Dubai eGovernment outlines its goals at Jordan Business Council-organised workshop in Dubai

Speaking at an eGovernment workshop organised by Jordan Business Council, Dubai, Mahmood Al Bastaki, Acting eServices Director, Dubai eGovernment said the more immediate goal of Dubai eGovernment was to efficiently and effectively offer 70 per cent of government services through innovative channels by 2005.

"Dubai eGovernment has made significant progress by placing more than 1,600 government services on electronic platforms," Al Bastaki said. "While we are constantly adding new services to the portfolio, the key challenge before us is to educate end-users as to the use of electronic services while changing a mindset that still thinks of using manual services."

Al Bastaki briefed the audience on the different stages Dubai eGovernment's evolution and said it was set to enter the ultimate 'seamless' stage in e-governance, which represents the beginning of the phase in which physical counters will be eliminated completely.

He also highlighted the international recognition won by Dubai eGovernment, and proudly pointed out that Dubai eGovernment had even outperformed more developed countries in the delivery of eServices.

Al Bastaki explained some of the new synergistic tools that will considerably enhance the levels of delivery of a wide range of eServices.

The new synergetic tools includes includes the eIntegrate electronic business integration service that enables workflow-based electronic documents processing, eDelivery electronic processing for courier services, eJawaz electronic authentication, single sign on and authorisation service and eFeedback, which enables government departments to involve members of the public in surveys.

It also includes eLearn, a project aimed at delivering online training services to government departments, residents and businesses, eJob, a centralised recruitment system that brings together job-seekers and government departments on one electronic platform and eLibrary, a programme that encourages the use of new technology to make public libraries more effective in providing information and knowledge to larger sections of the community.

Eng. Sami Al Mufleh of Jordan Business Council welcomed the participants and speakers who included Ahmed H. Bahrozyan, Head of eGovernment Services, Info Tech Department, Dubai Municipality, Ahmad M. Bin Ghannam, eGovernment Program Manager, eCompany, Etisalat and Abdullah Saeed Obaidullah, Executive Vice President, Shared Services, DEWA.