The Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has released the results of an assessment of government institutions, indicating those departments that have shown the best and worst results in the fight against bureaucracy. The rating was compiled based on the efficiency of the departments during the year after the launch of an initiative to reduce administrative procedures at the end of 2023.
“We launched this assessment to determine how quickly government structures respond, how well they provide services and how they make life easier for citizens,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has reported on the social network X.
The three most effective government structures, according to the leader, include the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure. He commended these ministries for their high performance, describing them as “successful in overcoming bureaucratic hurdles” and setting an example of quality public service.
Fighting bureaucracy
At the same time, the worst-performing ministries included Emirates Post, the General Directorate of Pensions and Social Security, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Sheikh Mohammed called on these ministries to change, saying: “Those who have not made enough effort… should remember that outdated systems that have been built up over years through government bureaucracy can be changed with bold and swift decisions in just a few days. This applies not only to systems but also to responsible officials.”
The assessment was part of a broader initiative aimed at simplifying public administration. Underlining his position, Sheikh Mohammed criticized excessive bureaucracy, calling it “the art of making the simple complicated” and “a system that stifles individual creativity.” According to him, in the conditions of government bureaucracy, procedures are often put above results, paperwork above quality of service, and rules above innovation.
Systematic inspection of state structures
This is not the first time that the head of the UAE has publicly analyzed the activities of state institutions. Back in 2020, the country’s authorities introduced the “UAE Mystery Shopper” application to check the quality of public services. Later, Sheikh Mohammed brought in a personal team of inspectors to privately assess the work of state bodies. In late 2024, the leader summoned three heads of institutions who, according to the audit findings, had effectively closed their offices to citizens, which contradicts the principle of “open doors” — the basis of public administration in the emirate.
In 2023, Sheikh Mohammed already evaluated government services based on a customer satisfaction measurement tool and announced a list of the best and worst services. In the same year, the head of a hospital that was on the list of the worst institutions was changed. In 2021, a ranking of government service centers was published, and in 2019, the five worst service centers in the country were named. Then, the Federal Authority for Identification and Citizenship in Fujairah received the highest rating, while the Emirates Post branch in Al Khan, Sharjah, was recognized as the weakest.