting and checking the number of boarding passengers, automatic production arrival cards or exit cards, luggage identification, collection and retrieval.
The second invention is of the coupling for outer surface engagement of polymeric pipe. The third invention is of a guide pole fitting seal for use on floating roof tanks that incorporates several materials and may permit the product level in the tank to be measured and sampled from inside of the guide pole by removing the float during these operations.
A composite material that is resistant to armor piercing bullets consisting of a highly elastic polyurethane matrix and a process for the production of highly pure melamine were also rewarded.
“Tourism, services and a booming stock market offer more optimistic outlook for regional economy” says Dr. Khirbash - Cites UAE as a ‘model for the entire Middle East’ -
Dubai, March 28, 2004: Dr. Mohamed Khalfan Bin Khirbash, UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry today said that the regional economy held out a more optimistic outlook than the global one, thanks to the growth of tourism, services and a booming stock market, coupled with the GCC customs union and regional trade initiatives.
“In this region, we continue to enjoy the benefits of a healthy macroeconomic environment and, in developing a non-oil economy, the UAE has become a model for the entire Middle East” said Dr. Khirbash while speaking at the 3rd “Trade, Treasury and Cash Management in the Middle East” conference organised by EuroFinance. The conference will take place 28-29 March, 2004 at the Grand Hyatt, Dubai.
“We believe that the UAE’s contribution to global trade will get larger. Having recognised the benefits of technology to trade, the government and the growing private sector want to be active participants in efforts to increase global trade” Dr. Khirbash added.
Hailing the dialogue to create new operational standards for international commerce as a crucial one, Dr. Khirbash said “The private sector has always been alive to foreign entrepreneurs interested in business opportunities in the Middle East—today regional governments are more receptive to foreign direct investment than ever with new methods existing to make FDI easier; from options and derivatives, to management of various risk factors associated with interest rates, currencies and swaps”.
Dr. Khirbash also noted that global businesses today sensed an opportunity for enhanced cross-border cooperation from the synergies offered by the on-line world. He said importers and exporters were implementing radical efficiencies through the time and cost savings afforded by information and communications technologies. “Bank treasury officials are exploiting the potential for international securities trading which allows liquidity mismatches to be reallocated at the speed of a keyboard click” he added.
He also stressed that the UAE has been proactive in its endeavour to introduce efficiencies throughout government. Dr. Khirbash stated that the UAE was aware of the possibilities of technology and had successfully introduced several initiatives in the public and private sectors including performance-based budgeting which was marrying the government’s fiscal allocations to results rather than to expectations. “The establishment of e-government is making life easier for people in the UAE and the e-dirham programme allows the man in the street to pay for a range of government services with a single card and with a single transaction. He said adding that new technology will lead to increased transparency.
The UAE and the US sign a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement
A joint
council created to expand trade and investment between the two
countries
ِAbu Dhabi, March 16, 2004: UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry H.E Dr. Mohamed Khalfan Bin Khirbash and US Trade Representative Mr. Robert B. Zoellick signed yesterday a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) in Washington D.C.
Following the singing of this framework agreement, which aims to foster an open and predictable environment for international trade and investment and economic cooperation between the two countries, a Joint Council has been created to serve as a forum for permanent dialogue between UAE and US officials with the aim of expanding trade and investment between the two countries.
Dr. Khirbash, who headed the UAE delegation to the US hailed the signing of the agreement as “a significant moment in the history of the relationship between the United States of America and the United Arab Emirates”. He spoke of TIFA’s significance during the signing ceremony on Monday. “We believe that the TIFA agreement creates a strong platform, on which we can consolidate our mutual trade and commercial activities,” he added.
The Minister also spoke about how UAE’s policies of openness and cooperation earned it its leading position today. “ The UAE has long upheld the concept of a liberal economy and an open and free trading environment. And we have witnessed positive robust economic growth for over a decade. There are now hundreds of international firms operating from our shores,” he said.
“We are witnessing a rapid increase in our population as more international professionals choose to make the UAE their place of work. In fact, almost 200 different nationalities unite in our country amid a tolerant society with a wide diversity of cultures, ethnicity and religious backgrounds” he added.
Dr. Khirbash expressed his belief that the signing of the TIFA represents a catalyst for more mutual business and leads to the ultimate goal of a Free Trade Agreement between the UAE and USA.
