Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, chaired a UAE Cabinet meeting at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi, where the government approved measures covering artificial intelligence, education, transport, tourism, finance and government systems.
The meeting was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court; 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; and H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior.
Sheikh Mohammed said the start of the government season came with three messages for government teams.
“Our first message: we do not wait for the perfect conditions to continue delivering. Our projects are moving, our economy is growing, our markets are operating at full capacity, and our events are welcoming the world. The UAE does not stop, and it will not stop,” he said.
His second message concerned the government’s move towards agentic AI.
“We have launched the largest transformation project for government services involving Agentic AI,” Sheikh Mohammed said, describing it as a project through which teams would take part in the transformation of the UAE Government.
His third message focused on trust built through systems, policies, infrastructure, reputation and international relations.
“The trust the UAE has built over decades is the currency we rely on,” he said. “It is the duty of every one of us to strengthen it, protect it and build on it.”
Cabinet AI Advisor to support decisions through 32 AI advisers
The Cabinet approved the launch and rollout of the Cabinet AI Advisor system, which will support the study of projects, initiatives, policies and legislation and provide recommendations for government decisions.
The system comprises 32 AI advisers. They will analyse policies and legislation, assess their impact, examine practices from around the world and submit recommendations.
Sheikh Mohammed said the system would work with ministers “24 hours a day” to follow decisions and their implementation.
“We aim for a more efficient government, and faster and more accurate decisions,” he said.
The system will be used in the work of the Cabinet and the Ministerial Council for Artificial Intelligence and Development. It will analyse programmes, policies, legislation and initiatives submitted to the Cabinet and will operate under requirements covering confidentiality and UAE cybersecurity standards.
The 32 advisers will assess the financial, economic, social and environmental impact of matters before the Cabinet, link them with practices from other countries and UAE priorities, and provide recommendations using an approved set of inputs and sources.
The Cabinet also approved a system for issuing Cabinet decisions within a governance framework supported by agentic AI and the Cabinet AI Advisor, with the aim of maintaining work continuity and reducing the time required for decisions.
AI training planned for 22,000 teachers and educators
The Cabinet reviewed the “programme of teachers’ and educators’ capabilities development using artificial intelligence tools”, which aims to train 22,000 teachers and educators.
The programme will train participants to use AI in teaching, assessment, curriculum analysis, lesson planning and work aimed at fostering innovation among students.
Sheikh Mohammed said changes in technology would affect education processes and tools and require teachers to continue learning.
“If we teach our children today using the same methods of yesterday, we are depriving them of their future,” he said.
He said the UAE had developed curricula for teaching AI to students across education levels. The Cabinet also approved a mechanism through which the AI curriculum can be made available to education ministries in other countries.
AI curriculum to cover public and private schools
The Cabinet approved the implementation of an artificial intelligence curriculum across all public and private schools in the UAE.
A pilot programme and an evaluation of the curriculum in public schools had produced results that supported the rollout, according to the Cabinet.
The curriculum is intended to equip students with AI skills and knowledge. It covers technical requirements, the ethics of AI use, data, algorithms, applications and risks.
The Cabinet also approved a mechanism for sharing the curriculum and its components with the education community outside the UAE.
UAE Government Annual Meetings set for November 8-10
The Cabinet approved the agenda for the UAE Government Annual Meetings, which will take place from November 8 to 10.
Sheikh Mohammed said the meetings would provide a platform for reviewing work completed during the year and planning the next stage of government work.
The 2026 meetings will focus on readiness and resilience, including the economy, supplies and logistics, resources and families. Government entities will also review progress in the use of artificial intelligence in work and services.
The meetings will include recognition of the winners of the first cycle of the “Years of the Emirates’ Award”, with people invited to share their stories.
“The UAE today is stronger thanks to its teams and the will of its people… Thus, our ambition knows no limits,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
UAE sets framework for autonomous vehicles
The Cabinet approved a resolution regulating autonomous vehicles in the UAE.
The resolution establishes mechanisms and controls covering inspection, registration, licensing and licence renewal for autonomous vehicles. It also introduces procedures for testing vehicle technologies.
The government said the measure would support the use of alternative technologies and technologies designed to limit environmental impact, with the aim of reducing road pollution and traffic congestion.
Digital government records 308 million transactions
The Cabinet reviewed the results of government digital transformation during 2025.
Federal entities recorded more than 308 million digital transactions, 88.5 million visits to government websites and 15.8 million government application downloads across 1,633 digital services.
Customer satisfaction with priority services reached 92 per cent, while government entities delivered 471 digital transformation projects.
The UAE ranked first worldwide in the telecommunications infrastructure index, institutional framework for digital government index, digital skills index and AI adoption index.
