His Excellency the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States: Celebrating leading government models reinforces leadership as a fundamental methodology.
In a remarkable achievement that reflects Saudi Arabia's leadership in developing government work and fostering institutional innovation, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has been awarded the "Best Arab Ministry" for the year 2024. This recognition came as part of the third edition of the Arab Government Excellence Award, launched by the UAE government in cooperation with the League of Arab States, represented by the Arab Organization for Administrative Development. The award aims to highlight successful models of government management and honor outstanding institutional and individual competencies in the Arab world, while shedding light on innovation and excellence as fundamental tools for achieving sustainable development.
His Excellency Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the Prize's Board of Trustees, affirmed that governmental efficiency is the cornerstone of achieving economic and social prosperity. He pointed out that the success of nations hinges on their ability to effectively manage their financial and human resources. Furthermore, he added that enhancing government work is not a luxury but rather a key to leadership and progress.
For his part, His Excellency Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, commended the pivotal role of the award in fostering institutional innovation in the Arab region. He emphasized that celebrating leading government models contributes to consolidating leadership as a fundamental approach to public administration.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development distinguished itself by achieving a set of qualitative accomplishments that qualified it for this award. Most notably, it implemented a comprehensive digital transformation program aimed at automating government processes and services, with continuous improvements based on performance indicators. Additionally, the ministry launched a business intelligence center that relies on artificial intelligence technologies to support decision-making and provide efficient services to beneficiaries. The Ministry has been keen on fostering institutional innovation through the “Mulhim” platform, aimed at governing creative ideas. Additionally, it organized the Innovation and the Future of Government Work Conference in 2022. Furthermore, the Ministry was a pioneer in engaging citizens and stakeholders in the process of developing policies and services through dialogue forums aimed at achieving integration among all parties.
At the national level, the Ministry has led outstanding efforts in improving the efficiency of spending and developing the operational model of human resources. As a result, it ranked second as the best government entity in the Kingdom in 2023 and was honored at the 2024 Spending Efficiency Forum for achieving exceptional standards in financial and administrative resource management.
The Arab Government Excellence Award is one of the most prominent regional awards in the field of government administration, comprising 15 categories distributed across two main levels. Individuals and corporates. Individual awards encompass categories such as Best Arab Minister, Best Governor, and Best Male and Female Government Employee, while institutional awards focus on categories like Best Arab Ministry and Best Government Agency or Institution. Additionally, there are sub-categories that recognize outstanding projects in fields such as education, health, infrastructure, and youth empowerment.
This year, the award honored 23 winners representing pioneering models from various Arab countries. The nominations underwent a rigorous evaluation process through a smart electronic system and a specialized judging committee that relied on the best international standards. The United Arab Emirates was excluded from participating to ensure the principles of neutrality and transparency.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development's achievement of this award reflects the Kingdom's pioneering role in government work and underscores its commitment to institutional excellence according to the highest standards. This accomplishment is part of the Kingdom's efforts to realize its Vision 2030, which aims to enhance government efficiency and sustainable development for the well-being of society and the prosperity of the nation.