28 April 2015

18,000 Users in Zakat Fund e-Services

Zakat Fund of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs announced that the number of its e-services users and social media followers has reached 18,000 including 14,000 on Facebook, over 2,600 on Twitter and more that 1,400 on Instagram. The Fund noted the role of the Information Systems Department at the Ministry of Endowments in preparing and implementing the applications and electronic platforms to provide the Fund's services electronically in a manner that is compatible with the mission of the Fund in serving this great pillar of Islam. The Fund, which is the official Zakat institution in the country, citing the strong interaction between the public and the Fund on the internet and social networks, asserted its keenness to use modern communications technology through providing interactive electronic platforms. In this context, Dr Mohamed bin Khalifa Al Kubaisi, Section Head of Zakat Services at the Fund, stated that the Fund is working constantly to develop its technology to serve this Islamic duty, and that it has now become a landmark among Zakat organizations in the region. The Fund, as he said, exerts great efforts to improve its tools to ensure the safety of collection and distribution, noting the efforts exerted by its Information Systems Department in providing sophisticated, accurate and easy to use  applications, adding that "the Fund has succeeded in developing itself electronically and in delivering its message through modern electronic means that are now widely spread in all segments of the society." He clarified that the Fund was providing its diverse services through a package of advanced electronic instruments, aiming to implant the principles of social justice, promote awareness of the pillar of Zakat and facilitate payment of Zakat in the simplest and easiest ways. He said that Fund's website, being the official platform, comes at the top of these instruments, with its homepage that features a general introduction to the Fund, a stocks zakat calculator, other self-service zakat calculators, which omit the need for questions and answers, in addition to links for Fatwa on Zakat related topics and others for electronic donation. The page reviews the Fund's activities and publications and shows its branches in all important parts of the country. The website has become an important reference for researchers and all those interested in the third pillar of Islam. Dr Al Kubaisi acknowledged the presence of the Fund on social media websites, particularly Facebook,  being the largest in terms of impact and penetration. Since the Fund has activated its page on Facebook, the number of followers has jumped to record figures in a relatively very short time, reaching 14,000 in Qatar and abroad. Those wishing to communicate with the Fund on Facebook can reach it through this link. The second most popular social network is Twitter, due to the fast pace of tweets, with a number of fans exceeding 2,600. Those wishing to communicate with the Fund  through Twitter can do so by using this link. He also noted the presence of the Fund in Insagram, which enables sharing of photos and public and private events. The Fund's page on Instagram was launched the latest, however, the number of fans has so far exceeded 1400. The high online interaction of the public with the Fund is due to a number of factors including the quality of the posts, in terms of technical quality, attractive format and design and the scientific material given, which are responsive to the needs of donors. When donors see how the Fund operates and the modern and simple methods and mechanisms it uses in collecting donations, they get more motivated and more engaged. The Fund provides donors, among a number of electronic facilities, with a facility to make their Zakat payments through Qatar Islamic Bank's (QIB) and Al Rayyan Bank's ATM machines distributed all over the country. Zakat can also be paid to the Fast Collector who records the payment on the Fund website directly and issues a receipt using a micro printer connected to the website.

28 March 2016

Katara unveils new interactive online platform

The Cultural Village Foundation-Katara has recently launched its new website and mobile application in both Arabic and English as part of a new initiative aimed at showcasing the acceleration of cultural, innovative, and intellectual activities at Katara. The online initiative will shed more light on the constant outpouring of programs on offer across the Cultural Village, while providing an online platform which interested parties can use to remain abreast of cultural activities within both Qatar and abroad. To read more, please visit this link.

11 February 2015

Bahrain: Consultative Meeting with experts on preparatory process for the 2016 UN eGovernment Survey

As part of the 2nd study tour of the UN delegation which represented 21 States, organized and funded by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) in an aim to maximizing benefits from Bahrain's experience in areas covering eGovernment and Public Service, the eGovernment Authority organized a consultative meeting on the United Nations report for eGovernment 2016, which focuses on sustainable development and was presented by Regional Advisor on eGovernment at UNDESA, Mr. Richard Kerby. The meeting was attended by Mr. Jean Marie Kozya, Head of Public Administration and Governance in the department of Economic and Social Affairs, as well as a number of representatives from the eGovernment Authority from the Gulf States, including Deputy Chairman of Kuwait Information Technology Society Mr. Qusai Al-Shatti, as well as Advisor of the eGovernment Program ‘Yesser' in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mr. Mustafa Khan, as well as representatives from the Information Technology Authority of Sultanate Oman. The meeting kicked-off with an overview presentation presented by Richard Kerby which included the general features of the report. He also discussed the main points to be evaluated, noting that the United Nations seeks to cooperate with as many countries as possible in order to translate the report into more than on language, with the aim to spread it to all countries. He also took the opportunity to thank the Kingdom of Bahrain on the translation of the previous report to Arabic Language. During the workshop, Kerby highlighted the importance of the workshop carried out by the United Nations in collaboration with Bahrain's eGovernment Authority and how it is focused on improving eServices provided by governments. He also noted that their visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain was due to its leadership in the area of eGovernment, particularly as it has brought together a number of experts which discussed how to improve government performance and best strategies to be used by eGovernments. The meeting agenda focused on key themes including emerging issues and current eGovernment trends towards sustainable development. The meeting also included group discussions on how eGovernment can contribute to advancing sustainable development as well as the challenges and obstacles countries might face while implementing. They also discussed approaches and innovative practices in advancing eGovernment for sustainable development along with emerging eGovernment approaches and trends to be considered for the 2016 survey. Also discussed was the United Nations report and how the trends can be measured by the Survey, as well as what enhancements can be made to the eGovernment Development Index (EGDI) and its components. In addition, how the Survey can take into account specific characteristics of countries including size, population density and the different level of government, particularly in big cities. In addition, how the Survey can better capture the usage side of online/mobile information services. Finally, a comprehensive review and summary of the discussions and comments to be filed by international experts in charge of the United Nations report for eGovernment, most notably a proposal to change the evaluation and assessment of the three main indicators (eServices, Human Capital, Communications Infrastructure). In this regard, the CEO of the eGovernment Authority, Mr. Mohammed Ali AlQaed emphasized on the importance of organizing this consultative meeting to develop guidelines to be pursued by countries to elevate their rank in the United Nations report for eGovernment, issued every two years with the next one issued in 2016. He also added that the results of this meeting will be channeled to benefit all participating countries, shedding light on the topics that will be included in the next report by the United Nations. He also pointed out on how the presence of regional experts adds greater value in which participants can take their guidance and apply their experience to their countries. He also added how representatives of GCC eGovernments being present contribute to ongoing cooperation between Gulf States especially in dealing with the common development plans. "eGovernments in the GCC seek to facilitate and simplify the procedures and services to their citizens. We are pleased that the GCC is ranked in the top 6 in the field of eServices on a regional level, which in turn drives us to always achieve the best for our citizens and businessmen or even services of government agencies," Commented Deputy Chairman of Kuwait Information Technology Society Mr. Qusai Al-Shatti. Director of the Research Center of Saudi program ‘Yesser', Dr. Majid AlDarehem stated that GCC eGovernment efforts are on that aim to enhance the Gulf Cooperation, and hosting this workshop reflects the plans that were put by these governments to collectively progress in the UN Report for eGovernment.

