Sheikh Mohammed chairs Cabinet, sets out three messages to govt teams as new season begins

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has chaired the UAE Cabinet meeting.

The meeting was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court; Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence; Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Finance; and Lt. General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of the Interior.

Sheikh Mohammed said, “Today, I chaired the UAE Cabinet meeting at Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi. As our new government season begins, we have three messages for our work teams: Our first message: we do not wait for the perfect conditions to continue delivering. Our projects are moving, our economy is growing, our markets are operating at full capacity, and our events are welcoming the world. The UAE does not stop, and it will not stop…

"Our second message: we have launched the largest transformation project for government services envolving Agentic AI. It is a strategic, national and forward-looking project, and we are counting on it to deliver a step change in government. Our message to every team is to be part of this strategic transformation of the UAE Government…

"Our third message: the trust the UAE has built over decades is the currency we rely on. It was built by developing systems and policies, by investing heavily in the finest infrastructure in the world, by a reputation earned and by international relationships carefully formed. That trust is what guarantees the continuity of our journey today, and it is the duty of every one of us to strengthen it, protect it and build on it.”

Sheikh Mohammed added, “In today's meeting the Cabinet approved the launch and rollout of the Cabinet AI Advisor system, a new step in improving government decision making, accelerating the study of projects and initiatives, and raising the quality of government output. The system works through 32 specialised AI advisors that analyse policies and legislation, assess their impact, review global best practice and put forward recommendations. The system will work with our ministers, 24 hours a day, to follow up on decisions and their implementation... The UAE government does not stop... and its decisions are continuous... We aim for a more efficient government, and faster and more accurate decisions.”

Sheikh Mohammed added, “Today in the Cabinet meeting, we reviewed the “programme of teachers’ and educators’ capabilities development using artificial intelligence tools”... The objective is to train 22,000 teachers and educators to utilise AI as a support in teaching, assessment, curriculum analysis, lessons planning, and fostering a spirit of innovation among students... The huge technological transformations of our era will change the reality, processes, and tools of education... To fulfil their new role, teachers will have to become lifelong learners... because if we teach our children today using the same methods of yesterday, we are depriving them of their future... The UAE is among the pioneering countries in the world who have developed integrated curricula for teaching AI to students across all educational levels... In today’s meeting, we also approved a mechanism to make this AI curriculum available to ministries of education in all countries worldwide, so that everyone can benefit from the UAE's experience.

Sheikh Mohammed added: Today, we approved the UAE Government Annual Meetings agenda, which will be held next November 8 to 10 ... This event is the national platform where we gather to review what has been achieved in a year... and plan the next stage of our government journey... This year's edition is themed around readiness and resilience... readiness of our economy... readiness of our supplies and logistics, our resources, and our families... We will also review the progress made by our government entities in employing artificial intelligence to further improve their work and services... and we will celebrate the winners of the first cycle of the "Years of the Emirates’ Award"... We invite everyone to share their stories... The UAE today is stronger thanks to its teams and the will of its people... Thus, our ambition knows no limits.

Sheikh Mohammed confirmed: “We also reviewed the results of government digital transformation over the past year. Federal entities completed more than 308 million digital transactions and recorded 15.8 million government applications downloads across 1,633 digital services, with 92 percent customer satisfaction for priority services, alongside 471 digital transformation projects. Globally, the UAE ranked first in indicators including telecommunications infrastructure, digital skills and AI adoption, and was placed in the highest tier of the cybersecurity index. These results confirm that the digital transformation journey continues, and that investing in technology and AI is an investment in the quality and the future of government services.”

Sheikh Mohammed said: The Cabinet approved the National Ecotourism Policy and reviewed the results of the National Strategy to Combat Desertification 2022 to 2030, which has delivered tangible progress in protecting ecosystems and sustaining natural resources. Protected areas have risen to 55, some 4,900 hectares of land have been rehabilitated, more than 3.2 million square metres of green cover have been added, and 341,000 native trees have been tagged and protected. Protecting our environment is a national commitment, and investing in our natural resources is investing in the quality of life.”

AI Advisor System

The Cabinet launched the Cabinet AI Advisor system, a significant step towards strengthening government decision making by adopting agentic AI in the work of the Cabinet and the Ministerial Council for Artificial Intelligence and Development. The system analyses the subjects and initiatives brought before the Cabinet, including government programmes, policies and legislation. It raises the quality of output, and accelerates studies. The new agentic AI system forms part of the UAE Government's direction to embed agentic AI in government work through its new operating model, and rests on core principles that safeguard the confidentiality of the matters presented and meet the cybersecurity standards adopted in the UAE.

Thirty-two AI advisors support the Cabinet work by assessing the financial, economic, social and environmental impact of each subject, linking it to global best practice and to the UAE's national priorities, and presenting recommendations drawn from an approved set of inputs and sources. The Cabinet also approved a system to issue Cabinet decisions, within a governed framework, supported by agentic AI technologies and the Cabinet AI advisor, to ensure work continuity and a swift decision-making.

Autonomous Vehicles

To support futuristic projects and regulate the use of modern technologies, the Cabinet approved a resolution regulating the use of autonomous vehicles in the UAE. The resolution aims to establish mechanisms and controls for inspecting, registering, licensing, and renewing the licenses of autonomous vehicles and introduces operational procedures for testing new vehicle technologies. The resolution will contribute to encouraging the use of alternative and environmentally friendly technologies to reduce road pollution and traffic congestion.

