Ministry of Finance holds second ‘Customer Council’ under the Zero Government Bureaucracy programme to strengthen partnerships and institutional development 09 September 2025 As part of the second phase of the Zero Government Bureaucracy programme, the Ministry of Finance today hosted its second Customer Council to strengthen partnerships with customers and move from the stage of identifying challenges to the stage of co-designing solutions, ensuring that government procedures and services are tailored to the needs and aspirations of individuals and businesses. The Council builds on a series of sessions designed to bring about a paradigm shift in government procedures, in line with the programme’s objectives of eliminating unnecessary steps, reducing processing times, supporting economic growth, and enhancing the competitiveness of the business environment and quality of life across society. The event, held in Dubai, was attended by H.E. Younis Haji AlKhoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, Fatima Yousif Al Naqbi, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Support Services Sector, along with a number of ministry leaders. Ten key themes The Council featured in-depth discussions around ten key themes identified from the outcomes of the first Customer Council held on 29 July 2025. These included: budget preparation, the imposition, amendment and cancellation of government fees, the federal financial system, management of government assets, government procurement, the final account, provision of financial and accounting consultancy, collection and exchange of tax-related information, classification of entities for tax treatment purposes, and the preparation of government finance statistics reports. The Council also addressed the unified roadmap for federal government financial policies and procedures and ways to enhance the efficiency of the digital procurement platform. A connecting link In his opening remarks, H.E. Younis Haji AlKhoori affirmed that the second Customer Council within the Zero Government Bureaucracy programme is a vital connecting link in the government’s journey towards excellence. He noted that the session demonstrates the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening partnerships and creating a more efficient and flexible work environment, in line with its vision of global leadership in public finance and sustainable development. AlKhoori added: “The Zero Government Bureaucracy programme was launched under the wise leadership’s directives to reduce unnecessary burdens on individuals and businesses. This programme is not merely an administrative initiative, but an institutional transformation to simplify procedures, streamline transactions, and improve quality of life. It supports economic growth, enhances competitiveness, and reinforces our nation’s standing as a global hub for business and talent. In the first Council, we listened to our partners’ views on the challenges and procedures requiring improvement. In this session, we have advanced together to a deeper stage: co-designing solutions.” He underlined that every proposal, idea, and observation contributes to shaping the Ministry’s direction. He affirmed that the Council is an essential space for customers to make a real impact and a valuable opportunity for direct collaboration between government and its partners. Open discussions The interactive session featured open discussions on the Ministry’s key areas of work, with participants divided into working groups to address challenges and present proposals for optimal solutions, which were reviewed at the end of the Council. The Council also emphasised that employees and partners are the driving force behind the development of government services. Their active participation serves as a compass guiding the Ministry’s efforts to simplify procedures and embrace innovation and modern technologies, including artificial intelligence, to enhance institutional efficiency. It is noteworthy that the Zero Government Bureaucracy programme, launched by the UAE Government in 2023, is a key driver of the “We the UAE 2031” vision. The initiative aims to reduce unnecessary burdens and procedures on businesses and individuals in terms of time, effort, and resources, and to eliminate 100 percent of digital bureaucracy such as administrative electronic complexities and excessive approvals. The programme also promotes the effective adoption of artificial intelligence to accelerate economic growth, enhance competitiveness, improve the business environment, raise quality of life, and foster highly efficient, human-centric operating models, positioning the UAE Government as the best in the world in service delivery.
