Hamdan bin Mohammed approves DGEP plan to resume assessment

DUBAI / WAM

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, has approved the plan to resume assessments for the 2020 edition of the Dubai Government Excellence Program (DGEP). The assessments for the program, which were earlier scheduled for February and March 2020, had been
postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
The assessment for the categories of Leading Government Entity and the Elite Award will now take place from 27 January to 21 February 2021. Entities will be assessed according to a new assessment model.
HH Sheikh Hamdan said the new plan implements the directives of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to accelerate Dubai’s progress by keeping pace with global changes and taking advantage of the opportunities they bring.
‘’The Dubai Government Excellence Program has played an instrumental role in enhancing government services over the last 23 years. Constant efforts to improve quality are key to achieving Dubai’s future aspirations,’’ HH noted.
“I approved the 2020 assessment model, which focusses on assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of government amidst the current circumstances. I have issued directives to the Dubai Government Excellence Program to assess entities based on their performance during the pandemic and their preparedness for the next phase. The Program has played a significant role in helping government entities raise the quality of their services, and enhance efficiency and competitiveness,” Sheikh Hamdan said.
“Despite the repercussions of the pandemic, government entities have maintained high levels of performance and provided services without disruption,” he noted.
Secretary General of The Executive Council of Dubai and President of the Dubai Government Excellence Program Abdulla Al Basti said the current circumstances require the government sector to display flexibility in dealing with challenges so that the continuity and quality of services can be maintained.
“Based on the directives of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Program team has designed an exceptional assessment model for the 2020 edition. The new model encourages government entities to strengthen planning and ensure a high level of preparedness to adapt to a changing environment. This is critical to achieve the government’s objective of ensuring the happiness and satisfaction of all members of the community,” Al Basti said.
The assessment model for the 2020 edition of the Program focuses on how government entities handled the pandemic, and their levels of creativity and proactivity in dealing with the impact of the crisis. It will also assess their efforts to ensure undisrupted delivery of services. In addition, the new assessment model will evaluate government entities’ ability to recover from the impact of COVID-19 and their preparedness for the post-crisis phase.
The 2020 Dubai Government Excellence Program is the first such award scheme to take into consideration the circumstances created by the pandemic in its assessment of nominees.
Dr Hazza Al Nuaimi, Coordinator General of the Dubai Government Excellence Program, said government entities will also be evaluated for their business continuity planning, contributions to economic stimulus efforts and flexibility in dealing with the crisis. Their performance will be assessed in two phases – the period of the Covid-19 crisis and the post-crisis recovery period.
The assessment model for the 2020 edition has seven criteria: business continuity, government priorities, data and technology, leadership, health and safety, human capital and communications.