PHOTO
Dubai continues to advance in its digital strategy, with government services now almost fully digitised and the majority of transactions paperless, according to the latest data.
The emirate, which has launched a series of initiatives and deployed advanced technologies to get rid of paper-based processes and become one of the leading digital cities in the world, has so far achieved a digitisation rate of 99.5% in terms of delivering government services.
Digital transactions now account for a huge chunk (88.7%) of total government service transactions, according to a statement on Wednesday.
The city started its digitisation efforts as far back as 2000, when it rolled out an e-government initiative. In 2013, The emirate launched the Smart Government initiative, which phased out paper transactions by the end of 2021.
The UAE government also launched last year the UAE Digital Economy Strategy, which seeks to double the GDP contribution of the digital economy.
Now, Dubai is on track to “usher in an advanced digital future and raise its status as a global exemplar for digital governance”, which is in line with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, according to Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General of Digital Dubai.
“We aim to expand the digital economy by an exponential 200%, improve the quality of the digital experience by a minimum 90%, raise Dubai’s ranking in the United Nations’ Local Online Service Index (LOSI), and proactively create 50 integrated digital city experiences that are seamless, interconnected and high-impact,” said Al Mansoori.
Dubai was ranked fifth globally and first in the Arab World in the UN’s Local Online Service Index last year.
(Writing by Cleofe Maceda; editing by Seban Scaria)