08 March 2015

New Electronic Verefication System for Healthcare Practitioner Documents

"Al Sharq" learnt that the Qatari Council for Healthcare Practitioners (QCHP) has launched a new electronic system dubbed "Employer Portal" or "EP" to verify documents of healthcare practitioners through the accrediting firm for primary source verification. QCHP asserted that the new system comes within the efforts of QCHP's Registration and Licensing Department to improve services and facilitate and speed up licensing and registration procedures in order to cope increased demand in applications for verification of healthcare practitioners who wish to be licensed to practice in Qatar. QCHP clarified that the new system enables healthcare facilities to apply for verification of healthcare practitioner documents. Additionally, the system has a feature that permits healthcare facilities to create their own accounts which enables them to submit one verification application for a group of healthcare practitioners who work or intend to work for those facilities, make online payment in bulk and follow-up on the applications. The old system known as "Healthcare Practitioner Portal" allowed healthcare practitioners only to create individual accounts for themselves and subsequently to apply for verification of their own documents. QCHP emphasized that the new system is part of its endeavors to increase customer satisfaction, simplify processes and save time and effort for healthcare facilities by allowing submission of verification applications in bulk, making on line payments and simplifying follow-up on applications. Source: Al Sharq Newspaper

28 March 2016

Administrative Development and Labor Ministry Launches Mawared App

The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs has launched a smartphone app for the Government Human Resources Management System "Mawared" to ease access to the e-services provided by the system around the clock and anywhere. The ministry clarified, in a press statement, that the app provides a lot of the most used services in Mawared by the government employees and decision makers, such as leave requests, approval of applications, administrative certificate applications, and other services, affirming that such services are used through developed, secure and interactive channels to enhance the user experience. The ministry further pointed out to adding the electronic employee file system to Mawared in order to facilitate keeping and restoring the documents of the employee that are related to the Human Resources Department in the form of an e-file, and, consequently, reduce the uses of paper files to the least extent.

28 March 2016

Ashghal joins "Better Connections" Program

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) to provide workers with facilities for computer learning and internet access. With this, Ashghal joins government and private entities in the "Better Connections" Program launched by the ministry. Meshal Sultan Al Hitmi, Director of the Shared Services Affairs at Ashghal, signed the agreement with Reem Al Mansouri, Assistant Undersecretary of the Digital Society at the ministry. The program provides a practical framework, offering workers access to information and communication technology (ICT) at their compounds. To read more, please visit this link.