The Emiratisation
sub-committee reaches higher rates than originally Planned
54%
emiratisation in Federal ministries and institutions during 2003
Dubai March 10, 2004: The sub-committee for emiratisation in the federal ministries and institutions reported a 54% increase in total jobs in the public sector, surpassing the stated target with 2% for the year 2003. The emiratisation rate in the non-specialized sector reached 74%, while a 37% of specialized professions have been emiratised.
The emiratisation sub-committee’s vision is to reach the highest rate of emiratisation in federal ministries and institutions and to also raise the efficiency of local employees in coordination with education and training institutions.
By the year 2007, the sub-committee aims to emiratise 90% of administrative jobs, 80% of financial and economic department positions, and 60% of specialized jobs including engineering, legal, and IT. As for its medium term plan, the sub-committee aims to emiratise 75% of educational and related jobs, and 60% of medical and religious jobs by 2009.
The sub-committee has been implementing the emiratisation plans after analyzing the feedback received from all the federal ministries and institutions in May 2003. It stores all the information in a database and uses it to improve the rates of the emiratisation from 50% then, to 54% by the end of 2003. Also, the sub-committee organized a workshop in March 2003 with the participation of 34 ministries and federal bodies in order to inform them of the cabinet resolution and implementation mechanisms.
The emiratisation rates that have been reached by the end of 2003 were very encouraging in comparison with the expected rates for the same period.
A comparison of the actual percentage of Emiratisation on 31/12/03, in comparison with the estimated percentage for the same date, as mentioned in the work plan.
|
Sector |
Estimated percentage of Emiratisation on 31/12/03 |
Actual percentage of Emiratisation on 31/12/03 |
|
Administrative |
87% |
88% |
|
Economic and Financial |
64% |
64% |
|
Academic |
48% |
49% |
|
Medical |
12% |
12% |
|
Engineering |
38% |
38% |
|
Media, Cultural and Arts |
55% |
63% |
|
Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock |
50% |
50% |
|
Religious |
22% |
26% |
|
Specialized |
73% |
75% |
|
Labour and Social Affairs |
86% |
88% |
|
Other |
67% |
67% |
“Islamic Finance is
an international phenomenon”
says Dr. Mohamed Khalfan Bin Khirbash
Dubai, March 07, 2004: Dr. Mohamed Khalfan Bin Khirbash, UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry today termed the changes in Islamic Finance “structural” in nature and declared that real changes had taken place in the Islamic Finance sector in the last 12 months. He was speaking at the International Islamic Finance Forum that was held in Dubai today under the patronage of His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Defence Minister of the United Arab Emirates.
“Islamic finance is no longer the domain of the Muslim world – it is an international phenomenon with international interest. Not only has Islamic finance demonstrated that it can match the offerings of conventional banks, increasingly, conventional banks have in fact emerged as partners to Islamic Finance institutions worldwide” Dr. Khirbash said.
Highlighting the case of ABC International bank, which had launched products for the Muslim community in the UK, Dr. Khirbash also enumerated several other key developments in the sector over the last 12 months. “We have seen Ijara transactions become increasingly common in property purchases and seen growing interest from regional institutions in Shariah compliant investment opportunities. We saw the issuance of regional corporate and sovereign sukuks and we are also seeing more players looking at the Islamic securitization of assets”, he said.
“In the short space of just 12 months we have made considerable progress. But we can still do more” said Dr. Khirbash, calling for more product innovation, creativity and more home-grown solutions in the Islamic finance sector.
Citing the case of the public listing of a specialized service provider, which had been oversubscribed 33 times, Dr. Khirbash said there was strong growth in investor appetite for Islamic finance products and services. “We saw several locally based financial institutions convert into Islamic financial institutions”, he added.
Reiterating his call for Islamic banks and financial institutions to consistently work together, Dr. Khirbash said that he was proud to see the excellent momentum that is pushing Islamic finance to the forefront of regional economic activity. He hoped that sooner, rather than later, Islamic finance would be pushed to the forefront of global economic activity.
Stating that the recently held annual conference of the Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) was a positive development, Dr. Khirbash said that AAOIFI’s announcement of its CIPA programme due to be launched in the third quarter of this year, would teach newcomers to the industry how to deal with Islamic finance issues.