AI curriculum in schools

The UAE Cabinet also approved the implementation of an artificial intelligence curriculum across all public and private schools in the UAE. A conducted pilot programme and evaluation of the curriculum's has already shown positive results in public schools. This move reinforces the UAE's leadership in shaping the future of education and its proactive approach to seizing opportunities for development and leadership in strategic fields.

The AI curriculum aims to equip future generations with the necessary AI skills and knowledge to prepare them for the future and its requirements. It focuses on providing students with the technical requirements of AI, instilling an awareness of its ethical applications, and enhancing their understanding of AI data, algorithms, applications, and risks. This reflects the UAE's commitment to building a generation proficient in the tools of the future. The Cabinet also approved a mechanism for making this curriculum and its components available and shared with the international educational community.

Emirates Council for Balanced Development

The Cabinet reviewed the 2025 annual report of the Emirates Council for Balanced Development, chaired by Sheikh Theyab Bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes' Affairs.

The Council works to strengthen family cohesion, community participation and wellbeing, build diverse small-scale local economies through support for farmers, artisans and entrepreneurs, preserve local heritage, and develop tourism destinations that reflect the geographic, cultural and environmental diversity of the UAE.

Its projects during the year included the development of eco-trails and Qidfaa’ corniche, the restoration of Falaj Al Wara'i, the Masfout gateway, the Al Daya environmental trail, the Al Rams boulevard and corniche, and the waterfront and tourism facilities in Al Silaa’. Its events and facilities attracted more than 350,000 visitors, with over 5,000 participants and more than 350 volunteers.

'The Emirates, Start-Up Capital of the World'

The Cabinet reviewed progress on the national campaign “The Emirates, Start-Up Capital of the World”, which aims to establish the country as a global destination for entrepreneurship. Small and medium enterprises and startups account for more than 95 percent of all companies in the UAE and contribute over 63 percent of non-oil GDP.

Highlights in 2025 included a national platform for entrepreneurs through the new economy academy, the UAE Tax Agent Programme to qualify 500 citizens, and the training of 10,000 citizens.

Emirates Skills platform

The Cabinet also reviewed progress on the Emirates Skills platform, a national platform for anticipating in-demand skills and preparing the workforce in the UAE for the jobs of the future. Supported by AI, it aligns education outcomes with labour market needs through real time market analysis, predictive modelling of future jobs and skills, and personalised career guidance. It served more than 8,300 users during its pilot phase.

Early Childhood Week

Within the national programmes of the Year of the Family, the Cabinet also approved the first national edition of Early Childhood Week, to be held across the emirates from 16 to 22 November 2026, turning public spaces into interactive environments for learning and play.

National Ecotourism Policy

The Cabinet approved the National Ecotourism Policy, balancing economic development with the protection of ecosystems and natural resources while strengthening the UAE's standing as a leading global ecotourism destination.

The policy focuses on protecting environmental sites and developing sustainable tourism products and experiences that reflect the country's natural and cultural attractions, encourages community participation while preserving cultural identity, and strengthens cooperation between government entities, the private sector and civil society.

Its national initiatives include an ecotourism smart platform, creating partnership networks to support ecotourism, and developing the regulations related to the management of ecotourism sites.

National Strategy to Combat Desertification 2030

The Cabinet reviewed the results of the National Strategy to Combat Desertification 2030, which has delivered progress through the expansion of protected areas, afforestation, rangeland rehabilitation and improved water and soil management.

National natural reserves have risen to 55, around 4,900 hectares of land have been rehabilitated, more than 380,000 trees have been planted, over 3.2 million square metres of green cover have been added, 341,000 native trees have been tagged and protected, and more than 120 native plant genetic resources have been surveyed and identified.

Other strategies and policies

55The Cabinet further reviewed a range of government strategies and policies covering the labour market, wage protection, the National Medicines Policy 2025, the National Green Certificates Programme.

The Cabinet approved the Cloud Migration for Institutional Resources Management System in the federal government representing the next generation of the federal technology infrastructure. The project modernises financial and human resources systems and moves them to an advanced cloud computing environment offering higher levels of agility, security and reliability, alongside intelligent data analytics.

The Cabinet also approved the National Framework for Financial Sustainability Standards in the Federal Government, which embeds sustainability principles and environmental, social and governance dimensions within financial policies and procedures.

The Cabinet reviewed the year 2025 results of the government digital transformation, which showed continued progress in digital services and wider use of AI and data. During the year, the government scored more than 308 million digital transactions, 88.5 million visits to government websites and 15.8 million government applications downloads, across 1,633 digital services. Customer satisfaction with priority services rose to 92 percent, and 471 digital transformation projects were delivered.

The UAE ranked first worldwide in the telecommunications infrastructure index, the institutional framework for digital government index, the digital skills index and the AI adoption index, and placed in the highest tier of the cybersecurity index. It ranked second globally for satisfaction with government services, sixth in the technology index and ninth in the digital competitiveness index.

In government affairs, the Cabinet approved the reconstitution of the board of the Federal Geographic Information Centre, chaired by Dr. Khalifa Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithi, with Eng. Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality, as Vice Chairman.

In international affairs, the Cabinet ratified a number of international agreements, including agreements with the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, with the State of Qatar on the promotion and protection of investment, and with the Republic of Ecuador on comprehensive economic partnership, alongside an artificial intelligence and digital economy agreement with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the multilateral competent authority agreement on the automatic exchange of information.

The Cabinet approved the UAE's accession to the African Diamond Producers Association as an observer, and approved the negotiation and signing of 70 international agreements and memoranda of understanding across sectors including economic partnership, investment, humanitarian aid, healthcare, education, banking and finance, customs, civil aviation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, energy, space and tourism. It also reviewed the results of the UAE's participation in 19 international events.

WAM