Serbian Prime Minister meets UAE delegation to discuss government modernisation collaboration

DUBAI, 1st November, 2023 (WAM) — Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, welcomed a delegation from the UAE government in Belgrade as part of an official visit facilitated by the Government Experience Exchange Programme.The discussions focused on the progress of bilateral cooperation between the UAE and Serbia in government modernisation and development efforts.The UAE delegation, led by Mohamed bin Taliah, Chief of Government Services of the UAE Government, included members from the Government Services Sector team and the Government Experience Exchange Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs.Mohamed bin Taliah emphasised that the visit to Serbia was in line with the UAE government’s ongoing commitment to enhancing global partnerships in government modernisation and following the progress of collaborative efforts with friendly nations in projects aimed at enhancing services and fostering the adoption of innovation and advanced technology to elevate customer experiences.Bin Taliah praised the partnership with the Serbian government as a positive model of cooperation, showcasing the exchange of expertise, experiences, and success stories to support the comprehensive modernisation of government operations. He commended the significant achievements realised since the announcement of bilateral cooperation in May 2022.During the visit, the UAE delegation engaged in a series of meetings with Serbian ministers and officials, including a field visit to a smart police station in Serbia, designed to leverage the UAE’s expertise in this domain. The delegation also met with Mihailo Jovanović, Minister of Information and Telecommunications, to discuss progress in work and preparations for launching an e-government service centre in Belgrade. Additionally, a meeting was held with Jelena Begović, Minister of Science, Technological Development and Innovation, during which opportunities for enhancing cooperation in various aspects of government modernisation were explored.Bin Taliah engaged in a dialogue session within Serbia’s Biotech Future Forum, joined by Jelena Begović. The session, moderated by Walter Pasquarelli, Manager within the Tech & Society team at Economist Impact, delved into UAE government strategies and best practices in advancing innovation in emerging technology.The forum, organised by the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Serbia, aimed to foster an environment conducive to biotechnology growth by providing a platform for sharing knowledge, experiences, and innovative ideas in the field.In May 2022, H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, oversaw the signing of the bilateral cooperation agreement in government modernisation between the UAE and Serbia. This agreement focuses on 13 key areas of cooperation to enhance readiness for the future and devise innovative solutions to challenges. These include smart and digital government services, digital economy, science and innovation, government capacity building, government accelerators, business incubators, creative industries, tourism, education, coding, artificial intelligence, government media, and the Expo 2020 experience. Since its inception, the partnership has seen the completion of approximately 138 workshops and meetings, and the training of over 2,600 employees through more than 6,000 hours of practical training.The Government Experience Exchange Programme aims to establish a model for global cooperation in developing government work, identifying challenges faced by governments amidst rapid technological advancements, and creating new strategies to keep pace with them. These efforts enable governments to leverage these advancements in shaping future opportunities, and share the UAE’s wealth of successful experiences in government administration with countries worldwide.