Saif bin Zayed honours winners of Global Government Excellence Award 2025

In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, Lieutenant General H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, honoured winners of the Global Government Excellence Award in its third edition, during the World Governments Summit 2025.

The awards ceremony was attended by H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi; H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence; H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah; and H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah.

The Global Government Excellence Award recognises pioneering government initiatives and practices worldwide that improve quality of life and address societal challenges. As the first of its kind in the global government sector, it encompasses all countries and cultures, emphasising originality and sustainable, impactful outcomes.

The ‘Ubongo’ digital learning programme from Tanzania won the Technological Innovation for Social Inclusion award. The programme bridges educational gaps by offering digital content in subjects like maths, science, and languages, while providing interactive tools for teachers. It aims to reduce disparities between urban and rural areas, ensuring equal learning opportunities for all children.

The municipality of Cascais in Portugal won the award for Innovation in Environmental Sustainability and Community Engagement award for its ‘iRec’ recycling project. The initiative uses smart devices to encourage recycling, rewarding participants with points for services. In its first year, it collected one million packages (70 tonnes), demonstrating its success in promoting sustainability.

The award’s research and nomination process is based on scientific and international criteria to identify global best practices that improve quality of life, demonstrate innovation, and achieve sustainable outcomes. The third edition was marked by substantially higher quality in terms of initiatives nominated, broader global participation, more winners, and an expanded scope to include all continents. The award aims to highlight governments focused on enhancing quality of life, inspiring worldwide efforts in governance and development.

Launched during the World Governments Summit 2023, the World Government Excellence Award is a prestigious international accolade that celebrates outstanding government initiatives and best practices across the globe.

The World Governments Summit serves as an international platform for anticipating and shaping the future of governance and a hub for global awards that promote innovation and excellence in government work. This year, the WGS Awards include the Best Minister in the World Award, Creative Government Innovation Award, Government Technology Award, Global Government Excellence Award, and the Best Teacher in the World Award.

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