23 March 2015

Bahrain International eGovernment Forum 2015 to be Held in March

Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain: Under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Information and Communication Technology, the 8th Bahrain International eGovernment Forum 2015; will be held from the 15th to the 19th of March in Isa Cultural Center and Bahrain International Circuit. The highly-esteemed event is organized by the eGovernment Authority in partnership with the Bahrain Society of Engineers, Project Management Institute-(Bahrain Chapter) and YouthTech Society. Over the years, the event has witnessed major development in terms of content and level of diversity, as well as growth. The event has recently been extended to a five day period in order to successfully focus on the exchange of knowledge and expertise in the field of eGovernment. This year the event is expected to host a number of officials both locally and internationally as well as international speakers, and for the first time this year the European Union and the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) Global will be participating as well. The European Union will be represented by 50 delegates made up of experts and officials in the field of smart cities and eGovernment who will participate in a range of activities on the first day of the forum, where one of the officials will present the EU's experience in smart cities. In addition, a group of speakers will participate in the eGovernment Success Stories workshop, as well as a scheduled closed meeting and workshop on the "Horizon 2020". During the official opening of the forum, winners of eGovernment Excellence Award 2015 will be awarded by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Information and Communication Technology. The official opening ceremony is scheduled to be held in (March 15th) Isa Cultural Center, followed by plenary sessions addressing key topics including the Smart Cities and policies towards shifting Smart Cities. University of Fairland, US, Lecturer Dr. John Burton will present under the title of ‘Information Policies Expansion Associated with Smart Cities Implementations', along with Professor Claude Rojetto who will transfer France's experience in the field of Smart Cities. The second session will focus on the best practices in the field of eGovernment, where Mr. Eric Smith, Executive Partner at Gartner, from the United Kingdom will highlight global best practices and digital government, and from the United States, Mr. Jim Jacoby, Software Engineering Expert at Moby and Strategic Expert in the field of Customer Experience Ms. Hala Semeasy will draw attention on ‘Mobile Applications and Customer Experience'. While the second day (March 16th), a closed meeting of the European Union will be held, in which approximately 30 delegates from EU countries will participate in. The following three days (March 17th to 19th) the rest of the activities will be concluded, consisting of specialized workshops which are organized through the existing cooperation between NGO's, Institutes, International organizations and specialist speakers from various countries under the supervision of Bahrain's eGovernment Authority, noting that the topics that will be address in the first day of the Forum are different than the topics that will be highlighted in workshops, along with the Bahrain IT Expo 2015 which is scheduled to take place in the Bahrain International Circuit from the 17th till the 19th of March. The main topics that will be covered in the workshops are: Mastering Social Media Innovation Tools Workshop organized by the Social Media Club, Innovation and Entrepreneurship in ICT Environment organized by Ebtikar Society, Big Data and the Future organized by Bahrain Information Technology Society (BITS), Holistic Business Process Management: improvement of transformation organized by Future Smith, Building Defensible Critical Information Infrastructure organized by ISACA Bahrain Chapter, among other workshops in the field of project management, and finally eGovernment Success Stories organized by the eGovernment Authority. Due to the success of the Bahrain IT Expo in the past few years, this year will include a distinguished group of exhibitors representing both the public and private sectors. In addition, it has been confirmed that this year for the first time, international companies from Hungary and India will be participating showcasing free-cutting edge products and outstanding technical demos. For further information on how to register and attend the sessions or workshops, please visit the forum's website www.egovforum.bh or visit Bahrain IT Expo for Information Technology and Communications www.itexpo.bh.

11 February 2015

Bahrain: Nominations Deadline for 2015 eGovernment Excellence Award Extended to Beginning of February

The organizing committee of the eGovernment Excellence Award 2015, held annually under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Information and Communication Technology, announced that the deadline for nominations have been extended to February 1st in response to all interested parties, as well as providing an opportunity to all those who wish to participate or improve current submissions. The award is still accepting nominations through the website www.egovaward.bh which includes all the necessary information in regards to categories, criteria and submission process. The annual award, comes as part of the eGovernment's programs to evaluate national initiatives in the field of Information and Communication Technology, as well as raise the level of competitiveness in the development of innovative technical solutions in line with the National eGovernment Strategy 2016. It brings together a distinguished group of local and international experts, who represent various sectors such as the private sector, banking sector, education and civil organizations, ensuring diversity and objectivity in regards to the jury process. The Committee will provide a report assessing all projects with remarks including observations on mechanisms, tools for development of project and initiatives for registered projects. Ministries and Governmental entities of the Kingdom of Bahrain will be competing on four categories– Best eService, Best eProject, eParticipation, and Best eContent. The Multi-Sector includes four categories– Best App for Smart Devices, eEntrepreneur, eEconomy, and eNGO's. The award encourages participating individuals on innovation and creativity in the Best eConcept category, as well as urge them to adopt eservices in various areas of their lives through the eCitizen category, which is selected based on the citizen's effective participations by the highest number and volume of transactions conducted on the eGovernment portal during the last year. His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Information and Communication Technology will honour the winners during the official opening of Bahrain International eGovernment Forum 2015, which is attended annually by over 500 people from the Kingdom of Bahrain and abroad. For more information on the eGovernment Excellence Award 2014 or for participation; please visit the eGovernment Excellence Award official website: www.egovaward.bh, or contact the National Contact Center 80008001.

04 November 2015

Bahrain to host GCC eGovt summit, award

Bahrain will host the fourth GCC eGovernment Award, Conference and Exhibition 2015 on November 25 and 26 under the patronage of Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. The Organizing Committee of the Information and eGovernment Authority explained that the conference is part of several key initiatives set up by the GCC eGovernments' guided strategies, which are adopted by the GCC eGovernment Ministerial Committee. This year's edition will be based on exchange of experience amongst countries in the field of eServices as well as honouring outstanding ventures with the purpose of improving the eGovernment services as well as strengthening the integration between the GCC countries.   The topics and work papers will highlight the most important GCC eGovernment-related matters that are represented in big and smart data, integration of environmental information to support regional decision-making, government shared services, and smart social media.   It will also showcase GCC experiences in the eGovernment field across a range of sectors such as justice, social development and many others.   The ‘GCC eGovernment Award' is organized in conjunction with the conference and exhibition where GCC government entities participate by showcasing their best practices in conducting the online transactions which are in line with standards set this year and aligned with the GCC vision.   The evaluation process has been completed by a specialized committee which includes GCC eGovernment experts, a statement said.   Winners will be announced and honoured during the opening ceremony of the conference. – TradeArabia News Service

23 March 2015

Brig. Al-Ansari: 19 unified services, e-government centers across the country

Brigadier Abdulla Ahmed Al Ansari, Director of the Unified Services Department of the General Directorate of Boarders, Passports and Expatriate Affairs in the Ministry of Interior said the number of service centers, with 2 new centers recently opened in the Pearl and Tower 2022, has reached 19 as of to date. The service centers, according to him, provide services to residents and citizens through a network that covers all parts of the country, clarifying that the department oversees performance of these centers, monitors service levels and intervenes to improve it as necessary. He pointed out that the services provided include all types of entry visa, renewal, transfer, modification and cancellation of residence permits, issuing IDs for expatriates, company IDs, travel documents for citizens, exit permits for expatriates, and issuing and re-issuing passports.

