In 2021, His Excellency Hamad Obaid Al Mansouri was appointed as the Director General of the Dubai Digital Authority. Dubai Government aims to make Dubai, a smart city. It will conduct paperless transactions by December 2021. It is building smart sustainable cities and delivering services through apps. It is also encouraging the gathering and sharing of data to develop and customise services for customer happiness. Dubai is already collecting road toll (Salik) through RFID and payment for transport services through Nol smart cards. Read about the other efforts of the Dubai Government to make Dubai, a smart city.
Dubai’s Digital Strategy aims to digitalise all aspects of life in Dubai, establishing a reliable and robust digital system that enhances the digital economy and empowers a digitally- driven society.
Objectives
The objectives of Dubai’s Digital Strategy include:
Pillars
It is built upon seven key pillars. They are:
The strategy represents a new milestone in Dubai’s digital transformation journey. As of 2023, the digitisation rate of government services in Dubai stands at 99.5 per cent, with the objective of paperless government achieved 100 per cent. Digital transactions account for 87 per cent of total government service transactions.
Additionally, Dubai Government has developed over 120 smartphone applications. Government entities have demonstrated a compliance rate of over 80 per cent with cybersecurity indicators and 100 per cent compliance with the Dubai Data Law.
The strategy stresses the need for an integrated and holistic system, requiring cooperation and coordination among various entities in Dubai Government. It highlights the importance of leveraging new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI technologies to capitalise on opportunities and develop proactive services.
Read more about Dubai’s Digital Strategy on WAM and Government of Dubai Media Office.
The Law No. 9 of 2022 Regulating the Provision of Digital Services in the Emirate of Dubai ( PDF, 378 KB) requires government and non-government entities in the emirate to provide digital services to their customers. The digital services must be:
The law seeks to accelerate the emirate’s digital transformation, enhance the provision of digital services and promote the digitisation of services in both the public and private sectors. It sets conditions for adopting digital identities for subscribed services and covers cybersecurity requirements, electronic payment solutions and service continuity in the event of disruptions.
Additionally, the law requires the customers to update their information submitted to digital service providers and adhere to terms and conditions outlined by the entity. Anyone who misuses the service or does not follow the required procedures will be held accountable.
Federal and local legislations on digital transactions and digital signatures will apply to digital services in Dubai.
All digital service providers in Dubai must abide by the provisions of the law within a year of its implementation.
Read news coverage on the website of Government of Dubai Media Office and WAM.
Dubai 10X is an initiative aimed at advancing the progress and efficiency of Dubai Government through collaborative and future-facing projects. Its ultimate objective is to position Dubai a decade ahead of other cities.
Since its inception in 2017 until 2023, this initiative has developed 42 innovative projects, which include:
The third phase of Dubai 10X focuses on proactively creating a fundamental shift in the mindset of government sector employees. Its ultimate goal is to inspire the creation of innovative and transformative projects tailored to address upcoming challenges and seize new opportunities.
The projects chosen as part of the third phase of ‘Dubai 10X’ were carefully selected from a pool of 79 project ideas, that were developed in collaboration with more than 120 government employees, from 33 Dubai government entities.
As part of the third phase of Dubai 10X, we approved transformative projects in transportation, aviation and healthcare selected from 79 ideas proposed by 33 Dubai government entities. Dubai 10X emphasizes our commitment to advancing innovative solutions shaping a new… pic.twitter.com/XlfOzZcPhX
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) September 27, 2023
The projects’ ideas are specialised on shaping the future of government services across various sectors including: transportation, aviation, space, energy, sustainability, infrastructure, trade, finance, health, security, civil defence and community services.
Read news coverage on WAM.
Visit Dubai 10X for more information.
Launched in March 2020, the 100% Paperless Stamp is an initiative from Digital Dubai Authority to recognise entities that made outstanding efforts to implement the Dubai Paperless Strategy and offer digital, paperless services.
The Dubai Paperless Strategy aims to build a perfectly integrated paperless government infrastructure that enables the transformation of Dubai Government’s traditional services and operations into digital by December 2021. It would eliminate more than 1 billion pieces of paper used for government transactions every year.
Services 1 is Dubai government’s one-stop shop service centre, which delivers integrated government services as bundles without the need for customers to visit other government service centres.
Launched in 2017, the centre utilises artificial intelligence to provide integrated services from several federal and local government entities.
The centre offers three-packaged services:
The Services 1 centre provides a platform for the co-creation and delivery of government services in collaboration with the public, customers, business-owners and government entities using state-of-the-art behavioural science and information technology.
The centre is located on the ground floor of Emirates Towers, Dubai and can be reached by phone on 600 565 565.
The following projects and initiatives that existed before the launch of the Smart City initiative, play an important role in making Dubai a smart city.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is in use to levy road toll Salik in Dubai since July 2007.
The Nol card in use as a unified card to pay for transport services in Dubai. In September 2013, RTA launched the Smart Nol card which enables payments through NFC.
In May 2013, Roads and Transport Authority launched eWallet; it's an online account through which one can make secure online payment.
The following projects and initiatives were introduced after the launch of the Smart City initiative.
Read about happiness meter under Happiness in Dubai Government.
The Dubai Data initiative, led by the Dubai Data Establishment and decreed by the Dubai Data Law of 2015, is the single most comprehensive city-wide data initiative guiding the opening and sharing of city data across the public and private sector.
Dubai Data will stimulate a new data economy for the city, unlocking opportunities and ultimately enriching quality of life for all Dubai stakeholders, including government departments, private organisations, investors, residents and visitors.
The Smart Dubai Index is a set of indicators that will highlight the achievements of Smart Dubai and illuminate future opportunities. The Index Wheel is split into six parts following the six dimensions of Smart Dubai. Within each section a number of tangible performance measures have been formulated which indicate successful implementation or development of smart initiatives, products and services.
The UAE is building several sustainable cities that conserve energy and harness renewable energy using technology and architectural designs.
Dubai Government launched apps for smart devices which facilitate quick access to their services and enables quick payments.
Through the DubaiNow app, you can pay for services in the areas of:
The DubaiNow app is available on the App Store and Google Play.
The service enables customers, especially public transport users, to rent cars for short periods not exceeding six hours via smart apps Udrive (Android/App Store) and Ekar (Android/App Store). Fare ranges from 40 to 50 fils per minute.
Resident customers should first register in the system to avail the service by entering ID, driving license and credit card details, in addition to a photo of the ID holder (to verify registration in the system). Visitors are required to enter passport, visa, driving license and credit card details.
Upon validating the accuracy of data provided, the customer is issued with a Personal Identification Number (PIN), before he or she can enter the user name and password. The customer can now track the cars available and then book one.
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Read about strategies that support the Smart Dubai plan
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