The Ministry of Finance has organised the first ‘Customer Council’ under the second phase of the ‘Zero Government Bureaucracy’ programme as part of its commitment to transparency, efficiency, and innovation.

The programme aims to support the UAE Government’s ongoing efforts to eliminate redundant procedures and services, reduce duplication across government entities, and enhance the overall customer experience, while reinforcing a more agile and responsive administrative model.

As part of the second phase, the Ministry will focuse on cutting and abolishing unnecessary digital administrative complexities and redundant approvals, modernising and upgrading all government digital systems, and actively adopting artificial intelligence technologies.

It also seeks to develop a smart digital government that meets societal expectations and bolsters the UAE’s competitiveness on both regional and global levels.

H.E. Younis Haji AlKhoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, stressed that hosting the first Customer Council demonstrates the Ministry’s commitment to transparency, continuous improvement, and embedding the principle of customer engagement in policy design and service enhancement. He noted that the initiative functions not only as a dialogue platform but also as a strategic instrument for assessing procedures from the user’s perspective and enhancing the efficacy of government services.

H.E. AlKhoori said, “At the Ministry of Finance, we believe that customers are the primary driver of improvement and innovation. This is why this Council plays a vital role as it provides a platform for directly listening to challenges and suggestions and transforming them into practical inputs that support our efforts to simplify procedures and enhance the efficiency of public financial performance.”

He added, “The ‘Zero Government Bureaucracy’ programme is supported by the directives of our wise leadership and represents a paradigm shift towards fast and efficient public services. Through the three Customer Councils scheduled for this year, we will work to enhance the customer journey and design collaborative solutions that address the needs and aspirations of all segments of society.”

Customer contributions

His Excellency further stressed that the Ministry values all customer contributions and insights and recognises that their active participation will contribute to ensuring the success of government initiatives. He also said that the Ministry is proud of being awarded the Zero Government Bureaucracy Award in the ‘‘Engaging People’ category, which reflects its success in transforming customer feedback into tangible results.

The Customer Council operates as a tool to measure the real customer experience, helping identify bureaucratic complexity through the real-life experiences of service users. It offers a direct lens into the actual effectiveness of procedures from the customer’s perspective and acts as a vital entry point for redesigning workflows to eliminate unnecessary steps.

The council also plays a key role in evaluating the outcomes of these changes, enabling the Ministry to track measurable improvements post-implementation. Through this platform, the Ministry aims to collect actionable feedback, pinpoint high-impact challenges, and prioritise the redesign of critical processes, while rigorously testing proposed solutions to ensure their effectiveness.

Three main phases have been outlined for the Customer Councils until the end of 2025. The first phase involves identifying challenges and priorities from the user’s perspective. The second will focus on redesigning the customer journey using participatory design methodologies. The final phase will involve testing the proposed service models and collecting final feedback ahead of the official rollout of the Ministry’s revamped operations and services.

Staff awareness

In parallel, the Ministry is conducting an awareness campaign to familiarise employees with the programme’s methodology. The campaign highlights the role of reducing bureaucracy in improving quality of life and facilitating business operations.

To this end, the Ministry aims to equip participants with the necessary skills and knowledge to engage effectively and directly in efforts to streamline government bureaucracy, fostering a shared understanding and a results-driven approach to enhancing the efficiency and quality of government services.