Dr. Khirbash also expressed satisfaction at the growing level of cooperation not only in the region but also across the world and said that events like the International Islamic Finance Forum which had participants from a wide range of countries, proved that there is a collective move to improve work in the Islamic finance sector.
Dr. Khirbash commends increased focus of global banking sector on Islamic finance products
Notes Islamic finance products represent “An opportunity and a responsibility for retail bankers”-
Dubai, March 03, 2004: Dr. Mohamed Khalfan Bin Khirbash, UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry & Chairman of Dubai Islamic Bank, commended the increased global momentum and interest in Islamic products in the banking sector. He was addressing delegates at the First Islamic Retail Banking Conference held on 3rd-4th March 2004 at the Grand Hyatt in Dubai.
Citing the examples of Citibank, Credit Suisse First Boston, Deutsche Bank, Freddie Mac and HSBC which had added Islamic products and services to their portfolio, Dr. Khirbash also noted that the UAE’s commercial banking sector has seen a strong trend towards the conversion of conventional banks into Islamic ones.
“Islamic finance has proven its competence and can grow to be a powerful force for good in our own societies and beyond. For an industry that is still considered something of a newcomer, in the past three decades, we have seen a very impressive dynamic. Retail managers at banks both here in the UAE and globally have an opportunity and a responsibility to provide the marketplace with the products and services consumers require” said Dr. Khirbash. Dr. Khirbash also stated that that there have been moves on the part of the Financial Services Authority in the UK, to support the development of Islamic mortgages.
Dr. Khirbash went on to highlight specific Islamic financial products and services that the banking sector had developed that had given people a strong sense of being offered comprehensive financial solutions. “We now see a sector that offers a wide range of convenient e-banking services. We provide services such as murabaha, mudaraba and Ijara services. The takaful and assurance sector of the industry are now growing”.
Despite this strong trend in Islamic retail banking, Dr. Khirbash listed managing growth, as one of the most crucial challenges before the banking sector. “There are still some clear impediments that prevent us from bridging the gap between the sophistication of our customers and the speed of innovation”, he said.
Referring to some of the other challenges ahead of the Islamic banking sector Dr. Khirbash said “We need to address the structural issue of the liability mismatch and the lack of Islamic bankers, experienced in product development”. Pointing to the fact that a deposit insurance system needed to be developed, Dr. Khirbash called for accurate and regular research on the Islamic banking sector. “Our credit analyses and our risk management techniques vary widely from bank to bank. There are still difficulties related to cash management due to the lack of Islamic investment opportunities”, he added.
Noting that the UAE was the host to the world’s first Islamic bank, Dr. Khirbash went on to say that the hosting of the first ever Islamic Retail Banking Conference in Dubai reflected the UAE’s growing role and contribution to the industry.
Dubai, March 3, 2004: Day 1 of the First Islamic Retail Banking Conference (FIRBC) taking place at the Dubai Grand Hyatt witnessed a series of major announcements. Dr. Mohammad Khalfan bin Karbash, UAE Minister of State for Finance & Industry, inaugurated the conference and highlighted the importance of having more specialized events to promote the maturity of the Islamic Finance market.
Commenting on the overall purpose of the conference, Tariq Rifai of Failaka International, Inc., one of the two companies organizing FIRBC, said: “Until few years back, Islamic Banking’s main “raison d’être” was to cater to high-net-worth individuals and institutions”, explaining that “nowadays, Islamic banking has evolved so that it has becoming widespread among the masses, raising the importance of Islamic retail banking.”
The keynote address was given by the Royal Professor Unko Aziz, founder of Tabung Haji, a non-banking Malaysian institution which aids people save for hajj. Dr Aziz explained how the concept can be duplicated in other countries with large Muslim populations. Duncan Smith, the head of ABC Islamic Asset Management, discussed the future trend in Islamic finance, saying that “Demand for Islamic financial and banking products has been maturing, requiring more sophistication in product and service development to fulfil increasing needs.” He added, “This is the rationale behind ABC Islamic’s launch of a new retail-banking brand that will offer retail products based on Murabaha and Ijara”. Deutsche Bank portrayed its equity builder certificates, which have a low minimum entry level, thereby aimed at retail clients with low income.
