Two UAE government top officials have joined the world’s most influential people on the 2021 Agile 50 List, which recognises the contributions of leaders in agile governance for navigating disruption.

The announcement was made by the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Future Council on Agile Governance.

Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and The Future, was recognised in the Public Figures category, together with five global government leaders, including: Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia, and Mikhailo Fedorov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.

Huda Al Hashimi, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs, was also selected in the Agile Enablers category, which included government officials from several countries around the world, including Brazil, Sweden and Shanghai.

Al Roumi was chosen among the world’s leading public figures for spearheading a transformative vision to accelerate government development in the UAE, enhance government performance, and embed future foresight and readiness in government. She also supported building agility to adapt to emerging trends, enhancing competitiveness, and supporting effective government coordination. The recognition also highlighted her continuous efforts to spur innovation, create a new generation of anticipatory government services, and support future readiness.

Al Hashimi was selected in recognition of the significant role she undertakes in various government fields, including driving innovation and agility in the government through initiatives and projects launched by the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation. Her achievements include supporting the initiatives that accelerate delivery and find solutions for the pressing challenges through leading the world’s first Government Accelerators.

In 2021, the Agile 50 List included nine categories, namely: Public Figure, Agile Enablers, Collaborators, Entrepreneurs and Experimenters, Futurists, Governance Pioneers, Government Transformation, Public Health and COVID-19 Response, and Technologists.

The selection of two Emirati officials on the list of world’s most influential people revolutionising g-overnance reflects the UAE’s leading vision and futuristic approach in the fields of government modernisation and shaping the future. The UAE government managed to rank 1st regionally for the fifth year in a row, and 9th globally in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY). It further ranked 1st globally on 20 indicators, including Government Responsiveness to Change, the Absence of Bureaucracy, and economic and social development indicators. The UAE also ranked 3rd globally among emerging economies on the “Future Readiness Index” report, issued by the Portulans Institute (PI) in partnership with Google.

Finalists in the Agile 50 List, announced jointly by the WEF’s Global Future Council and Apolitical, the educational platform for government, were selected based on 10 criteria; embracing the future, focusing on outcomes, experimenting and learning, being lean on business, connecting with peers, being responsive, engaging locally and nationally, having a global outlook, focusing on innovators, as well as putting citizens at the centre.