Major General Obaid Muhair bin Suroor honors 12 standout achievers under the Youth Impact initiative on International Youth Day
DUBAI, August 12, 2026:Dubai’s General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) marked International Youth Day on Wednesday by celebrating the growing role of young talent within its organization, revealing that youth now constitute 36 percent of its total workforce, with nearly 100 individuals occupying supervisory and leadership positions.
The announcements came during a special ceremony hosted by the GDRFA-Dubai Youth Council at the authority’s headquarters. The event, attended by GDRFA Deputy Director General Major General Obaid Muhair bin Suroor alongside several assistant directors general, showcased how youth-led initiatives are actively transforming administrative operations and service delivery across the emirate.
Address participants, Major General Bin Suroor stressed that empowering young professionals remains central to the directorate’s long-term administrative strategy. He emphasized that building future-ready public sector institutions relies directly on integrating younger personnel into high-level decision-making processes rather than treating them merely as an entry-level workforce.
“Young people represent the true wealth of our institutions and serve as the driving force behind our future progress,” Bin Suroor stated. “Our objective extends beyond simply recognizing their potential. We are actively creating an environment where their innovative concepts translate into actionable, high-impact operational strategies.”
Statistical metrics presented during the event highlighted a structural shift toward youthful leadership within the residency department. Young professionals currently account for over a third of GDRFA’s workforce. Crucially, 96 young officers and specialists have been appointed to critical supervisory and strategic roles, reflecting the organization’s focus on structured succession planning.
As part of the International Youth Day programming, an interactive exhibition detailed the key milestones achieved by the GDRFA Youth Council. The display illustrated how personal workforce achievements are converted into scalable systems that enhance organizational efficiency and digital service speed.
The ceremony concluded with the official recognition of 12 exceptional officers under the authority’s flagship “Youth Impact” initiative. Seven employees received top-tier “Distinguished” honors for achieving performance evaluation scores exceeding 80 percent, while five personnel earned “Advanced” status with scores ranging between 70 and 80 percent.
