The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has won two honours at the Asia Pacific Procurement Awards 2025, organised by Procurement Leaders, including the “Asia Pacific Digital Impact” and “Asia Pacific Procurement Team” awards. The accolades were presented during a ceremony held in Singapore, attended by Nadia Sultan Al Ali, Director of Government Procurement Platform Department; Hamda Ali Al Ali, Head of Procurement Platform Development; and Alia Majid Al Shamsi from the Federal Procurement Platform Department, along with representatives of public and private entities from across the Asia-Pacific region. Excellence in Procurement Development Expressing his pride in the Ministry’s achievement, His Excellency Younis Haji AlKhoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, stressed that the recognition showcases the UAE’s leading position in adopting advanced digital solutions and promoting the principles of governance and efficiency within the federal procurement system. H.E. AlKhoori stated that the two awards mark the culmination of continuous efforts to enhance the Federal Procurement Platform, which has strengthened transparency and improved the efficiency of public spending. He said: “This international recognition will further fuel the Ministry’s ongoing institutional transformation and support our vision of establishing an innovative model for government procurement management driven by knowledge, data, and digital transformation.” “We deeply appreciate the efforts of our national teams, whose spirit of collaboration and dedication have led to this success. The Ministry will spare no effort to enhance its digital capabilities and promote sustainability and innovation practices, further reinforcing the UAE’s leadership in public financial management at both regional and global levels,” AlKhoori added. Comprehensive digital transformation The Ministry received the Asia Pacific Digital Impact Award in recognition of driving a comprehensive digital transformation across the federal procurement ecosystem. The Ministry has successfully digitised the entire procurement cycle, from planning to contracting, and integrated systems and platforms to ensure seamless alignment of data and operational processes. It also implemented advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence tools to enhance efficiency and accelerate transaction processing. These efforts have strengthened transparency, provided suppliers with fair and competitive access to procurement opportunities, and significantly reduced operational timelines while improving compliance levels. This approach has also helped streamline procedures, improve process quality, lower operating costs, and encourage broader participation from the private sector, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Governance and transparency The Ministry was honoured with the Asia Pacific Procurement Team Award for the exceptional performance of its Digital Procurement Platform team, which has developed a unified operational model based on governance and institutional transparency. The team has focused on strengthening national talent through specialised training programmes and accredited professional certifications, leading to measurable improvements in institutional performance and public spending efficiency. These efforts have helped nurture a culture of institutional collaboration, strengthen coordination between departments and partners, and expand the supplier base while promoting a fair, competitive environment that encourages innovation and excellence. Evaluation criteria The awards were granted following a detailed evaluation process based on criteria, including impact of initiatives, implementation measures ensuring project success, key performance indicators (KPIs), testimonials, and media coverage. Independent judging panels comprising regional procurement leaders conducted a comprehensive analysis of the Ministry of Finance’s initiatives according to these benchmarks. This global recognition is a testament to the Ministry’s professional excellence and institutional capabilities in leading sustainable transformation within the government procurement sector. Winners of the Asia Pacific Procurement Awards are selected by independent committees of senior procurement executives, following stringent criteria covering impact, innovation, scalability, sustainability, and measurable results. Procurement Leaders is a global professional network dedicated to empowering procurement executives in more than 37 countries, offering services in benchmarking, strategy development, advanced research, and executive networking. The organisation operates under the World 50 Group, which connects senior corporate leaders across industries worldwide.