The conference also detailed the mechanics of new Islamic Ijara products, which can be structured as a non-asset backed Islamic financing tool. The lecture was presented by Suhail Zubairi, Vice President of Shariah Structuring Documentation and Product Development at DIB. Keith Leach from ABC Islamic Asset Management gave an overview on Islamic Banking in Europe based on the experience of the Bank’s London office, which services non-Islamic countries.
Kuwait Finance House was used as a case study to demonstrate the success of the Islamic banking experience in the Gulf and south East Asia. The first session also detailed the role of conventional banks in promoting Islamic products. Maybank, the second largest bank in Malaysia, was used as an example.
The conference also tackled legislation and its effect on the proliferation of Islamic finance. The conversion of the Islamic House of Britain to a full-fledged bank was detailed by Mohamed Paracha from Norton Rose, one of the major law firms in the UK. Significant UK legislative developments were revealed further as the Bank of England hosted Iqbal Asaria from the Islamic Council of England to discuss Islamic legislation affecting financial institutions. Rahan Huda illustrated the significance of legislation by using the example of Islamic home financing in Canada.
Asset-backed securities were also discussed and the securitization of the Al Dar Investment receivables was given as an example. FIRBC also covered Real estate Islamic finance, as Meshal Al-Ameri, Managing Director of Munshaat Real Estate Projects Co. detailed the first Islamic time-share structure for a project in the Holy city of Mecca.
Speakers at the FIRBC also described why Islamic retail banking has not been prosperous in Organization of Islamic Countries, and highlighted the experience of the first Islamic bank established in Nigeria.
The first day of the FIRBC was closed by the Shariah School, which discussed several pertinent issues, such as the choice of Murabaha versus Ijara versus Musharaka in a Tawarruq structure, which is a contract of convenience mortgages. Issues also discussed included the re-mortgaging or credit extensions allowed under the Shariah, benchmarking Islamic mortgages towards a market rental index benchmark versus LIBOR, credit card contracts to cover payment delays and defaults, a deposit insurance scheme, and the marketing and misselling of Islamic banking products.
Dr. Khirbash says UAE-Harvard Programme for Public Sector Innovation reflects UAE’s commitment to drive greater efficiency in government operations
Attended by some 40 senior government officials
Dubai,
December 13th, 2003: The
third module of the UAE-Harvard Programme for Public Sector
Innovation was launched today
in the Maqam campus at the UAE University in Al Ain. The programme
provides executive training for senior
government officials with the aim of enhancing their leadership and
management skills and is run
in collaboration between the Ministry of Finance and Industry and
Harvard University, represented by the John F. Kennedy School of
Government.
Delivering
the welcome address at the launch of the programme, UAE
Minister of State for Finance and Industry, His Excellency Dr.
Mohamed Khalfan Bin Khirbash, said: “The conduct of this
programme is a reflection of the UAE’s commitment to driving
greater efficiency in government operations and delivering on our
promise of high performance government”.
Dr.
Khirbash also noted that the skills and techniques shared at the two
previous modules of the programme had considerably benefited the
participants and allowed them to display their enhanced abilities
not only at local or regional levels but also at international
levels. “Our
performance capabilities were put to the test during the Annual
Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank in September with a view to
understanding what leadership means and how it is implemented in the
Middle East. We
took that opportunity to explain to our partners and our peers, what
we here in the UAE are doing to promote high performance
government”, Dr. Khirbash said.
Module III of the UAE-Harvard Programme will focus on a range of topics ranging from pubic leadership to policy considerations, innovation and negotiation.
A special attention will be given to private-public partnerships. “The focus on private-public partnerships is of particular relevance to the UAE since there has been a rapid and unprecedented growth in this area over the past few decades not only in the provision of utility services, but also in sectors that were traditionally exclusive to the government”, a
dded Dr. Khirbash.
Senior officials including ministers, undersecretaries, Central Bank officials and members of UAE University and the Zayed University will attend the programme. Renowned experts and thinkers of the field will conduct the course including Professor Gowher Rizvi: Director of the Institute of Government Innovation, Iris Bohnet: Associate Professor of Public Policy and Faculty of the Kennedy School’s Women and Public Policy Programme, John White: Lecturer in Public Policy and Chair of the Kennedy School Middle East Initiative, and Peter Zimmerman: Senior Associate Dean for Programme Development and Executive Education and Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy.
