Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI:UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has directed the launch of the Community-Managed Virtual Authority — a new initiative inspired by the vision of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed, reported WAM. The announcement coincided with the conclusion of the Year of Community — 2025. The aim of the authority is to enhance the role of skilled individuals in shaping the nation’s future.
It adopts a non-traditional approach to Government that places community participation at its core. Under this model, skilled members of the UAE community will, for the first time, assume full responsibility for managing an authority. A Director General and team members will periodically be assigned to lead and run the authority for fixed terms, with a goal to develop meaningful products that deliver lasting benefit to the nation and its people. The UAE is pioneering this innovative model as part of the President’s broader vision to empower and invest in people and harness their capabilities for the benefit of society.
The new entity is designed to serve as a global model of participatory governance centred on human development and community empowerment. It has been structured in line with the UAE Centennial 2071 vision, which seeks to create the optimal environment for individuals to realise their potential, foster a culture of innovation and initiative, and position the UAE as a global reference for future government models and a testbed for new approaches that strengthen community engagement. The Community-Managed Virtual Authority adopts a flexible appointment process based on clear criteria of competence, expertise, and the ability to contribute effectively to the authority’s objectives.
The authority aims to attract diverse groups of skilled Emiratis, including experts, specialists, professionals, academics, youth, entrepreneurs, and retirees with significant experience. Each group will be able to contribute in its respective field. The core mandate of the CommunityManaged Virtual Authority is to design initiatives, programmes, and practical solutions that are both innovative and ready for implementation. Its work will focus on delivering high-impact outputs directly informed by the needs and aspirations of the community.
This pioneering initiative introduces a first-of-its-kind governance model that entrusts the community with full management of a public authority within a structured institutional framework.
