(Seychelles News Agency) - A high-level delegation went on a two-day official mission to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this month with the aim of exploring means of modernising and transforming the public service in Seychelles by learning through knowledge exchange and from best practices.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Finance, National Planning and Trade, areas of cooperation will include government services, accelerators, performance and strategic foresight, planning, and strategic management.

"As the government continues on its path of digitalising its services and endorsing the use of technology in its everyday business, the adoption of technology to facilitate the budget cycle and the procurement process, can only serve to bring more efficiency, control, transparency, and accountability," said finance minister Naadir Hassan.

Exploring these areas of cooperation is also expected to complement and strengthen the Results Based Management framework the government is currently implementing as part of public sector reform. 

Hassan also said that the mission - which took place on October 6-7 - allowed the delegation "to learn about best practices, which would enhance the country's public service, by adopting best practices and technology to deliver efficiently."

Seychelles delegation held discussions with the director general of the Prime Minister's Office.  (Ministry of Finance, National Planning and Trade)  Photo License: CC-BY

He added that "the programmes the UAE has in place have proven to be very successful, thus they can assist us to develop such courses designed specifically for our public sector college. We are grateful to the UAE for embarking on such a journey of transformation of our public service with Seychelles." 

The government of Seychelles is interested in adopting the UAE's fully automated budget process, from preparation, approval, monitoring, and control of expenditure. Another area of interest is the e-procurement platform adopted by the UAE.

The UAE Leadership Programme and the Government Accelerators were two initiatives that the delegation was briefed on.  

During the visit, the Seychelles delegation held meetings with officials from the Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, and Ministry of Possibilities. 

The mission was organised after the signing of two memoranda of understanding in March this year.