Sharjah Finance Award Extends Regional Reach with Kuwait Engagement Initiative

The fourth edition of the Sharjah Award in Public Finance has convened Kuwaiti government bodies through a virtual seminar designed to broaden participation across the Arab region and elevate standards in public financial management.

A virtual introductory seminar has brought together the Civil Service Bureau of the State of Kuwait and the Arab Administrative Development Organisation to explore the expanding scope of the Sharjah Award in Public Finance. The gathering represented a deliberate step towards deepening institutional cooperation across the Arab world and encouraging a wider range of government bodies to engage with a recognition programme that has become a significant platform for celebrating financial excellence.

The seminar offered Kuwaiti government entities a comprehensive overview of the award’s structure, objectives and participation criteria. Presenters detailed the assessment methodology, categories available to prospective entrants, and the practical requirements for submitting applications. The session extended beyond formal presentation, creating space for discussion and clarification around the technical and organisational dimensions of participation, enabling agencies to understand how best to articulate their financial initiatives according to established benchmarks of excellence.

Sheikh Rashid bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Director of the Sharjah Finance Department and Secretary-General of the Sharjah Award for Public Finance, characterised the engagement as a significant milestone in strengthening cooperation with Kuwait. He articulated a vision for the award as a leading Arab platform that recognises exceptional financial achievements whilst encouraging institutions to refine their performance and systems. This commitment, he noted, aligns with the broader vision of H.H. Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, whose emphasis on institutional excellence and Arab integration provides the intellectual foundation for the award’s expansion.

Dr Nasser Al Hatlan Al Qahtani, Director-General of the Arab Administrative Development Organisation, emphasised that introductory seminars serve a critical function in clarifying the award’s methodology and helping prospective participants grasp the evaluation framework. Excellence in financial management, he observed, is not merely a matter of scale but rather the ability to achieve measurable results, enhance resource efficiency and generate sustainable institutional impact capable of ongoing refinement.

The fourth edition represents what organisers describe as a new phase in broadening the award’s geographical and institutional reach. By extending engagement to Kuwaiti entities, the programme aims to enrich its pool of submissions with diverse models and experiences that reflect the evolving landscape of government financial management across the Arab region. As noted in as we reported recently, the Sharjah Finance Department has been actively cultivating a culture of innovation within its operations, establishing a precedent for institutional advancement that the award seeks to recognise and amplify across the Arab administrative context.

The seminar emphasised the importance of clear institutional methodologies in managing financial resources, developing performance measurement systems and documenting results. These elements enable participating organisations to demonstrate progress in their financial and administrative practices, creating a framework through which institutional development can be systematically evaluated and compared against established standards of excellence.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

The expansion of the Sharjah Award in Public Finance into Kuwait and across the broader Arab region reflects a deepening commitment within the UAE to foster excellence in public administration and financial stewardship. This initiative strengthens the emirates’ role as a centre for institutional learning and best practice sharing, positioning the UAE’s approaches to governance and public finance management as models worthy of regional study and emulation. As institutional cooperation deepens across the Arab world, the standards and frameworks established through such awards become increasingly influential in shaping the practices of government bodies throughout the region.

For Abu Dhabi specifically, this expansion of peer engagement and knowledge exchange within the Arab administrative sphere creates opportunities for comparative learning and the sharing of innovative approaches to public financial management. The emphasis on measurable institutional impact and sustainable resource utilisation reflects principles that have become central to the UAE’s own administrative development, and the award’s growing reach ensures these approaches gain wider recognition and adoption across the Arab world.

Source: WAM