Sharjah Government Communication Award Enhances Communication between Government and Public

Editors-in-chief of leading UAE newspapers have commended the role played by the Sharjah Government Communication Award (GCA) in strengthening communication channels between the government and the public while encouraging healthy competition between various government entities towards delivering best-in-class services to all members of the community.

The UAE media leaders concurred that the GCA organised by Sharjah Media Centre creditably supports the vision of the UAE government in achieving sustainable development across diverse operational areas.

Expressing their optimism at the GCA’s ability to steer the future of government communication in the UAE and the wider GCC region, the top editors said the award categories inspire excellence and innovation in unifying government messages. More importantly, the Award establishes the emirate of Sharjah - and the UAE - as a frontrunner in promoting healthy and effective government communication practices that keep pace with the rapid socio-political changes.

Mohamed Al Hammadi, Editor-in-Chief of Al Ittihad newspaper said the GCA has achieved tremendous success within just three years of its inception. Besides motivating employees in government entities to become more responsive towards the media, the Award has firmly established the media as a collaborative partner of the government in its efforts to drive the development agenda of the country.

Pointing out that the recent amendments to the categories, especially the institution of the ‘Best Government Communication Practice outside the UAE’, give the Award an expanded regional and international dimension, Al Hammadi expressed confidence that the decision would encourage the UAE media to participate more proactively in regional and global events towards endorsing best government communication practices.

Raed Barqawi, Executive Editor-in-Chief of Al Khaleej newspaper, applauded the GCA’s role in achieving effective and transparent communication between the government and the public. The initiative has enhanced the competitiveness of the emirate of Sharjah and enabled it to position itself as an attractive destination for tourism, trade and investment while improving the quality of life in the emirate as whole, he added.

Barqawi pointed out that dedicating one of the Award categories to ‘Best Government Communication Practice in Social Media’ demonstrates the keenness of Sharjah Media Centre to develop the competencies of government communication departments through various social networking platforms. As a result, social media platforms have become effective tools to handle all forms of feedback - comments and complaints - enhancing the image of the government and its presence in new media, he added.

For his part, Ali Shahdour, Editor-in-Chief of Al Bayan newspaper, said: "The Government Communication Award is one of Sharjah’s most pioneering initiatives. The Award underlines the importance of communicating with the public to measure their levels of satisfaction with various government projects and initiatives.”

He added: "The importance of GCA comes from its uniqueness as an award designed specifically for government communication, and the fact that it encourages government agencies to work in partnership with the media to unify and coordinate government messages. The initiative also ensures that these agencies effectively respond to the needs of society. More importantly, the GCA is an ideal platform to share best practices in the field of government communication with other government bodies within and beyond the UAE.”

Sami Al Riyami, Editor-in-Chief of Emarat Al Youm newspaper and member of the GCA Jury Panel, stressed that the Award is both innovative and creative as it is the first of its kind in the Arab world, and is also a tool to encourage and motivate government agencies to strengthen their partnership with the media. He added that the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to create the Award three years ago reinforce the UAE leadership's commitment to establishing constructive communication with the public and consolidating best practices in government communication towards improving the efficiency of governmental performance as a whole.

Dr Abdul Rahman Al Shamiri, Director General and Editor-in-Chief of  Al Watan newspaper, said: "Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and the close follow up of HE Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Corporation and Chairman of Sharjah Media Centre, the GCA is making significant headway in improving standards and establishing best practices in government communication in the Gulf region. Furthermore, the Award effectively contributes to providing rich information and study materials for researchers."

Al Shamiri commended the UAE experience in the field of government communication as an achievement that is worth documenting to showcase the magnitude of efforts made and the impact achieved, and pass on this knowledge to future generations. He noted that the country has also emerged as a credible reference point in developing government communication around the world.

For his part, Abdul Hamid Ahmad, Editor-in-Chief of Gulf News, said: "The Government Communication Award was born in an environment that encourages innovation and creativity in all fields. The UAE is one of the most crowned Arab countries in terms of awards related to encouraging creativity and research.”

Abdul Hamid expressed his confidence that the award would further encourage and support the distinguished relationship between the country’s government entities and the media, stressing that the media is a mirror for all government entities, reflecting positive and negative coverage. In doing so, the media not only highlights the achievements of those entities but also provides objective criticism that helps them in improving their performance and increasing their efficiency.

Aysha Taryam, Editor-in-Chief of The Gulf Today, said: “The GCA plays a distinct role in the promotion and development of the government communication platform and in implementing best professional practices in the field. More specifically, the Award categories generate a healthy competition between the various government entities and promote the culture of innovation and creativity.” 

She added: "Keeping up-to-date with the latest developments and achieving the best communication practices are dependent on the interaction between the service provider and the receiver, and GCA helps expand government communication to reach all members of society and encourages interaction with the public. The GCA establishes a competitive environment based on the partnership and interaction between government agencies and members of the community."

The Sharjah Government Communication Award was launched in September 2012 by the Sharjah Media Centre under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. The Award highlights local and regional and individual and organisational accomplishments in the government communication sector within the UAE and the wider region.