Abu Dhabi Launches Youth Finance Initiative to Build Economic Talent Pipeline
Government agencies launch practical financial training to build youth economic participation capacity
A new financial training program for Emirati youth took center stage in Abu Dhabi as the Department of Finance, Abu Dhabi Youth Council jointly convened the Youth Financial Forum, pairing senior government officials with young participants to address financial capability as a driver of national economic development.
The centerpiece was the debut of the Youth Financial Expert Program, a practical training initiative built around foundational knowledge in financial planning and wealth building. The program targets financial independence among young people and their capacity to support broader economic development objectives. Short on theory, long on application, it signals a deliberate shift toward actionable financial skills rather than general awareness.
Her Excellency Buthaina Al Mazrouei, Director General of Government Financial Affairs at the Department of Finance, Abu Dhabi, and His Excellency Khaled Al Nuaimi, Director of the Federal Youth Authority, led a panel discussion alongside representatives from both the Department of Finance, Abu Dhabi Youth Council and Abu Dhabi Youth Council. Their conversation framed the initiative’s strategic importance: how government entities can foster financial awareness, and what role young people should play in shaping future economic policy.
The panel covered several interconnected themes. Panelists emphasized financial management fundamentals, the value of government partnerships in scaling national initiatives, and the Department of Finance, Abu Dhabi’s role in promoting financial sustainability. The Federal Youth Authority’s mandate to support and empower youth populations featured alongside a recurring argument: that enhancing young people’s understanding of economic policy is a critical component of long-term national development.
The Tharwa initiative received particular attention. Officials introduced participants to its objectives, which focus on fostering a generation with deeper understanding of financial management practices and principles.
By contrast, the forum’s broader framing positioned this as one component within a larger portfolio of initiatives. That portfolio aims to cultivate a culture centered on saving, investment, and long-term financial planning, all aligned, officials said, with the UAE’s national vision and sustainable development objectives.
The joint initiative reflects a strategic commitment to financial literacy as a foundation for economic participation. Introducing practical training programs and policy discussions at the youth level, the collaborating entities seek to establish habits and knowledge bases that support both individual financial security and macroeconomic resilience. The Youth Financial Expert Program’s emphasis on planning and wealth building moves the effort beyond classroom concepts toward skills participants can apply directly.
The forum’s design, pairing senior government officials with youth-focused institutions, underscores the importance placed on direct engagement between policymakers and young populations. This structure allows officials to communicate economic policy priorities while gathering feedback on youth financial needs. The inclusion of representatives from both the Department of Finance, Abu Dhabi Youth Council and Abu Dhabi Youth Council points to coordination across multiple levels of government youth engagement infrastructure, a detail that raises a practical question: whether that coordination produces a unified curriculum or a patchwork of overlapping programs remains to be seen.
Q&A
What is the Youth Financial Expert Program and what are its core objectives?
The Youth Financial Expert Program is a practical training initiative built around foundational knowledge in financial planning and wealth building. It targets financial independence among young people and their capacity to support broader economic development objectives, emphasizing actionable financial skills rather than general awareness.
Which government entities led the Youth Financial Forum and what were their roles?
Her Excellency Buthaina Al Mazrouei, Director General of Government Financial Affairs at the Department of Finance Abu Dhabi, and His Excellency Khaled Al Nuaimi, Director of the Federal Youth Authority, led a panel discussion alongside representatives from the Department of Finance Abu Dhabi Youth Council and Abu Dhabi Youth Council.
What is the Tharwa initiative and how does it relate to the program?
The Tharwa initiative received particular attention at the forum. Officials introduced participants to its objectives, which focus on fostering a generation with deeper understanding of financial management practices and principles.
What is the broader strategic goal of this joint initiative?
The joint initiative reflects a strategic commitment to financial literacy as a foundation for economic participation. The collaborating entities seek to establish habits and knowledge bases that support both individual financial security and macroeconomic resilience, aligned with the UAE's national vision and sustainable development objectives.