UAE Eliminates 4,000 Government Procedures, Unlocks Dh1 Billion Annually

2026-02-05 02:28:56

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

This war on red tape, spearheaded by the Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme, is a central pillar of the UAE's new governance model

PUBLISHED: Thu 5 Feb 2026, 1:30 PM

By:
Ruqayya Al Qaydi

The UAE government has eliminated over 4,000 procedures and reduced service delivery times by more than 70 per cent, saving 12 million hours of work and unlocking a staggering Dh1 billion in economic value annually. This comes as part of the country's aggressive push to treat bureaucracy as a core economic problem, a top official has revealed.

Huda Al Hashimi, UAE Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs, announced the figures in a speech during the World Government Summit in Dubai, positioning simplicity as a powerful growth strategy for emerging economies.

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"Bureaucracy is not a side issue. It is a core economic variable," she said. "Every unnecessary procedure is a hidden tax on entrepreneurship. Every fragmented approval process is a barrier to investment."

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This war on red tape, spearheaded by the Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme, is a central pillar of the UAE's new governance model, which Al Hashimi argued is essential for economies looking to "design forward" rather than just“catch up.”

“You cannot outgrow your own friction,” she warned, explaining that ambitious strategies often fail because the“machinery of implementation was too heavy.”

Blueprint for frictionless economy

Al Hashimi detailed how this focus on simplicity is part of a broader, four-pillar strategy designed to build a resilient and competitive economy:

1. Know Your Competitive Advantage: She urged economies to stop trying to be "good at everything" and instead focus on their unique strengths.

For the UAE, this has meant concentrating on openness, a robust private sector, and a powerful financial system. This focus, she noted, helped the nation achieve 95 per cent of its non-oil foreign trade targets five years ahead of schedule.

2. Clarity as an Economic Asset: A clear national vision, like the 'We the UAE 2031' plan, gives markets confidence and directs investment and talent towards the country's goals. "Clarity removes friction," Al Hashimi stated, contrasting it with the confusion that erodes confidence when governments pursue too many strategies at once.

3. Data and Strategic Intelligence: In an era of“radical uncertainty,” she highlighted the critical role of data and AI in preparing for the future.

The UAE's investment of over Dh180 billion in AI since 2024 is not just about technology, but about“enabling better intelligence, better services, and better outcomes.”

4. Simplicity as a Growth Strategy: This is the cornerstone of the UAE's approach by treating bureaucracy as a core economic problem, the government has empowered entrepreneurship and investment. The Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme is the primary engine of this pillar.

By embedding simplicity into its core, the UAE has created a governance model where speed creates opportunity, and opportunity creates growth.

“The old advantage, natural resources, geography, population, still matter, but they are no longer decisive,” she said.“What is decisive is the ability to see clearly, adapt quickly and execute with discipline.”