UAE President Launches Community-Managed Virtual Authority, Redefining People-Led Governance

New initiative empowers skilled citizens as Year of Community concludes

As the UAE’s Year of Community comes to a close, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has unveiled a landmark governance initiative that places citizens directly at the heart of public administration. The newly announced Community-Managed Virtual Authority introduces a non-traditional model where skilled members of society will take responsibility for managing a public authority within a structured national framework.

The initiative draws inspiration from the vision of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and reflects the country’s long-standing belief that sustainable development is driven by empowered people.

A Governance Model Built Around Capability, Not Titles

Unlike conventional government entities, the Community-Managed Virtual Authority will be led by rotating teams of qualified community members. A Director General and supporting team will be appointed for fixed terms, tasked with designing initiatives, programmes and solutions that respond directly to real community needs.

This model ensures fresh perspectives and continuous innovation, while maintaining stability through defined policies, operational frameworks and structured knowledge transfer between leadership cycles.

Supporting a Future-Ready Society

The authority aligns closely with the UAE Centennial 2071 vision, which focuses on human development, innovation and global leadership. By investing trust and responsibility in citizens, the UAE is positioning itself as a global testbed for next-generation governance models.

Officials say the approach mirrors how the UAE has already succeeded in areas such as entrepreneurship, digital government and business setup in Dubai, where clear frameworks combined with flexibility have helped attract global talent and long-term investment.

Who Will Participate

The authority will welcome participation from across society, including:

• Professionals and subject-matter experts

• Academics and researchers

• Entrepreneurs and innovators

• Youth leaders

• Retirees with deep institutional knowledge

This diversity is designed to encourage intergenerational collaboration and turn community expertise into a driver of national progress.

Focus on Practical Outcomes

Rather than symbolic participation, the authority’s mandate is outcome-driven. Teams will develop initiatives that are ready for implementation and capable of delivering measurable social, economic and developmental impact.

Despite leadership rotation, continuity will be preserved through approved reference models, phased action plans and structured handover mechanisms, ensuring that momentum is maintained.

A Lasting Outcome of the Year of Community

The Community-Managed Virtual Authority stands as one of the most tangible legacies of the Year of Community’s “Hand in Hand” theme. It transforms the spirit of volunteerism and participation into a permanent institutional structure, embedding shared responsibility into the governance system itself.

By entrusting citizens with real authority -within a disciplined framework  the UAE is redefining how the state and society collaborate to solve problems, deliver value and shape the future together.