IfG.CC - The Potsdam eGovernment Competence Center

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed has lent his name to the initiative, which will update existing eGovernment services.

“Today we lay down the path to transform the Dubai Government from an excellent government to a future government,” said Sheikh Hamdan, adding the programme would aim to make a “qualitative leap in services provided to the public”. The programme has been named the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Smart Government Programme.

"Being one of the largest government organization that renders almost 90% of its services online, the municipality has an effective plan to integrate the entire services under one single app like i-Dubai to make it the smartest app available in the country," said Marwan Ibrahim Nassir, the Committee Organizer, and Head of Director General's Follow Up Office at Dubai Municipality.

The Dubai Municipality has formed a committee to rapidly transform all its potential e-services to m-services, announced Director-General of Dubai Municipality Hussain Nasser Lootah on Sunday. Officials said the transformation of basic services focusing on public benefit is expected to be complete in three months.

The civic body formed the committee to commence with execution of the initiative declared by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Dubai residents will be able to avail themselves of more government transactions on smartphones as more departments launch mPay services at Gitex next week.

The move comes as smartphone usage in the country increases. Almost all government services are already online. Dubai launched its eGovernment initiatives a decade ago — one of the first Arab administrations to do so.

The induction of this technology has helped the police in communicating more effectively with the community. The services will be provided in both Arabic and English, in addition to a bouquet of other services, which include one that enables the public to pay traffic fines.

Brigadier Mohammad Saeed Bakhit, director of the General Directorate of E-services, cited that the iphone technology is one that facilitates efficient communication with the public.

Improvements in the app include a new interface where colours and font sizes can be customised, and the choice to use it in English—the previous version only had an Arabic interface. Connectivity to social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter has also been added to the app, said Brigadier Mohammad Saeed Bakhit, Director of the General Directorate of E-services.

The free app will allow users to apply for visa renewals, access M-Visa services, and elicit answers for their queries on general visa issues.

The GDRFA introduced its new e-service during the 32nd edition of Gitex Technology Week which kicked off yesterday.

The website, footprint.dm.ae, aims to raise awareness among people by letting them know their impact on the environment.

Hamdan Khalifa Al Shaer, director of the environment department at DM, said the website seeks to “identify the different aspects that contribute to the high footprint per capita and raise awareness among residents.”

The General Authority for Regulating the Telecommunications Sector (TRA) hosted a workshop at its Dubai headquarters, to implement the ‘eGovernment and mGovernment Readiness Index’ on “government.ae”, the country’s official portal.

The workshop was attended by eGovernment representatives from all the emirates.

The workshop comes within the TRA’s framework to strengthen cooperation and coordination with various entities and authorities involved in the transformation of methods and media for delivering government services.

Jobs Abu Dhabi portal (JAD) is Abu Dhabi's leading job search engine developed by Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre (ADSIC). The portal can be used by jobseekers around the world to connect with employers from the Emirate's government and private sectors.

The launch was held on the sidelines of a visit by Crown Prince of Fujairah, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi into Abu Dhabi e-Government's stands at Gitex 2013 expo.

The portal developed by Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre (ADSIC) in 2008, can be used by jobseekers around the world to connect with employers from the emirate’s government and private sectors.

In response to the initiative launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, towards moving from the e-Government to the smart one, the UAE Government organised a workshop for more than 200 participants from the government service entities and representatives of the universities in the state.

Under the slogan ‘Together for your Happiness’, Dubai Smart Government (DSG) is participating with an array of distinguished activities and smartphone applications to be announced for the first time at the 33rd edition of Gitex Technology Week 2013 which opens today at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre and continue until October 24.

DSG's participation is aimed at familiarising the public, business sector, visitors, government entities and concerned people with the new eServices and smart applications provided by DSG directly on its stand.

The mPay system — which allows people to pay fines and fees via SMS — has boasted a 50 per cent rise in collections this year when compared to the first half of 2010.

A total of 12,400 transactions were made in the first half of 2011 compared to 9,570 transactions in the same period of 2010, which netted the government around Dh2.4 million.

Dr. Rashid Ahmed Mohammed Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, said: "The early e-transformation of the ministry allowed us to answer the call of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed within a record time. With today's launch of our m-gov initiative, 100 per cent of the ministry's services are now offered electronically." This is the highest rating a government entity can receive from the UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). Before implementing the current framework, the ministry had a 36% rating from TRA. It provides all the 112 services offered by the ministry to its customers through mobile devices and forms yet another block in the transformation and modernisation of the public sector in the UAE, which was ranked at the 19th as per the Global Competitiveness Index of the "World Economic Form", Global Competitiveness Report 2013-2014.

Top 337 departments report an achievement rate of 96% in transition to m-government

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has examined a report on the results of the transition to m-Government, at a meeting with government officials.

Shaikh Mohammed said that an accomplishment rate of 96.3 per cent was reported by the government's top 337 departments providing services on daily basis to customers at the end of the two-year timeline set for shifting to m-Government and m-Services.

With immediate effect, the name of Dubai Government's e-Government Department will change to Dubai Mobile Government (m-Government).

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has ordered the change of name in consistence of the post e-Government era initiative for 'Mobile Government' (m-Government) launched by His Highness in May, marking a significant breakthrough in the delivery of government services to the public through their mobile phones, anywhere and round-the-clock.

If you are a resident of Abu Dhabi, you can actually submit your complaints or report public safety incidents directly to the government.

The government has an mobile application called, CityGuard, that allows residents to take a photo, video or audio clip of the reported incident and submit it through the app, which uses an embedded interactive map to locate the exact geographic position of the incident.

Hussein Al Harithi, director of the Traffic and Patrols Directorate, said authorities would maintain confidentiality and take appropriate measures after checking the validity of all reports.

He urged residents to report offences such as show-off stunts, overtaking on the hard shoulder and jumping red lights. They should provide the plate number and type of vehicle, location and time of the offence.

H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA, reiterated RTA’s commitment to translate the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum into a reality for the benefit of all clients, enabling them to process various RTA services through their smart-phones without obliging them to visit customer service centers.