The Ministry of Finance today organised the 3rd Customer Council in Dubai as part of the second phase of the “Zero Government Bureaucracy” Programme, held under the theme “From Idea to Implementation… Advancing towards a Bureaucracy Free Government.” The event was held as part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to strengthen partnership with customers and enhance the effectiveness of innovative solutions developed during previous editions of the council by testing them in real-life environments. This is to improve the efficiency of government services, in line with the UAE’s wise leadership’s vision of building a faster, simpler, and more efficient government. The session was attended by H.E. Younis Haji AlKhoori, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Fatima Yousef Al Naqbi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Support Services Sector , as well as a number of senior Ministry officials and partners from government and private sector entities. The Council explored key outcomes driven by enhanced collaboration with stakeholders and the results of previous sessions, which collectively contributed to streamlining procedures, accelerating service delivery, and improving institutional efficiency at all levels. These outcomes included the development of the financial management framework, the upgrading of supporting digital systems, and the expansion of automation across processes. They also featured facilitating access to permissions and approvals, improving service quality, and broadening the use of artificial intelligence technologies in data analysis. In addition, such efforts led to greater efficiency in revenue and asset management, advanced the government procurement cycle, and transitioned transactions toward more flexible and effective models, reflecting tangible progress toward a faster, more efficient, and bureaucracy- zero government. Testing Solutions E. Younis Haji AlKhoori, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, stated: “The 3rd Customer Council represents a new milestone in the transformation journey led by the Ministry of Finance within the ‘Zero Government Bureaucracy’ Programme. We have now moved from the stage of co-design to the stage of testing and applying solutions on the ground, in line with the vision of our wise leadership to build a more efficient, faster, and proactive government.” “The experience of the programme’s second phase has proven that involving customers in the development of government services is a fundamental pillar in enhancing performance efficiency and achieving tangible results. Previous councils were not merely discussion platforms but genuine laboratories that turned ideas and proposals into practical measures that have reduced procedures, accelerated transactions, and improved the quality of government services.” AlKhoori said. He added: “The Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with its partners, will continue to translate the UAE’s vision of achieving a bureaucracy-free government by simplifying procedures, utilising advanced technologies and artificial intelligence, and adopting innovative work models that place people at the centre of development. Our end goal is to build an integrated governmental experience that paves the way for a future ready government operating according to world-class standards of excellence.” Practical Applications For her part, Fatima Yousef Al Naqbi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Support Services Sector at the Ministry of Finance, said: “The 3rd Customer Council builds upon a series of councils launched by the Ministry as part of the second phase of the programme. Its theme, ‘From Idea to Implementation’, reflects a new level of maturity in collaborative government work.” “The current edition of the council focuses on testing the innovative solutions developed in partnership with customers during previous sessions, with the goal of transforming ideas into practical applications that ensure real and sustainable impact on the customer experience. It also provides an opportunity to evaluate these solutions in the field and measure their effectiveness in accelerating processes and improving service quality.” She added: “Through these councils, the Ministry seeks to strengthen the culture of institutional participation and integration between work teams and customers, and to establish partnership as a sustainable approach in developing government services, reflecting the leadership’s vision for the UAE Government to be the fastest, simplest, and most efficient in the world.” Enhancing the Customer Experience The Council’s agenda featured a presentation titled “From Idea to Implementation… Advancing towards a Bureaucracy-Free Government”, highlighting the main achievements of previous councils in simplifying procedures and reducing service completion times. It also included interactive sessions showcasing practical examples of the Zero Bureaucracy applications, along with a testing workshop where participants trialled the proposed solutions in a realistic simulation environment.The Council concluded with a presentation of the session’s key outcomes, in which group representatives shared observations and recommendations, reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to transforming ideas and proposals into tangible development projects that enhance government service efficiency and elevate the customer experience. The Zero Bureaucracy Programme, launched by the UAE Government in 2023, represents a major step in achieving the goals of the “We the UAE 2031” Vision. It aims to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens on businesses and individuals saving time, effort, and resources by eliminating 100 per cent of digital bureaucracy, such as redundant electronic procedures and excessive approvals, and by promoting the effective use of artificial intelligence.The programme seeks to enhance economic growth, boost the competitiveness of key sectors and the business environment, improve quality of life, and adopt high-efficiency, human-centred work models ultimately ensuring that the UAE Government remains the best in the world in service delivery.