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Syrian Administrative Development Minister Mohammad Hassan al-Sakkaf held talks with UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi and Minister of State Maryam bint Ahmed Al Hammadi during a two-day visit to Dubai this week. The meetings centered on strengthening bilateral ties in administrative development and government modernization, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency. Al-Sakkaf undertook the trip at the invitation of the UAE government to examine successful models that could support Syrian reforms.
Syria’s Ministry of Administrative Development reported that the visit focused on learning from UAE practices in crafting government policies and legislation, managing human resources, operating government accelerators and evaluating institutional performance. Discussions also covered digital transformation, service improvement, procedure simplification and results measurement. These areas represent core elements of the UAE’s approach to building efficient public institutions that the Syrian side hopes to adapt.
The Syrian minister met with Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, director-general of Digital Dubai, to review methods for integrating government systems and data while digitizing services and reducing bureaucratic steps. Al Mansoori shared Dubai’s experience in these fields and potential ways to apply similar techniques to Syrian administrative digital projects. Separately, al-Sakkaf conferred with Abdullah Ali bin Zayed Al Falasi, director-general of the Dubai Government Human Resources Department, on employment policies, workforce planning and performance management.
Al-Sakkaf briefed his UAE counterparts on Syrian projects aimed at updating employment legislation and creating a unified digital system for government human resources management, the ministry said in a statement. The talks identified opportunities for technical collaboration that could accelerate these initiatives. Both sides emphasized practical outcomes that align with Syria’s reform priorities following years of institutional challenges.
At the end of the discussions the two parties agreed to link specialist teams to pinpoint cooperation priorities and establish follow-up mechanisms, SANA reported. The objective is to transform shared knowledge into actionable steps that enhance government administration inside Syria. Officials described the exchange as a foundation for longer-term partnership in public sector development.
The visit formed part of the UAE Government Knowledge Exchange Program launched in 2018 to share expertise and best practices with friendly countries, according to the Syrian news agency. The program has facilitated capacity-building, modernization efforts and service enhancements across multiple partner nations. Similar engagements have occurred throughout 2026, including executive leadership sessions for Syrian officials that examined artificial intelligence applications and zero-bureaucracy strategies.
Broader cooperation has intensified in recent months with a September 2026 briefing for Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa on the UAE government model, Economy Middle East reported. That session highlighted institutional performance improvements, technology adoption and innovation culture. Non-oil trade between the countries reached $1.4 billion in the latest figures, underscoring expanding economic relations that complement the administrative dialogue.
