Abu Dhabi successfully hosts GCC forum on shift to digital governance

A number of ADSIC officials addressed participants during the event, including Director of Strategy & Planning Abdul Karim Al Raessi who gave a welcoming speech and Data Project Specialist Khawla Al Fahim who delivered a presentation on service enhancements via location-based information and advanced spatial analysis. Business Information Manager Khalid Al Mazrouei also discussed how the Abu Dhabi Government Contact Centre maintains and provides a convenient online one-stop-shop for residents.

Also involved in the forum were Mohamed Karmastaji, ADSIC's Acting Director of Technology & Standards, who conducted a workshop on 'Enhancing Shared Services for Government' on the opening day; and Ameena Al Refaei, IT Strategy Manager for ADSIC, who facilitated a workshop on 'Improving e-Service Delivery for Citizens to Increase e-Participation.'

"The interesting strategies, policies and plans that surfaced during the 2012 GCC e-Participation & e-Governance Forum will help a lot of Gulf Governments enhance their respective electronic platforms. The event served as an excellent regional venue for us to showcase Abu Dhabi's own remarkable advancements in digitizing its public services and molding a genuinely knowledge based society. The positive response our programs received indicates the success of ADSIC's efforts to bring local governance to the Information Age and support a better, more convenient way of life for citizens," said H.E. Rashed Lahej Al Mansoori, Director General, Abu Dhabi Systems & Information Centre.

The 2012 GCC e-Participation & e-Governance Forum was organized by the Abu Dhabi University Knowledge Group with the support of its Federal e-Government Partner, the UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority's Information and e-Government Sector, and Hosting Partner ADSIC. The two-day forum featured a well-balanced agenda of keynote speeches, panel discussions, streamed sessions, workshops, and case studies. It was attended by a prominent group of representatives from the Gulf's government authorities, State Owned Enterprises, Strategy and Technology Consultants and Service and Product Providers.