It was placed in the highest tier of the cybersecurity index. The UAE also ranked second globally for satisfaction with government services, sixth in the technology index and ninth in the digital competitiveness index.
Sheikh Mohammed said investment in technology and AI amounted to investment in the quality and future of government services.
Cabinet reviews Balanced Development Council projects
The Cabinet reviewed the 2025 annual report of the Emirates Council for Balanced Development, chaired by H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs.
The council works on family cohesion, community participation and wellbeing. Its mandate also covers small-scale economies through support for farmers, artisans and entrepreneurs, the preservation of heritage and the development of tourism destinations representing the UAE’s geographic, cultural and environmental diversity.
Projects during the year included the development of eco-trails and Qidfaa’ corniche, restoration of Falaj Al Wara’i, the Masfout gateway, the Al Daya environmental trail, Al Rams boulevard and corniche, and the waterfront and tourism facilities in Al Silaa’.
The council’s events and facilities attracted more than 350,000 visitors, with more than 5,000 participants and more than 350 volunteers.
Startup campaign targets entrepreneurship
The Cabinet reviewed progress under “The Emirates, Start-Up Capital of the World” campaign, which seeks to establish the UAE as a destination for entrepreneurship.
Small and medium enterprises and startups account for more than 95 per cent of companies in the UAE and contribute more than 63 per cent of non-oil GDP.
Work during 2025 included the establishment of a platform for entrepreneurs through the new economy academy, the UAE Tax Agent Programme to qualify 500 citizens and the training of 10,000 citizens.
Emirates Skills platform serves more than 8,300 users
The Cabinet reviewed progress on the Emirates Skills platform, which is designed to identify skills demand and prepare the UAE workforce for jobs.
The AI-supported platform links education outcomes with labour market requirements using real-time market analysis, predictive modelling of jobs and skills, and career guidance based on user needs.
More than 8,300 users were served during the pilot phase.
As part of the Year of the Family programmes, the Cabinet approved the first UAE edition of Early Childhood Week. It will run across the emirates from November 16 to 22, 2026, with public spaces used as environments for learning and play.
Cabinet approves National Ecotourism Policy
The Cabinet approved the National Ecotourism Policy, which seeks to combine economic development with ecosystem and resource protection while supporting the UAE’s position as a destination for ecotourism.
The policy covers protection of environmental sites and the development of tourism products and experiences based on the country’s natural and cultural attractions.
It also covers community participation, preservation of cultural identity and cooperation between government entities, the private sector and civil society.
Initiatives under the policy include an ecotourism smart platform, partnership networks to support ecotourism and regulations for management of ecotourism sites.
Protected areas rise to 55 under desertification strategy
The Cabinet reviewed results from the National Strategy to Combat Desertification 2030.
The strategy covers expansion of protected areas, afforestation, rangeland rehabilitation and management of water and soil.
The number of natural reserves has risen to 55. Around 4,900 hectares of land have been rehabilitated, more than 380,000 trees have been planted and more than 3.2 million square metres of green cover have been added.
A total of 341,000 native trees have been tagged and protected, while more than 120 native plant genetic resources have been surveyed and identified.
Sheikh Mohammed said protection of the environment was a national commitment and linked investment in natural resources with quality of life.
Cabinet reviews labour, wage, medicines and certificate programmes
The Cabinet also reviewed government strategies and policies covering the labour market, wage protection, the National Medicines Policy 2025 and the National Green Certificates Programme.
The Cabinet approved the Cloud Migration for Institutional Resources Management System in the federal government.
The project will move financial and human resources systems to a cloud computing environment and includes provisions covering agility, security, reliability and data analytics.
The Cabinet also approved the National Framework for Financial Sustainability Standards in the Federal Government. The framework incorporates sustainability principles and environmental, social and governance dimensions into financial policies and procedures.
In government affairs, the Cabinet approved the reconstitution of the board of the Federal Geographic Information Centre. Dr Khalifa Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithi will chair the board, with Eng. Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality, serving as Vice Chairman.
Cabinet ratifies agreements with Luxembourg, Qatar, Ecuador and Pakistan
In international affairs, the Cabinet ratified agreements with the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, the State of Qatar on promotion and protection of investment and the Republic of Ecuador on comprehensive economic partnership.
It also ratified an artificial intelligence and digital economy agreement with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the multilateral competent authority agreement on the automatic exchange of information.
The Cabinet approved the UAE’s accession to the African Diamond Producers Association as an observer.
It also approved the negotiation and signing of 70 international agreements and memoranda of understanding covering economic partnership, investment, humanitarian aid, healthcare, education, banking and finance, customs, civil aviation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, energy, space and tourism.
The Cabinet also reviewed the results of the UAE’s participation in 19 international events.
