High profile Canadian delegation praises advancements of Dubai eGovernment

Both Canada and the UAE are considered leaders in pioneering the provision of online services across the spectrum of corporate and community life by reforming governments to be more citizen centred, results oriented and market based.

"I am very surprised at what Dubai eGovernment has achieved in a relatively short time, especially regarding the provision of eServices and reducing the bureaucracy traditionally associated with government departments. It was a very beneficial exchange of ideas and I look forward strong links of bilateral communications between our departments in the future," said Dave Bronconnier, Mayor of Calgary City.

Salem Al Shair, eServices Director of Dubai eGovernment welcomed the delegation, comprised of R.Gary Klassen, Director, Calgary Development and Buildings Approvals; Richard Pootmans, Business Development Manager, Calgary Economic Development; and F.Bruce Graham, Chairman and CEO, Calgary Economic Development Association, who were then escorted to Dubai eGovernment's offices and invited to attend a general presentation. Both Canadian and UAE representatives exhibited their eGovernance initiatives and discussed the service additions, future, identity and potential for the eGovernment initiative.

Commenting on the visiting delegation, Al Shair commented, "Under the leadership of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai eGovernment is pioneering the development of good government-citizen relations by providing an excellent infrastructure of online services. We have achieved this by coordinating with other eGovernment pioneers, such as the Canadian delegation, to facilitate an exchange of knowledge, experiences and information to enhance the quality of our operations."

"Dubai eGovernment is inspired by the results that the Canadian government has achieved in its provision of online services and our recent meeting opens the door for a strong working relationship to foster the development of this vital initiative," Al Shair added.

eGovernment is a key channel for the delivery of public services in Canada and represents a high number of government transactions. Research indicates that online services now account for more than 30 per cent of Canadian government transactions.

The multi-channel approach of Dubai eGovernment encompasses four broad elements - the web portal, www.dubai.ae; the mobile portal, http://mobile.dubai.ae; mDubai, the mobile channel for communication with government departments via SMS, and the bilingual call centre, AskDubai. The easy-to-navigate web pages mask the complexity of bureaucratic procedures by providing online public services and eliminating the necessity of standing in long queues.

Through Dubai eGovernment's comprehensive web portal, citizens, residents, visitors and business enterprises can access more than 2,000 electronic services, including payment of Municipality fees, applying for visas for friends and relatives, renewing health cards, company registration, among others.