Nortal HQ, April 28, 2017
Dubai is on its way to having a truly paperless government within just a few years. Nortal is proud to have helped the Dubai government establish this groundbreaking vision.
“The Dubai Government will issue its last paper transaction in 2021,” Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced earlier this month. “We are looking to build a truly smart city – one that will use technology as the key to a balanced and happy life.”
“We helped Dubai create a vision and roadmap of where they want to go and advised on how to get there,” Andres Käärik, Nortal’s Business Development Manager explained.
The vision that Käärik helped to set up for Dubai, states that by 2021, all public services would be available in electronic channels around the clock, and the Dubai government will work 24/7 and 365 days a year. There will be no need to visit any government service center in person; users receive the results and documentation of services in electronic form on mobile devices.
One of the key pillars in achieving this is electronic identification (eID) and the electronic signature. Having experience in creating Estonia’s digital disruption in the past, Nortal assisted Dubai government in setting up the vision and roadmap for a next-generation electronic identity and signature solution.
“To set up a well-functioning eID ecosystem, any country needs trust, legislation, technological infrastructure, and electronic services that people want to use,” Käärik said. “Also, well-organized information exchange and process automation between different government institutions are needed.”
Dubai’s eID is a cutting-edge technology solution that uses SIM card independent cryptography technologies. “It has separate design and user experience components for electronic identity and electronic signature to provide a clear and user-friendly distinction between authentication and signature procedures,” Käärik added.
It’s easy to use in desktop and mobile environments, for both authentication and signing documents digitally. A similar eID service is already available in Estonia.
“We are working to put all of Dubai’s potential at the disposal of the people – which they can access through their smart devices. This is not restricted to transactions or access to data, it goes beyond that, improving the quality of life, healthcare, and education,” CEO of Smart Dubai Government Establishment HE Wesam Lootah said in a press release. “Over the past three years, we have established the strategic pillars of Smart Dubai, which match the vision of our leadership and improve the lives of the people of Dubai. HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum once said that a smart government doesn’t wait for the people to come to it. Instead, it goes to them. This is our motto today as we launched hundreds of initiatives and more than 1,000 services.”