ABU DHABI, 31st October, 2024 (WAM) -- The second edition of the Global Government Leaders Program (GGLP) included field visits to several leading UAE institutions, such as the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), Mubadala Investment Company, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA).
These visits provided participants with insights into the institutions' successful development initiatives, both within the UAE and internationally.
Interactive sessions during these visits brought GGLP participants together with officials from the visited organisations, with the goal of enhancing their leadership and management skills.
Participants learned about project management approaches and best practices, gaining insights they could apply to improve government performance in their own countries.
Session hosts emphasised the GGLP's vital role as a platform for international governmental cooperation and knowledge exchange, highlighting best practices in leadership to promote innovation, agility, and future readiness.
Hamdoud Abdullah Al Junaibi, Deputy Secretary-General for Local Affairs at ERC, talked to GGLP participants about the ERC’s humanitarian efforts around the world, explaining that it embodies the UAE's spirit of humanitarianism and reflects the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Al Junaibi said the ERC has implemented over 562,900 projects across 153 countries since its inception in 1983, benefiting around 390 million people with a focus on health, education, and sustainable small projects to promote independence.
“The ERC is supported by a strong volunteer base and generous donations from the UAE community, which allows us to prioritise rapid response to global emergencies and collaborate with local partners to empower communities,” he said.
GGLP participants attended a discussion panel that brought together Nickolay Mladenov, Director-General of AGDA, and Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Dhaheri, Deputy Director-General of AGDA.
Mladenov traced the evolution of UAE diplomacy, emphasising its roots in the vision of the UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, of openness, tolerance, and global engagement. This vision, he noted, was crucial to the nation's prosperity.
He discussed the UAE's multi-aligned foreign policy, its increasing focus on issues like climate change, and its strategic use of comprehensive economic partnership agreements (CEPAs) to further its development goals.
He also discussed the UAE's evolving foreign policy, which gradually transformed into a more assertive role in regional and global affairs, reiterating the role of UAE diplomacy in driving national accomplishments.
Dr. Mohammed Al Dhaheri showcased the UAE's growing influence in international diplomacy, highlighting its economic impact as a major investor in Africa and its success in attracting global investment. He emphasised the nation's active role as a mediator in international conflicts to achieve global peace.
Furthermore, Dr. Al Dhaheri underscored the UAE's strategic approach to foreign policy, evident in balancing its relations with various global powers and actively participating in multilateral initiatives.