On Tuesday, the UAE announced the launch of the world's first-ever Ministry of Possibilities. Launched by Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the state agency aims at building modern and futuristic government systems.
In a series of posts uploaded on Twitter, the royal shared details of the unique ministry. In one of them, he wrote:
"We launched the world's first virtual 'Ministry of Possibilities,' a new government work system in the UAE. The virtual ministry, administered by the cabinet, will address pressing national portfolios and build future government systems."
In another, the leader added: "The word impossible does not exist in our dictionary and is not part of our philosophy nor will be part of our future."
The ministry is divided into different departments, each tasked with a mission that is set to lead the country into the future.
Here's everything you need to know about it:
The ministry has no minister
This government body was born out of the belief that nothing is impossible in the UAE, including launching a ministry without a minister. Instead of it being run by one minister of state, it will be governed by several members of the country's government cabinet.
This is because the entity's vision is based on a complete re-conceptualization of how a government should work to meet with ever-changing and advancing societies.
It was brought into operation to support efforts to make the UAE the leading nation in the world by the time of its 100th anniversary in 2071. It will "bring together federal and local governments and work with the private sector to improve quality of life and bolster government services."
Though the ministry is being branded as a virtual body, it will have a physical location at Emirates Towers in Dubai.
It's comprised of four main departments
The new body, which represents a new generation of government practices، will be divided into four departments.
These include the Department of Anticipatory Services, the Department of Behavioral Rewards, Department of UAE Talent, and Department of Government Procurement.
The Department of Anticipatory Services is set to "design a special customer experience and offer pre-order services in various areas of government work. A special team of members representing various government entities and experts in data analysis will run the department."
The Department of Behavioral Rewards aims to encourage people to take initiatives through a reward system which grants points to citizens. Earned points will be handed in a form of digital currency that can then be used for public service transactions.
The Department of UAE Talent mainly seeks to uncover talent in individuals across the UAE. Another one of its objectives is to create an environment that fosters the skills of talented people to help them better contribute to the country's future.
The Department of Government Procurement will handle the task of supporting Emirati entrepreneurs who run small to medium enterprises (SME), allowing them to benefit from e-commerce innovations.
In addition to that, the department is set to develop an online platform that matches e-global markets and focus on enhancing government purchases from small and medium businesses.
According to Gulf News, this division will also "help update government purchases policies, accelerate facilitate [sic] government purchases and shorten time from 60 days to 6 minutes."
It's one of several other innovative ministries established in the UAE
The Ministry of Possibilities joins the ranks of other unique government entities launched in the country in recent years. These include the Ministry of Happiness which was inaugurated in 2016.
The government body is headed by Ohood Bint Khalfan Al Roumi, the first-ever happiness minister in the world. The ministry's responsibilities include promoting and sustaining happiness throughout the UAE.
Other innovative moves made by authorities in the UAE include launching a Ministry of Climate Change and appointing the world's first-ever minister for tolerance.