28 March 2016

e-Govt Launched 237 Services in Past Years

The e-Government is carrying on the implementation of 87 projects, 77 of which are in collaboration with government entities, namely the Government Network, the SMS Gateway, the Government Data Exchange Project, the Open Data Portal Project, the Government Procurement Review, the Digital Government, among other projects. This came in the annual scorecard report issued by the prestigious General Secretariat of the Council of Ministries, stating that 237 e-services were launched between 2013 and 2015. Among the strategies being followed up by the communications sector is cyber security; protecting the infrastructure of vital national information, responding to cyber incidents and attack and solving them, setting a legal and regulatory frame to enhance the safety and vitality of cyberspace, promoting the culture of cyber security, and developing the national potential for the protection of our cyberspace to the future generations.

23 March 2015

E-passport public keys delivered to ICAO by MoI delegation

A delegation from the Ministry of Interior delivered Public Keys of Qatari e-passports to upload in Public Keys Directory (PKD) system of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). A recent ceremony at Montreal, Canada, was attended by Brigadier Abdullah Saad al- Buainain, director of Nationality and Travel Documents Department; Brigadier Abdul Rahman Ali al-Maliki, assistant director general of General Directorate of Information Systems; and Captain Ahmed Khaled al-Hamr from the Directorate General of Information Systems. Christina, director of the Certification of Centre of ICAO, attended the program accompanied by a number of officials of the organization. This action comes as a continuation of the development plans of Qatari e-passport, aimed at improving and enhancing electronic and direct verification of passport biometric data and facilitate passage of e-passport holders through border control points of PKD participants. It is known that the PKD Board of the International Civil Aviation Organisation "ICAO" works to achieve maximum accuracy and verification of physical and biometric data for e-passports and travel documents all over the world through joint work on the improvement and development of encryption technologies and mutual support and exchange of expertise among experts and specialists participating in the board. Qatar represented by Ministry of Interior has joined ICAO PKD that consist of 45 countries including the European Union, the US and China. Qatar was the first Gulf Country that issued e-passport in 2008 as per the specification of ICAO. Source: Al Raya Newspaper, Gulf Times

08 March 2015

GCC states agree on joint Sports Day

The GCC countries have agreed to initiate a combined Sports Day across the region, it emerged. Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Secretary-General Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced this during a press conference in the presence of GCC Assistant Secretary General Abdullah bin Juma Al Shibli and GCC Environment Supreme Council Chairman Dr Adel Al Zayani. The proposal for a combined Sports Day was floated by QOC, it was confirmed. According to QOC, the proposal has been initiated for the promotion of sports and healthy lifestyle among the millions of young kids across the region. It is accepted by the presidents and heads of the GCC National Olympic Committees (NOCs). The GCC Sports Day will be celebrated on the second Saturday of February every year. It may be recalled that on every Tuesday in February the Qatar National Sport Day is hosted. The NOC representatives of the Gulf countries were present in Qatar last month and witnessed the large-scale mass participation. Encouraged by the success, the officials decided to implement it at the regional level. Shibli said: "The proposal will be forwarded to higher authorities of the GCC to finalise details. After that, it will be decided like where and when the first GCC Sports Day will take place." "Saturday is part of the weekend in the region so it can ensure huge public participation," Sheikh Saoud said. "We're confident that it would get positive response and raise awareness in the communities in the region about health and fitness." Sheikh Saoud said a lot of attention is being given to promote activities that will harness the youth power in the region. "Physical education classes have been made compulsory for students at each level. The UAE has suggested that all schools must dedicate one-hour to physical activities for students, which will make them active and healthy. "The UAE has also offered to host the first GCC Youth Games and its request has been approved. The dates and number of sports of GCC Youth Games would be declared later, though the plan is to host the event as soon as possible," he added. On the success of Schools Olympic Programme, Sheikh Saoud said: "Five of the GCC states have started SOP and will soon get benefits of having a good talent base at the grass-roots level. Kuwait has also said to launch the programme to activate the talent at the school level." The plan to launch a sports court in Bahrain has also been cleared."It will deal with legal problems in the sports field or related with sports persons. A jury will be set up within six months and hearings will be done in Bahrain. Sports laws will also be enacted soon," said Sheikh Saoud. The rich Gulf has been controlling 13 sports bodies in Asia and Sheikh Saoud said it reflected the region's growing influence at the continental level besides showing the trust and cooperation among the member states. "There are 28 organising committees under the GCC umbrella. All are working with utmost dedication, seriousness and cooperation. This has helped us heads in 13 Asian sports bodies. Yesterday, Qatar's Dahlan (Jumaan Al Hamad) has been chosen as the President of Asian Athletics Association again." Shibli thanked QOC and Sheikh Saoud for making extensive preparations for the GCC NOCs meeting. "I wish to extend my heartiest congratulations to QOC and Sheikh Saoud for making elaborate arrangement for the meeting. "Qatar is always active about playing its bit in the progress of the region. We hope recommendations accepted in the meeting would be implemented soon with the consent of GCC higher authorities." The four-day meeting ends today. Source: The Peninsula, Al Arab Newspaper

