The e4all initiative, conceived as an integral part of the Dubai eGovernment's Community Outreach Program, consists of value packages developed in association with the prime sponsor Intel and strategic partners like Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Microsoft, Epson Middle East, National Bank of Dubai and three leading training institutes. The e4all packages can be obtained through Jumbo Electronics and Carrefour outlets commencing from July 8, 2003.
Launching the first phase of the project at a press conference, Salem Al-Shair, eServices Director, Dubai eGovernment said: "Two years ago, when His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister, launched Dubai eGovernment, his mandate was to transform Dubai into the regional hub of Knowledge Economy and ease the lives of people by providing public services through electronic channels. Today, as we are getting closer to that goal, there is a need for accelerating people's readiness for eServices. e4all is a step designed to fulfill that need."
e4all will provide value-for-money training for government employees, registered businesses and citizens. This involves providing PCs and notebooks at special prices, customized hardware and software, installment schemes, end-user warranty and several add-ons such as free training and subscriptions to IT magazines.
"We have worked out a systematic training methodology to enhance the efficiency of the project in collaboration with our partners. We have identified target segments, including women at home, students and the physically challenged. An elaborate program has been designed to penetrate these segments and provide them with an unmatched opportunity for learning advanced applications and achieving greater understanding of eServices," Al-Shair added.
"The focus of the program is to make the training affordable, accessible and application-oriented," said Al-Shair. "As the world moves rapidly towards integrated online services, it is in the interest of all people to acquire skills that are essential in today's world, whether at work place or at home. e4all has been created to deliver twofold results of acquiring competency in eServices, and, more importantly, helping people learn advanced IT applications at a cost-effective rate."
End-users can look forward to numerous benefits from e4all. The program enables the user to update computer skills using state-of-the-art systems. People can avail of flexible payment terms through an attractive financing scheme offered by NBD. e4all also ensures that all members of the family are involved in the training program, thus enabling them to make use of the computer for all their public transactions and thus be a part of the wired community, as per the vision of Dubai eGovernment.
Gilbert Lacroix, General Manager, Intel Middle East and North Africa, said, "As part of Intel's ongoing commitment to the Arab world, we are pleased to work with Dubai eGovernment on bringing forth technology to the hands of the average PC user in the UAE. We are confident that the e4all initiative will be well received by the public across the nation and will set a standard for the rest of the countries in Middle East. Our proven experience in working with governments throughout the world is testimony that Intel plays a key role in facilitating Internet economy and enhancing IT literacy in the community."
Dirk de Waegeneire, Vice President International Sales, Fujitsu Siemens Computers said: "The e4all initiative marks Dubai's leap towards integrated eServices by involving the community in a training initiative that also includes many other value additions. Fujitsu Siemens Computers is proud to be associated with this pioneering initiative by providing advanced e4all customized computers and devices to enable effective implementation of the project. We look at e4all as an extremely laudable initiative aimed at helping the community understand and use technology in their daily lives, thus becoming true eCitizens."
"Economic growth in the information age comes not from physical strength or tangible equipment. It is the creation of knowledge and information that drives growth. The e4all initiative ensures that this knowledge and awareness is not confined to sectors of society, but brings the benefits of eGovernment to members of the community who may not have previously felt confident enough to use these services," said Abdullatif Al Mulla, General Manager, Microsoft South Gulf. "It is in addressing this digital divide, and breaking down these barriers that we shall see the true benefits of this inspirational initiative, which we at Microsoft are very proud to be a part."
"Dubai eGovernment has been working diligently with Dubai government departments to make eServices a reality. The integration of services of the different departments has now made it convenient for users to access and transact with the various departments through one portal (www.dubai.ae). The electronic payment facility as well as other advanced services is also in place. Our next task is to familiarize the people with the e4all offering," Al-Shair added.
Dubai eGovernment has ensured the e4all initiative is user-friendly by providing customer care services through its newly launched Contact Centre which has been set up to handle all queries to the www.dubai.ae portal in general and e4all in particular.
Quelle: AME Info
