DUBAI/HELSINKI, 7th October, 2026 (WAM) -- The Governments of the UAE and the Republic of Finland organized the Government Experience Exchange Forum in the Finnish capital, Helsinki, as part of the partnership between the two countries in government development and the exchange of knowledge and experiences. The forum brought together a group of senior government officials, policymakers, experts and specialists from both countries.
The forum provided a strategic platform for dialogue and the exchange of perspectives on the future of government. It showcased government experiences and practices across several key fields, including digital transformation and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, education, transport and logistics, and government agility, while exploring opportunities to develop joint initiatives and projects that can be implemented and scaled.
Speakers at the forum included Anna-Kaisa Ikonen, Minister of Local and Regional Government, Finland; Eng. Mohammed Al Qasim, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education; Mohamed bin Taliah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Government Experience Exchange; and Amna Mahmoud Fikri, UAE Ambassador to Finland.
H.E. Anna-Kaisa Ikonen stated that “Deepening our cooperation in government development accelerates our shared ability to implement artificial intelligence innovations safely and effectively across the public sector. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies and exchanging best practices, both Finland and the UAE can build proactive, trusted, and future-ready public services.”
Mohamed bin Taliah stated that government experience exchange forums provide an effective platform for exchanging experiences and drawing on diverse government experiences to develop practical, applicable and scalable solutions and initiatives.
“The Republic of Finland and United Arab Emirates Experience Exchange Forum reflects the commitment of both governments to expanding cooperation and experience exchange, investing in government capacity building, and empowering national talent to keep pace with the accelerating pace of change and shape the future of government,” Bin Taliah said.
“Experience exchange is a key enabler for accelerating government performance development and translating experiences into practical and scalable solutions. This enhances government readiness to face challenges and supports efforts to shape the future and design more agile and proactive government models,” he added.
In her speech, Amna Fikri, Ambassador of the UAE to Finland & Estonia, emphasized the role of the Memorandum of Understanding on Experience Exchange on Government Development and Modernization, signed between the two countries in March 2025, as the basis for the Forum and future governmental cooperation.
Fikri also highlighted the wide-ranging and timely themes of the Forum’s workshops to reflect the dynamic and future-oriented nature of the bilateral relations between the UAE and Finland.
The UAE delegation participating in the forum included Eng. Mohammed Al Qasim, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education; Mohamed bin Taliah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Government Experience Exchange; Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government; Amna Fikri, UAE Ambassador to Finland and Estonia; Mohammed Al Zarooni, Deputy Director General of the Information and Digital Government Sector at the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority; Matar Al Hemeiri, Chief Executive of Digital Dubai Government Establishment; Fahad Al Mehairi, Director of the Alternative Services and Volunteerism Centre at the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority; Hesham Amiri, Deputy Chief of Government Services; Essa Al Shamsi, Senior Vice President of Terminal Operations at Dubai Airports; Bader Anwahi, Chief Executive Officer of the Public Facilities Agency at Dubai Municipality; Mohammed Al Shamsi, Vice President – Commercial and Business Growth at DP World Digital; and Karim Dean, Head of Business Development and Marketing at Masdar City.
A number of senior Finnish officials and experts also participated in the forum, including Anna-Kaisa Ikonen, Minister of Local and Regional Government; Tuula Yrjölä, Ambassador of Finland to the UAE; Anna-Kaisa Heikkinen, Director General, Department for Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, Ministry for Foreign Affairs; Anssi Kärkkäinen, Deputy Director General, National Cyber Security Centre of Finland (Traficom); Kaarle Hämeri, Chancellor, University of Helsinki;Mikko Mattinen, Head of Unit for International Affairs, Digital and Population Data Services Agency; Aleksi Kopponen, Chief Specialist for Public Sector ICT, Ministry of Finance; Pasi Nikama, Senior Vice President for Marketing and Customer Relations, Traffic Management Company Fintraffic Ltd; Antti Loikas, Chief Senior Specialist, Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
The forum featured panel discussions and subject-matter workshops covering six key fields, namely: Government Services & Digitalization; Education; Transport, Aviation & Logistics; Municipal Cooperation; Cybersecurity; and Zero-Carbon Built Environment.
During the session titled “The New Cyber Frontier: Protecting Governments in the Age of AI”, Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government, and Peter Sund, CEO of the Finnish Information Security Cluster, discussed the transformation of the cybersecurity landscape amid the growing adoption of artificial intelligence.
The session highlighted the importance of enhancing cyber resilience and protecting government systems, as well as opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in this field.
The session titled “From Digital to Agentic: Redesigning Governments in the Age of Agentic AI” explored the evolution of government services and the transition towards proactive models centred on the needs of people and businesses. Discussions also addressed the importance of integration and data exchange across government entities, as well as the role of artificial intelligence in transforming the work of government employees while maintaining trust, accountability and human oversight.
Eng. Mohammed Al Qasim, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, showcased the Ministry’s experience in advancing the education sector and leveraging international experiences in the session entitled “Advancing Education Through Global Exchange: The UAE Ministry of Education Experience”. Another session explored ways to enhance global economic connectivity and the role of aviation, logistics and transport networks in supporting trade, tourism and investment.
Participants explored opportunities to enhance connectivity between the UAE and Finland, leverage technology and artificial intelligence to develop transport networks, improve the efficiency of logistics services, and enhance economic resilience to global changes.
Participants emphasised the importance of exchanging experiences between the two countries and developing joint initiatives in priority fields, to promote the UAE-Finland partnership, support efforts to advance government development, reinforce a futuristic approach, and build more efficient, agile and adaptable government models capable of keeping pace with evolving needs.