06 December 2015

HRH the Prime Minister Patronizes the Opening Ceremony

HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa the Prime Minister patronizes on Wednesday (25th November) the Opening Ceremony of the 4th GCC eGovernment Award, Conference and Exhibition 2015 – organized by the Informatics & eGovernment Authority at the ART Rotana Hotel in Muharraq. The prestigious event will comprise the attendance of the Kingdom of Bahrain's ministers as well as GCC eGovernment heads. During the opening ceremony, HRH the Prime Minister will honor the winning projects of the GCC eGovernment Award as well as inaugurate the accompanied exhibition which involves the participation of all the GCC countries. The upcoming event is under the patronage of HRH the Prime Minister as it reflects his support in backing-up IT as well as developing the eGovernment system in the Kingdom - one of the strategies adopted by the government in endorsing sustainable development and providing the highest levels of customer service. Such support is what had led to the granting of HRH the ‘ICT in Sustainable Development' award – recently presented by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in recognition of His Royal Highness' significant role in rising and advancing the ICT sector in Bahrain. Owing to government directives, the Kingdom had achieved leading positions in eGovernment readiness within the United Nations survey which ranked it as first in five geographical regions and 18th worldwide. Bahrain is considered as a leader in its region in regards to possessing telecommunication infrastructure since 1964; it was also the first Arab country to utilize Internet. Furthermore, in its latest issued 2014 survey, the United Nations classified Bahrain amongst the top advanced countries within the readiness category, leading it to stand as the only Arab nation in this category. The highly-esteemed event - held once every two years in one of the GCC states - was first launched in the Sultanate of Oman in 2009, Kuwait in 2011, followed by the United Arab Emirates in 2013, and hosted this year by the Kingdom of Bahrain. The opening ceremony is expected to attract over 500 guests from in and out of the Kingdom. This year's edition is distinctive as it embraces the exchange of experiences amongst the participating countries in the field of delivering eServices, introduces experiences and practices of other countries to measure the achievements accomplished in this field. It also awards excellent initiatives – with the intention of supporting the development of eGovernment ventures as well as the increase of the integration among the GCC countries – making them unified, interconnected and integrated.

28 March 2016

Hukoomi to process applications

The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) announced that all applications for import authorization of telecommunications and radio equipment to businesses in Qatar will be processed through the Qatar Government Portal, Hukoomi. The initiative is part of the Digital Government initiative. CRA authorization is necessary for sale of cellular phones and private mobile radio devices. The required approvals and relevant documents such as licenses and certificates are granted after careful evaluation of the applications received through the Hukoomi portal. To read more, please visit this link.

06 December 2015

Inaugurations of the GCC eGovernment Conference

On behalf of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman AlKhalifa - the Prime Minister; H.H. Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak AlKhalifa - Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Information and Communication Technology (SCICT) – inaugurated the 4th GCC eGovernment Award, Conference and Exhibition 2015. Held at ART Rotana Hotel and hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain – represented by the Informatics & eGovernment Authority, the event included a large number of high dignitaries and diplomatic VIPs. During the opening ceremony, H.H. Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak AlKhalifa stated that he was pleased to patronize the event on behalf of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman AlKhalifa - the Prime Minister; also confirmed that such event reflects the keenness of the GCC countries in utilizing the latest of innovative trends which are based on the discussions and recommendations concluded during the conference. He also added that since 2005, the country's government worked on enhancing the eTransformation and through the Informatics & eGovernment Authority – Bahrain was able to deliver large number of online services to citizens and residents. He further indicated that the country has accomplished honorable achievements within the most recent United Nations eGovernment Survey of 2014 - considering that it excelled by being ranked 1st in the Middle East and the Arab World in addition to 18th globally within the eGovernment Readiness Index. H.E. Eng. Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, Minister of Transportation & Telecommunications, had also delivered a speech where he thanked HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman AlKhalifa for patronizing the event, supporting and wisely directing the ICT sector in the Kingdom. Furthermore, he congratulated him for recently receiving the ‘ICT in Sustainable Development' Award by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). He added that today, the international community looks upon Bahrain as one of the advanced countries - standing side-by-side with other nations in the ICT sector. Owing to the government's support and the SCICT's follow-up; the Kingdom was capable of surpassing these countries by providing cutting-edge as well as highly-efficient eServices which reflected citizens' directions towards electronic utilization. Such outcome resulted in the increase of customer satisfaction index concerning offered public services. He continued to say that the GCC countries have achieved remarkable accomplishments in this sector as they noticeably succeeded doing so during a record time. Moreover, the high ranks of the GCC states enabled them to leave a stamp on the international arena – grabbing the attention of all other countries. As a result of such endeavors and persistent efforts, several initiatives and significant achievements coincided with the visions and aspirations of the GCC leaders and heads. "I have witnessed positive changes and great improvements in Bahrain as well as the region which had achieved remarkable UN rankings within the recent reports," said European Commission Joint Research Centre Senior Scientist Dr. Gianluca Misuraca. He also touched upon the European Union's experiences, its new trends as well as the collaboration and GCC advancements within the eGovernment sector. He also highlighted how such collaboration together with the implementation of new trends have improved each of the member states' competences within this field. H.H. Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak AlKhalifa honored the winners of the GCC eGovernment Award 2015. Categories included Best eGovernment Website that awarded the winning projects ‘National Centre for Statistics Website' by the National Center for Statistics & Information from Sultanate of Oman; ‘Ministry of Health Website' project by Bahrain's Ministry of Health; along with ‘Safe Space' by the Ministry of Information & Communications Technology participating from Qatar. The Best eGovernment Integrated Services – Individual/ Business Sector category was seized by the sole winning project ‘Sanad' submitted by AlRaffd Fund from Oman. The Best eGovernment Service for Business Sector category was won by three winning projects – ‘Dubai Trade' by Dubai Trade of Dubai Customs from United Arab Emirates (UAE); ‘Invest Easy' by the Ministry of Commerce & Trade from Oman; along with the ‘Business Licensing Integrated System' project by the Ministry of Industry & Commerce from the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Best eGovernment eService category encompassed the ‘Ministry of Youth and Sports Services' project by the Ministry of Youth & Sports Affairs, participating from Bahrain; the ‘Commercial License Registration Renewal and Update' project contributed by the Ministry of Trade & Commerce from Saudi Arabia; together with the ‘Self Service Machines – Kiosks' project by Public Prosecutor from Qatar. ‘Bayanati' project by the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, participating from the United Arab Emirates was the first of two winners in the category Best Government-to-Government eService; in addition to the ‘National Payment Aggregator' project submitted by the Informatics & eGovernment Authority from Bahrain. The category ‘Best Practice in Community eParticipation' comprised three winners of ‘Public Authority for Consumer Protection' by the Public Authority for Consumer Protection from the Sultanate of Oman; ‘eParticipation' project by the Ministry of Interior from the UAE, as well as the ‘Sahem Fi AlTashree' project presented by the entity Kuwait National Assembly from Kuwait. The Best Application for Smart Devices category involved four winners – ‘Darb' by the Department of Transport – Abu Dhabi from UAE; ‘Metrash 2' by the Ministry of Interior from Qatar; ‘Ministry of Interior' app by Kuwait's Ministry of Interior; as well as ‘Safeer Mobile App' by the Ministry of Education from Saudi Arabia. ‘Monafasat' by the Ministry of Finance from Saudi Arabia was the first winner in the category Best Whole-of-Government National eProject; the ‘Personal Hub' by the Royal Oman Police from Oman; ‘Center for Digital Innovation' project by UAE's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority; accompanied by the ‘Kuwait Information Network' project from Kuwait's Central Agency for Information Technology. The Deputy Prime Ministry has also inaugurated the accompanied exhibition which included the participation of 18 government entities which sought to exhibit their experiences and projects in the eGovernment sector in a variety of specializations, with the attendance of VIPs and visitors. The first day of the event included conference sessions covered by the ‘Glance at eGovernment Development on the European Union' by Dr. Misuraca, ‘Business Licensing Integrated System' by Bahrain, Saudi Arabia's ‘Justice Portal', UAE's ‘Dubai's Smart Training Initiative', Oman's ‘Community Participation of Omani Shura', Qatar's ‘Mawared Program', and Kuwait's ‘GCC Environmental Portal'.

