UAE launches 'Global Accelerator Ambassador' programme with ICAO

Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future, has affirmed the UAE’s keenness to enhance and strengthen global partnerships with international organisations and bodies, especially the partnership with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which contributes effectively to the development of the aviation sector globally, and to invest in future work models aiming to boost the aviation industry's readiness for the future.

This came during Al Roumi's speech at the ICAO Council 229th Session at the organisation's headquarters in Montreal, Canada, where she announced the launch of the Global Accelerator Ambassador Programme, which aims to empower the organisation's leadership with accelerators tools and methodology to support ICAO's transformational vision towards the future.

Among the attendees during the session were Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of the ICAO Council; Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary-General of the Organisation; members of the ICAO Council, directors of its regional offices and a number of officials.

Al Roumi stated,

“The Global Accelerator Ambassador Programme embodies the vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and Ruler of Dubai, as part of the UAE government’s duty to strengthen international cooperation and empower leaders to drive readiness towards the creation of the common future globally, and more sustainable opportunities for future generations.”

She added that the accelerators will bring together partners and relevant sectors within a common vision to find practical solutions to tackle challenges in the aviation industry, implement new innovative programmes and initiatives, and design regulatory policies that achieve tangible results for ambitious goals in record time.

Al Roumi continued,

“The future of the aviation industry is undergoing tremendous disruptions, most notably digital transformation. Over the past five years, global investment in digitalisation has doubled from $1 trillion in 2018 to $2 trillion this year, driving the evolution of technology faster than expected. Spending on digital technologies and services is expected to reach $3.5 trillion by 2026.”

The minister emphasised the importance of sustainability in the aviation industry by employing cutting-edge technologies such as green technology and ultra-light materials, providing new opportunities for the sector to do more with less, noting that the aviation sector will continue to grow at a rate of 4.3% annually over the next 20 years.

“The future directions of the aviation industry reflect the need to design future work models that are more suitable for the future in light of a world facing rapid changes such as climate change, pandemics, cyber challenges, and economic complexity. To proactively prepare for these disruptions, international organisations, including ICAO, must play a pivotal role in co-creating the future with greater agility, creativity, and empathy, "

she added.

Al Roumi also commended the member states of ICAO for choosing the UAE to host the Third ICAO Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (CAAF3), which is being held in conjunction with the UAE's hosting of the COP28 Conference. She affirmed that the UAE has an integrated vision to enhance the sustainability of the aviation sector, as it adopted the Net-Zero Aviation Goal to be the first country in the region to become climate neutral.

“Designing the future is a fundamental pillar in the UAE government work. In 2016, Government Accelerators were launched to rethink the work mechanisms of government entities by introducing a unique business model based on accelerating results, enhancing cooperation and stimulating innovation. Over six years, Government Accelerators have received more than 3,000 employees from the UAE government and private sectors, who were able to find innovative solutions to more than 60 challenges in various sectors within 100 days,”

she stated.

The minister highlighted the UAE's keenness to share its experiences and knowledge globally, to benefit from it in developing their businesses and increasing the efficiency of their operations and services. The UAE government successfully exchanged experiences and best practices with 30 governments and international organisations through the Government Experience Exchange Programme. The Government Accelerators has also been established in three countries and is an international organisation aiming to lead the way in delivering impact and achieving strategic goals.

She shed light in her speech on the UAE’s leadership, which succeeded in solidifying its status as the most competitive country amongst Arab countries, as the economy witnessed a growth of more than 6% in 2022 despite the Covid-19 pandemic, while growing at its fastest rate in more than a decade. Trade also grew by 19% and the UAE retained its leading position as the region's top foreign direct investment destination. The UAE also tops 156 global competitiveness indicators and is among the top 10 countries in 432 global indicators.

Sciacchitano, in turn, said,

“The ICAO Council Is focused today on reviewing ICAO's working methods and processes to make them more efficient, while reinforcing the inclusive due diligence required for effective standardization. The insights being generously shared with us through the UAE's Global Accelerator Ambassador Programme are highly relevant to this work, and I am deeply grateful to Ohood Al Roumi for her personal commitment to raising our Member States' awareness of this important global initiative.”

“The UAE Accelerator Workshop is a model of best practice for future collaboration between Member States and the ICAO Secretariat. It importantly complements the ongoing Transformational Objective of ICAO, particularly our Digital Transformation, which is one of my highest priorities,”

Salazar noted.

The Global Accelerator Ambassador Programme represents a new phase of the strategic partnership between the UAE government and international organisations. It is an international initiative to exchange experiences and knowledge, share the model of UAE Government Accelerators that has proven global success, and support efforts to spread the culture of government accelerators with various organisations to enable them to address challenges and achieve ambitious goals.

The program aims to build the capacities of international organisations’ staff, qualify them with the government accelerators methodology and enable them to work on developing transformational projects in their organisations, in addition to spreading the culture of accelerators within the organizations by building the capabilities of a generation of accelerator ambassadors.

The programme seeks to strengthen the UAE’s global leadership by enhancing awareness about the model and concepts of Government Accelerators. It represents a new platform for knowledge transfer and global capacity-building, as well as building and strengthening partnerships with international organizations and developing advanced frameworks for future cooperation.

Government Accelerators team at the Prime Minister's Office of the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, as part of the framework of the Ambassadors of Global Accelerators Programme, held intensive workshops for ICAO team in the presence of Sciacchitano, Salazar, members of the ICAO Council, directors of its regional offices and a number of officials.

The workshops reviewed the objectives of the partnership between the UAE government and the ICAO, the UAE's successful experience in developing Government Accelerators, the first of its kind in the world, the concept of accelerators, and the 100-day challenge methodology.

Brainstorming sessions were also held to design ideas and set challenges, in addition to intensive sessions to implement practical applications for the work stages of the accelerators, which include design, strategic planning, implementation, and setting the 100-day challenge plan and its related stages.

The UAE government signed an MoU and partnership with the ICAO, during the World Government Summit 2022, aiming to exchange best practices, knowledge and expertise in the aviation sector; hence, the UAE became the first country in the world to sign this agreement with the organisation since its establishment. Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Government Summit, signed the agreement with Sciacchitano.

The agreement focuses on accelerators and innovation in civil aviation, cyber security and development modules, while supporting the exchange of expertise which supports the global aviation sector.

News Source: Emirates News Agency