The programme will run from the December 13-17 and will be followed by a graduation and alumni celebration. On the 16th evening, UAE University will witness the formal launching of the Harvard-UAE club, chaired by H.E. Dr. Khirbash and aims at providing a forum for the exchange of views between the UAE-Harvard graduates and Harvard’s knowledge community.
The first module of the UAE-Harvard Programme was conducted in July 2002 and the second module took place in May 2003 at Harvard University, and was attended by 21 senior officials. The fourth and final module will be held in Boston during the spring of next year.
Dubai, December 9th, 2003: In collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Industry, Harvard University, represented by the John F. Kennedy School of Government, will run a four-day training program in the UAE starting Saturday 13th December in the Maqam campus at the UAE University in Al Ain. The UAE program, “Creating A High Performance Government: Public Sector Innovation,” provides executive training for senior government officials with the aim of enhancing their leadership and management skills.
Commenting on the event, the UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry, His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Khalfan Bin Khirbash, said: “ We trust that this program will serve, through its emphasis on global case studies analysis, as a useful tool for all attendees on how to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of our public sector. The program very clearly reflects the UAE’s commitment to investing in its key resources – human capital – in order to drive greater efficiency within government operations.”
The program will be delivered by distinguished faculty members and will expose senior government officials to new trends in public sector management and high performance government. Specific sessions will focus on a range of topics including vision and strategy, innovations in empowered participatory governance, negotiation analysis, the relation between markets and policies, policy considerations in government’s innovation and trends in accountability and the regulation of non-profit decision making processes. Of particular relevance to the UAE will be the exposure to private-public partnerships and the need to innovate the public administration to be more effective and efficient. At the luncheon session on Tuesday, attendees will participate in a discussion about current development in the gulf region.
Attendees in the program include senior officials comprising sheikhs, ministers, undersecretaries, central bank senior officials and members of UAE University and the Zayed University. Renowned experts and thinkers of the field will conduct the course including Professor Gowher Rizvi: Director of the Institute of Government Innovation, Iris Bohnet: Associate Professor of Public Policy and Faculty of the Kennedy School’s Women and Public Policy Program, John White: Lecturer in Public Policy and Chair of the Kennedy School Middle East Initiative, and Peter Zimmerman: Senior Associate Dean for Program Development and Executive Education and Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy.
The program will run from the 13-17 and will be followed by a graduation and alumni celebration. On the 16th evening, UAE University will witness the formal launching of the Harvard-UAE club chaired by H.E. Dr. Khirbash and aimed at providing a forum for the exchange of views between the UAE-Harvard graduates and Harvard’s knowledge community.
The course is the third module of four that are scheduled to be completed in 2004. The first module was conducted in July 2002 and second course took place in May 2003 at Harvard University and was attended by 21 senior officials representing various UAE ministries in addition to UAE University and the Zayed University. The final module will be held at Boston sometime in March 2004.
Ministry
of Finance and Industry organizes seminar on development of UAE
national statistics
Dubai, December 8th, 2003: In collaboration with the UAE Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) specialized statistics mission, the UAE Ministry of Finance and Industry organized today a seminar entitled: “The Status of Statistics in the UAE and International Standards in Publishing Statistical Reports”.
Commenting on the seminar, H.E. Khaled Al Bustani, the Assistant
Undersecretary for Resources and Budget, said: “This symposium is
organized in line with ministerial directives regarding the
development of the statistical base of the UAE with a view to
broadening its scope of coverage”. Al Bustani noted that a decree
has been issued for the creation of a Statistics Coordination
Committee (SCC) comprising representatives of the Ministry of
Finance and Industry, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, Ministry
of Planning, and the Central bank. “The Ministry of Finance and
Industry will chair the General Secretariat of the SCC,” he said.
Al Bustani emphasized the vital importance of precise reporting and
accurate statistical data in the process of economic development. He
said, “Sound future planning largely depends on the accuracy of
statistics which are invaluable inputs in the formulation of both
social and economic policies.”
The seminar will serve to highlight the importance of the SCC’s role in improving the efficiency of statistical operations in the UAE. The SCC will prepared overall guidelines for the production and dissemination of statistical data that will streamline and improve the process across all government ministries, federal departments and authorities.