11 February 2015

ITA – Oman LNG ink a deal

In line with the Information Technology Authority (ITA) efforts in eTransformation, a delegation from ITA headed by Dr. Salim Sultan Al Ruzaiqi, CEO of ITA, visited USA last week to benefit from their best practices in eGovernment field. The visit also aimed at discussing ways of cooperation between the Sultanate and the United Nations (UN) represented by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Statistics Division of the Organization and the World Bank. The delegation was briefed on the experience of the United Stated in several related areas, including open data, eParticipation and smart cities. The visit also included a series of meetings with senior officials of the organization, including the United Nations team who is assessing the eGovernment development, in order to discuss the United Nations eGovernment Survey Report. Dr. Salim Al Ruzaiqi delivered a presentation at the World Bank Headquarters, on the Sultanate's strategic vision of using ICTs as a key enabler of economic diversification and transition to a knowledge-based economy, as reflected in the Oman Digital Society and e-Government Strategy (e.oman). On the visit agenda, the delegation met with the Center for Technology in Government in New York, the team responsible for studying the contribution of ICT in the GDP and national income. They also met with the officials in the   New York Open Government Data, as it's a pioneering experience in the field of eGovernment.

11 February 2015

Kuwait: Central Agency for Information Technology participate in an exhibition of Independence 54

Central Agency for Information Technology participate in an exhibition of Independence 54, during the period from February 9 to 13, 2015 in the International Fairgrounds - Mishref within the country's National Day and Eid liberation amid a gathering of national bodies and institutions of government and the private sector to review the stages of its various activities and events, and their contributions to the making and the development history Kuwait civilization.

28 March 2016

MEC Mobile App to Establish Companies Online

The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) has launched a new mobile service that enables the establishment of companies online, through its mobile application. The service is available on both iPhone and Android devices under the name MEC_QATAR. The service enables investors to establish companies online at any time or from anywhere in the world. The new service, MEC said, is part of a number of smart-phone applications provided by the ministry in order to improve business processes in Qatar as well as streamline and speed-up business incorporation procedures thereby promoting Qatar's business and investment environment. To read more, please visit this link.

28 March 2016

MMUP Updates Qatar National Digital Maps

The Center of Geographic Information Systems at Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning (MMUP) has declared that it is implementing Qatar National Digital Maps Project 2016-2018. The project is regularly accomplished every 3 -5 years as the contract has already signed with the responsible company to conduct the aerial surveys last month. The purpose of the project is to update for the digital topographical data, digital dimensions model, production of vertical and inclined accurate aerial pictures, and 3D model for towns and updated satellite images if needed. The first project stage comprises, aerial surveys, extracting digital dimension's model through usage of (Lidar) technology that provides accurate measurements for heights and considered as main factor to extract 3D model for buildings and installations during the second phase of the project.

