His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah; and His Highness Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, honoured His Excellency Abdoulie Jobe, Minister of Tourism and Culture of Gambia, with the Best Minister Award at the World Governments Summit (WGS) 2026.
The award presentation ceremony was attended by His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the UAE; His Highness Lt. Gen. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee; Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; and His Excellency Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Governments Summit.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum emphasised that celebrating outstanding government models and inspiring success stories in government work around the world is fundamental to the World Governments Summit’s mission. The aim is to highlight innovative experiences and celebrate government leaders who have positively influenced their communities, advanced their governments, and actively engaged in crafting a better future for upcoming generations.
His Highness noted: “The Best Minister Award is more than an individual honour, it is a celebration of government efficiency, and an acknowledgement of the positive role embodied by the world’s best minister. It is also a recognition of the exceptional value of government leaders striving to advance sectors of public service and enhance quality of life through innovation, sustainable development, and diligent efforts.”
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum congratulated the winning minister, wishing him, his government, and his community continued progress and prosperity.
Impactful initiatives
Abdoulie Jobe was nominated for the Best Minister Award, in its ninth edition, for his inspiring and exceptional achievements, which have had a significant positive impact on the tourism and culture sectors in Gambia. A key initiative worth noting is the tourism diversification and resilience enhancement project, which focuses on achieving inclusive growth by providing direct support to micro, small, and medium-sized tourism projects. Through the Yokuté Accelerator, local entrepreneurs in the tourism sector were provided comprehensive support for entrepreneurship, business development services, and joint funding grants.
The tourism diversification and resilience enhancement project, which supports diverse and climate-resilient tourism assets in areas like eco-tourism and domestic tourism, aimed to reduce excessive reliance on coastal tourism and enhance adaptability to climate change. Abdoulie Jobe’s ministry conducted a systematic assessment of potential riverfront and eco-tourism projects, supported by technical partners, leading to the prioritisation of ten climate-resilient tourism centres.
HE Jobe supervised the digital transformation and evidence-based tourism planning project, focusing on upgrading tourism governance through digital transformation and data system improvements. The ministry worked with national institutions to enhance tourism statistics, equipping key tourism and statistics stakeholders with a digital infrastructure that enables data-driven planning, enhances transparency in reporting, and improves service delivery across the tourism value chain.
Celebrating pathbreaking approaches
The Best Minister Award, organised by the World Governments Summit Organisation in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), aims to celebrate exceptional contributions by ministers to foster excellence in the public sector, as well as implementing successful and sustainable initiatives that drive socio-economic advancement for their citizens. The award also celebrates their efforts to inspire fellow government leaders and service providers to foster innovation and foresight, shaping public discourse on pressing global issues of today and the future.
