UAE Innovates 2022, an innovation festival running across the UAE from February 1 – 28, 2022, has started showcasing innovative initiatives that contribute to the UAE’s next 50 years.

Overseen by Mohammed bin Rashid Centre of Government Innovation (MBRCGI), UAE Innovates 2022 is aimed at engaging federal and local government entities, the private sector, academia, and community to help create more resilient government models.

“The UAE Government is keen to consolidate innovation across all vital sectors,” H.E. Huda Al Hashimi, UAE Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs. “The nationwide festival will embrace creative ideas and innovations, and engage the community through projects, and initiatives. UAE Innovates 2022 includes events taking place at Expo 2020 Dubai, in line with its mission to connect minds and create the future, bringing together the UAE’s best talents to showcase the most impactful government innovations.”

This year, H.E. Al Hashimi noted, government entities will once again present innovations that will help to increase the resilience of the UAE society and the quality of life of citizens. The festival will include more than 60 dedicated events at Expo 2020 Dubai. Those will include Dubai Courts showing its digital litigation initiative that enables customers to conveniently access all litigation services around the clock, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Port Security organizing the “Our Digital Services” exhibition, or the Ministry of Economy and the Emirates Youth Council highlighting innovative projects of young talents, to name but a few. “It is impossible to single out individual projects due to the variety and scope of the different innovations, but there are some particularly exciting developments in the fields of food waste, security, and civil defense that will directly impact people’s lives,” H.E. Al Hashimi added. “Not only will the innovations have a positive impact on people but also on the government work. They also highlight and support the UAE’s culture of innovation and inspire youth and employees across sectors to think creatively.”

HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has also launched the UAE Government Accelerators, the world’s first accelerator focusing on the rapid delivery of high priority government programs following a unique and innovative approach, which according to H.E. Al Hashimi has engaged more than 1,500 of employees across the different sectors. “It has produced many positive outcomes, including helping to empower new talented generations, building their skills to become future leaders,” she said. “Additionally, we have launched many challenges and cohorts that have developed solutions for government services and platforms, government policies, bylaws, and laws. Examples of accelerated challenges include, but are not limited to, the approved and issuance of the Venture Capital Law, and the accelerated issuing of trade licenses, where it reduced the time it takes to issue trade licenses from 24 days to 24 hours in Umm Al Quwain Emirate.”

Furthermore, within the UAE Innovates event, the private sector also has a significant role to play. “The UAE Innovates initiative welcomes collaboration with entrepreneurs and startups, who can attend any of the hundreds of events taking place throughout February, where innovation leaders will be available to speak with,” H.E. Al Hashimi added. “Events can be attended in person or virtually. The UAE Government supports entrepreneurship and innovation, and the collaboration between the private and public sectors. In fact, the government aims to become one of the most agile and innovative in the world. By sharing knowledge and experience between the public and private sectors, innovation and talent can flourish. Both entrepreneurship and innovation are important pillars in supporting economic diversification and we see collaboration between the public and private sectors increasing as the UAE enhances its culture of innovation through initiatives like UAE Innovates.”

The month-long event will conclude with the UAE Innovates Awards that are aimed at recognizing some of the most impactful innovations implemented at the local and federal government level over the last 12 months.

The festival was first launched by the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre of Government Innovation in 2016 following the success of UAE Innovation Week.

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