28 March 2016

MoJ Launches e-Program for Real Estate Valuation

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has launched real estate valuation program for a trial period of one month as part of the development project of real estate registration and documentation systems (Sakk). After the set period, the program, which involves technical and legal real estate valuation restrictions, will come into force to provide traders with the approximate value of real estate prices. The program calculates the estimated value of the property according to a set of standards that can be later modified by the user. It also allows the beneficiary to appraise the property by entering its number (Bond No.) and the specific data in valuation application entries. The program enables users as well to modify entered data, calculate the estimated value of the property and view property map through (Enwani) link in the application when valuating using property number.

28 March 2016

MoLSA Launches Three New e-Services

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MoLSA) have launched three new e-services on its website for recruitment offices and Gulf Cooperation Council citizens. MoLSA enables such offices to review and follow up complaints filed against them and know reason and result of the complaint. The services provided for GCC citizens include work permit request for those sponsored by their relatives. Users can know their work permits and its end dates. MoLSA also provides e-services for the companies to enable them to follow new requests submitted to Labor Department and know their statuses (Approved, Refused or Visiting Labor Dept. in case of Qatariztion).

28 March 2016

New online system to connect Qatar's diplomatic missions

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) signed an agreement with Ooredoo yesterday to connect its diplomatic missions worldwide through a safe online system. As per the agreement, Ooredoo will build the MoFA Global Network (MGN), an initiative to connect more than 100 Qatari diplomatic missions around the world with their headquarters in Doha. MoFA staff in those offices will have access to IP telephony and video conferencing, in addition to WAN acceleration for better application performance, ensuring that no matter how remote and underdeveloped the area they operate in is, they remain connected. Saif Al Kuwari, Director of the Department of Information Systems and Technology at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: "The MoFA Global Network is a landmark initiative from the Government of the State of Qatar, being led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to ensure that our diplomatic missions are supported by a world-class communication and connectivity solution. As Qatar's profile continues to grow on the world stage, we are implementing cutting-edge infrastructure to ensure that all our teams can stay in-touch and receive and share information, updates and advice from their different territories." To read more, please visit this link.

11 February 2015

Oman: ITA boost cooperation with UN in eGovernment field

In line with the Information Technology Authority (ITA) efforts in eTransformation, a delegation from ITA headed by Dr. Salim Sultan Al Ruzaiqi, CEO of ITA, visited USA last week to benefit from their best practices in eGovernment field. The visit also aimed at discussing ways of cooperation between the Sultanate and the United Nations (UN) represented by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Statistics Division of the Organization and the World Bank. The delegation was briefed on the experience of the United Stated in several related areas, including open data, eParticipation and smart cities. The visit also included a series of meetings with senior officials of the organization, including the United Nations team who is assessing the eGovernment development, in order to discuss the United Nations eGovernment Survey Report. Dr. Salim Al Ruzaiqi delivered a presentation at the World Bank Headquarters, on the Sultanate's strategic vision of using ICTs as a key enabler of economic diversification and transition to a knowledge-based economy, as reflected in the Oman Digital Society and e-Government Strategy (e.oman). On the visit agenda, the delegation met with the Center for Technology in Government in New York, the team responsible for studying the contribution of ICT in the GDP and national income. They also met with the officials in the New York Open Government Data, as it's a pioneering experience in the field of eGovernment.

28 April 2015

Online fancy car numbers auction set

Online auction for some special car numbers begins tomorrow, the Traffic Department has said. The auction through Metrash2 will begin at noon and continue until Thursday 10pm, the department said on its Twitter account. Bidding will start from QR100,000 and participants, as per rules, are required to make a deposit of QR20,000 as insurance.

28 April 2021

Qatar makes progress on e-Government targets

The Steering Committee tasked with implementing the Qatar e-Government 2020 Strategy has made "significant" progress in fulfilling its scheduled targets, review meetings have found. Chaired by HE the Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Dr Hessa Sultan al-Jaber, the latest review meetings were held by the committee over the past two weeks with HE the Finance  Minister, Ali Sherif al-Emadi, HE the Minister of Development Planning and Statistics, Dr Saleh Mohamed Salem al-Nabit, and HE the Minister of Public Health, Abdullah bin Khalid al-Qahtani. After the sessions, it has been agreed to establish joint task work groups, under the committee's supervision, to step up the pace of project implementation. The Qatar e-Government 2020 Steering Committee briefed the ministers on the progress in implementing the Qatar e-Government 2020 Strategy, the projects that have been done and others underway. The meetings reviewed project status, recommendations for each ministry's projects, challenges confronted and ways to overcome them. The ministers hailed the progress made on Qatar eGOV2020 and efforts being exerted by the committee to move on to the next levels, and placed emphasis on meeting the project timelines. HE Minister of Planning and Statistics, Dr al-Nabit, stressed the importance of vital projects drawn in the strategy and means to take advantage of the online data. They also stressed importance of co-ordination between all government entities to translate projects into reality and the need to conform to the best international practices. Established by the Cabinet in September 2013, the Qatar eGOV2020 Steering Committee developed the Qatar e-Government 2020 Strategy in February 2014, which was officially released in May of that year. The strategy is designed to benefit everyone including the members of the public, whether they are citizens, residents or visitors. All will be able to access e-Government services that are simple, secure, and available anytime, anywhere. "Qatar's population is expected to reach 2.5mn by 2022, and the government places a high priority on meeting the needs of people in Qatar, and making the best use of rapidly changing technology, now and in the future," a committee statement said. Once the strategy is implemented businesses and private organizations will find it easier, simpler, and faster to register and operate a business. Qatar's strategy for economic diversification relies on creating the right environment for investment and businesses, and removing any barriers to doing business, so that the economy can continue to grow and develop. By putting in place the measures recommended by the committee, government entities will be confident they are providing better services to people and businesses, are more efficient, and are achieving better overall outcomes for the nation. The result is savings in public administration due to e-Government, and time savings to citizens and other users. Beyond cost and time savings, e-Government also creates greater transparency and higher-quality outcomes.

