Deputy Minister Lootah Hints at Second Edition of UAE Leadership Programme
VICTORIA, Seychelles, Following the successful completion of an intensive Executive Leadership Programme for 27 chief executives and senior officials, sponsored by the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Deputy Minister Abdul Nasser Lootah met with the graduates on Monday at the National House. The gathering marked the formal close of the first edition of the initiative and provided an opportunity to reflect on the experience of the past four months. Participants shared their views on the modules they had completed and the skills they had developed.
In the meeting, Deputy Minister Lootah, also responsible for Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, announced a possible version 2.0 of the programme. This will entail rolling up our sleeves and further digging into the challenges that exist, the deputy minister said, adding that the next phase is expected to be redesigned in collaboration with the graduates themselves rather than being a one-way programme. He invited the cohort to put forward ideas for the next round.
Look at it as an exciting journey of the future that we will be creating together, he noted. We do not cook and you eat. But we co-design the architecture of this programme and we celebrate the success. He also spoke about the relationship between the UAE and Seychelles which dates more than 40 years and how the two nations have collaborated extensively to enhance their bilateral ties across various sectors of the economy.
The Minister for Finance, National Planning and Trade, Naadir Hassan, noted that the programme stands as a testament to the strong and enduring relationship that exists between the UAE and Seychelles. I want to express our sincere gratitude to the UAE government for this invaluable partnership, Minister Hassan said, noting that the graduates had embarked on a journey of learning and self-improvement over the past four months. He added that the partnership has become a model for similar cooperation with other Gulf states.
They have delved into the intricacies of strategic foresight, navigated the complexities of policy and performance management, embraced the transformative power of digitalisation, and honed your skills in leading with agility and purpose in an uncertain world, the minister stated. The Minister for Investment, Entrepreneurship and Industry, Devika Vidot, also attended the exchange meeting, reflecting the cross-ministry interest in the initiative and the wider government focus on capacity building.
