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The UAE Government Media Office announced on Thursday the federal entities nominated to compete for the Mohammed bin Rashid Award for Distinguished Government Performance 2026. The announcement highlights qualitative achievements and efforts to develop government performance while embedding a culture of excellence across institutions. Seven institutional sub-categories form the focus this year, spanning state leadership and competitiveness, legislation and law development, adoption of innovative solutions, distinguished value, partnership and integration, artificial intelligence applications, and proactivity with future readiness. The evaluation process draws on established models of government excellence that have guided the award for more than three decades.
For the category of best entity contributing to the state’s leadership and competitiveness, nominees include the Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, and the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, according to the UAE Government Media Office. These bodies demonstrated measurable impact on national competitiveness indicators through targeted initiatives. The office’s statement placed these nominations within a broader framework of federal alignment with national visions for global leadership.
In the category of best entity in developing legislation and laws, the list features the Securities and Commodities Authority, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, and the Central Bank of the UAE. Each nominee advanced regulatory frameworks that support economic growth and institutional efficiency, the media office reported. Such legislative contributions have become central to the award’s criteria since its inception under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The best entity in adopting innovative solutions category includes the UAE Space Agency, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Finance, and the General Civil Aviation Authority. These organisations pioneered solutions that enhanced service delivery and operational resilience, per the announcement. Innovation metrics form a growing component of the assessment model used by more than 130 experts and evaluators in comparable cycles.
An earlier evaluation round under the same award framework assessed 27 federal entities for 10 institutional prizes alongside 225 candidates for Prime Minister’s medals, the Emirates News Agency reported in a prior cycle. Over 130 specialists participated in that review process, underscoring the award’s rigorous standards. The current nominations continue this tradition of recognising sustained excellence that reinforces the UAE’s governance model.
The award has cemented institutional excellence as a defining feature of UAE federal operations, according to statements from award organisers in previous years. Nominees in partnership, artificial intelligence and future-readiness categories are expected to reflect similar advancements, though specific lists for those groups were not detailed in the initial release. Winners will be honoured in a ceremony that traditionally celebrates both institutional and individual achievers who exemplify the award’s core principles.
Federal ministries and authorities have increasingly integrated award criteria into their strategic planning, producing measurable improvements in service quality and operational efficiency over successive cycles. The 2026 edition builds on this momentum as the UAE prepares for its next phase of national development. The media office indicated that full results will follow completion of the judging process.
