IfG.CC - The Potsdam eGovernment Competence Center

The Bangladeshi embassy in UAE is outsourcing services as it struggles to meet demand while introducing passports with biometric data.

Five Bangladeshi typing centres, Janata Bank and Al Ansari Exchange have been enlisted to help as the embassy tries to replace the passports of 800,000 of its nationals in the UAE before an international deadline, according to Abu Dhabi-based The National.

The Tallinn-based multinational strategic change and technology company, Nortal, is helping Dubai’s government become fully digital by 2021.

According to Andres Käärik, Nortal’s business development manager, the company helped Dubai create a vision and roadmap of where they want to go and advised on how to get there. In a blog post, Käärik explained that by 2021, all Dubai’s public services would be available in electronic channels around the clock, and its government would work 365 days a year. “There will be no need to visit any government service centre in person; users receive the results and documentation of services in electronic form on mobile devices.”

A recent survey showed that 45% of Emirates ID holders did not know about the privileges the card had to offer.

An opinion poll conducted by the Emirates Identity Authority on its portal, earlier this year, revealed that only 30.56 per cent know the benefits of the card, while 45 per cent were unaware of the privileges of the card has to offer which include facilitating transactions and applications in both the government and private sector, as well as the online and smart services provided by many entities in the country.

The page is designed according to the latest technologies and international standards and approved by the United Nations in this regard.

Dubai eGovernment launched a new smartphones application that allow UAE customers to pay most of their utility, Etisalat bills, and traffic fines with a click, Hamad Bin Humaidan, Director-General of Dubai eGovernment announced yesterday.

“The aim of the new application is not to increase the number of eServices across government entities, while we are working to integrate all available services in one-stop-shop.”

The website of the UAE Cabinet was developed in accordance with the directions of the UAE’s leadership, to promote greater transparency within the public sector by offering an accurate and updated database that is accessible to both citizens and residents. The website acts as a reliable reference for all information related to the UAE Cabinet and promotes better understanding of the nature of the UAE’s government system and the mechanisms of decision-making.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) and Dubai Health Authority (DHA) on Monday launched e-applications that will put healthcare in the UAE on the world map for futuristic and smart usage in healthcare settings.

An independent authority to manage and protect personal data has been proposed by a group of security experts in the UAE.

Experts at the second Annual Gulf Cooperation Council’s e-Participation and e-Governance Forum in the capital said the proposed authority must oversee the use of personal information online.

Collaboration between the government, private sector, and academia plays a crucial role in fostering innovation and driving the adoption of AI

At a time when much of our future seems dependent on the adoption of new technologies, companies in the UAE and MENA are taking bold steps towards making them the new normal. As the demand for AI and automation continues to grow with new applications emerging each day, most are seizing the opportunity.

This story is part of Governing's annual International issue.

Some small countries have had outsized success with e-government. For years, Denmark, Estonia, the Netherlands, Singapore and South Korea have scored high on international rankings for online service delivery. But another small country from outside the digitally advanced regions of Europe and Asia has quietly yet quickly moved to the forefront of tech-savvy governments: In 2012, the United Nations ranked the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 28th in its global survey of e-government, up from 49th in 2010.

It was revealed by a new comparative report by Accenture that Singapore, Norway and the UAE rank first, second and third, respectively, among 10 countries in their use of “digital government.”

Etisalat Group’s strong results are an outcome of our sincere efforts to drive growth and generate efficiencies despite unprecedented challenges in certain markets, thanks to the flexibility and agility in our efficient business model to deliver growth and a robust performance, said Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO, Etisalat, in an email interview ahead of the GITEX Global 2021, which will open Today.

He said, “This was positively reflected in the financial results of the group with a market value of $58 billion and revenues touching Dhs26.4 billion with a Year on Year (YoY) increase of 3.2 per cent and consolidated net profit after federal royalty amounting to Dhs4.7 billion.”

UAE's status as a trailblazer in AI and the wellbeing of citizens were the main topics of discussion

Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence (AI), on Monday headed the first meeting of the UAE Council for AI, which discussed the council's objectives and role in implementing the UAE Strategy for AI.

The UAE's status as a trailblazer in AI and the wellbeing of citizens were the main topics of discussion at the meeting, which also highlighted issues arising from the advent of AI and its potential role as a strong foundation for excellence-driven future governments.

According to an article in the Gulf News, authored by Ali Mohammad Al Khouri, the director-general of the Emirates Identity Authority, the UAE Government is currently looking at “how the smart identity card infrastructure in the country can support secure electronic payment systems suitable for both government and commercial purposes.”

“Once we effectively deal with the security risks pertaining to electronic payment mechanisms, we are at the threshold of a clear win-win situation, promising unprecedented benefits for all,” Al Khouri writes.  “The cost and risks associated with physical cash have always been a determining factor behind new age payment systems.”

A growing number of jobseekers are searching for vacancies in different government departments in the UAE given the perception that public sector employees receive better benefits and compensation compared to those in privately owned firms.

According to the latest statistics released by Dubai eGovernment Department (DeG), the number of applications submitted to the government-run portal, eJob (www.ejob.ae), has recently jumped by 36 per cent.

Dr Engineer Ali Mohamad Al Khouri, Director General of Emirates Identity Authority stressed that the UAE has made important strides on the road to transform to the “Electronic Government” under its quest to establish its international competitive position, and to be one of the best governments across the world by the year 2021.

Dr Al Khouri said during his participation with a worksheet at the “International Identity Conference 2013” held in Istanbul-Turkey on Wednesday, that the UAE is in race with time to develop the “Government of the Future,” aiming to achieve happiness in the community, through improving the government work efficiency, effectiveness and excellence and develop a comprehensive service that would make life easier for the people.

The UAE holds the largest biometric database in the world, the Emirates Identity Authority announced on Sunday.

The population register of Emirates ID has over 103 million digital fingerprints and over 15 million digital facial recognition records, which includes multiple records of each UAE resident, and digital signatures as of October 11, senior officials said.

The UAE ranks number one with the best e-infrastructure globally, and ranks 31st for digital quality of life in 2020, according to a study that covers 81 per cent of the global population.

The Digital Quality of Life (DQL) study, covering internet affordability, quality, security, online government services, and e-infrastructure, said the UAE is followed by Sweden in the second place and Denmark in the third.

The store features over 100 smart applications developed by local and federal agencies and has been launched in partnership and coordination with Google and Apple.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, was briefed on the new shop and the next steps in the smart government initiative which aims to be completed by mid 2015.