28 March 2016

Qatar to Bring Key Govt Services Online by 2020

Qatar is on track to achieving its target of bringing all key government services online by 2020, a new report has revealed. According to a research report released by the Ministry of Transport and Communications on Sunday, 681 government services were online as of December 2015 and the number is expected to rise to 1,000 by the end of 2016. In fact, IT executives in Qatar believe that the use of information and communications technologies by the government has improved the quality of services to citizens significantly.   To read more, please visit this link.

28 March 2016

"Sakk" e-Portal Launched

HE Minister of Justice Dr. Hassan bin Lahdan Al Muhannadi inaugurated "Sakk" legal web portal as a part of the first phase of developing the infra-structure of legal documentation at the State of Qatar.  HE the Minister oversaw the first electronic transaction. The portal provides 14 different online documentation services. In the near future, the ministry will add 16 different real estate registration services. Commenting on the launch, HE the Minister said it comes in the context of the directives of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to facilitate government services to citizens. To read more, please visit this link.

28 March 2016

SCH Launches Qatar National Formulary Online

The Supreme Council of Health (SCH) has launched the first Qatar National Formulary (QNF), a digital format about the information of the medicines approved in the country. The QNF will enable physicians, clinical staff and the general public to access the latest information, through the website, on more than 4,800 medicines available in the country. The QNF features a medication guide that reports on adverse effects of medicines. There is provision for online reporting of adverse drug reaction, as a member of World Health Organization's Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC). Located in Uppsala, Sweden, the UMC is the field name for the WHO Collaborating Centre for International Drug Monitoring. To read more, please visit this link.

28 March 2016

Seven Traffic Services Go Online

The Ministry of Interior (MoI) is offering seven traffic-related services online from next month in an attempt to simplify as well as speed up procedures. Lt Colonel Jamal Mohammed al-Shraim, assistant director of the Traffic and Road Safety Engineering Department of the General Directorate of Traffic at MoI, said the services include request for street closure, use of parking space, request for private parking, vehicle stickers, commercial license and construction/ removal of speed humps. According to Shraim, the new services are part of MoI's efforts to switch to paperless transactions. From February, companies can submit their requests to the traffic department on MoI's website as well as on the Hukoomi portal. He said the Information Systems Department will facilitate the conduct of these transactions electronically. Captain Engineer Mohammed Misfer al-Hajiri, head of the traffic planning section of the Traffic and Road Safety Engineering Department, said more e-services will be launched in the next six months. These include services for people with disabilities and truck permits. "From the beginning of next month, use of paper will be stopped and companies will be able to request services only online. It is much easier for individuals to submit requests online than by visiting the department," he said. He said some steps have to be taken to avail of these services, including activation of the smart ID card, getting a smart ID card reader from approved shops listed on the website and registration for Metrash service. These services can be best accessed on browsers such as Firefox, Google Chrome and Explorer 8 along with downloading Java plugin software version 7.0 and later versions.

28 April 2015

Supply Services to be Provided Online

Al Sharq has learned that the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) is improving the Central Tenders Committee (CTC) services by transforming its supply services to online ones. The CTC is implementing this project according to the defined work phases to provide all these services through the ministry's website and without the need for citizens to attend to CTC. Users may activate the required service by entering their personal information, depending on the quantity of supplies.

25 November 2015

The GCC eGovernment Conference

Held under the patronage of HRH the Prime Minister, The GCC eGovernment Conference Showcases and Discusses the Most Prominent Successful Experiences in the Public Service Sector   Held under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman AlKhalifa the Prime Minister on 25th & 26th November; organized by Information and eGovernment Authority, the upcoming 4th GCC eGovernment Award, Conference and Exhibition 2015 encompasses a highly-esteemed collection of GCC speakers representing diverse sectors in the fields of eGovernment and public service. Thru the event, speakers will discuss the most prominent projects and modern trends; while showcasing a set of successful experiences - with the attendance of IT-specialized employees in the government sector within the GCC states.   During the conference, a total number of 14 topics and work papers will primarily highlight the most important GCC eGovernment-related matters that are represented in Big and Smart Data, Integration of Environmental Information to Support Regional Decision-Making, Government Shared Services, and Smart Social Media; along with the presentation of GCC experiences in the eGovernment field across a range of sectors such as justice, social development and many others.   This year's edition is distinctive as it will embrace the exchange of experiences by staging two key topics from each GCC country during the two-day event. The Kingdom of Bahrain will be presenting the Business Licensing Integrated System (BLIS) by Mr. Hameed Rahma Assistant Undersecretary for Domestic Trade, together with the National Suggestions and Complaints System ‘Tawasul' by Mr. Mohammed Abdulaziz Abdullah, Acting Director of eService Delivery and Channel Enhancement. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will present The Justice Portal by both Chief Information Officer Mr. Majed AlOthman and Senior System Analyst Mr. Turki Khotani, while Strategy & Technology Consultant Mr. Mohammad Aseeri will showcase the Big Data between Motion & Technique paper. United Arab Emirates is also eager to present Dubai's Smart Training Initiative paper by Senior Manager of Excellence Initiatives for Dubai Governmental Excellence Program Mr. Hazza AlNeaimi, followed by Cloud Service Manager Mr. Ahmed AlSalman's paper on Smart Cloud of the UAE Government paper.   Oman's speaker Mr. Said AlMashani, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Communication & Public Relations, will present the Community Participation of Omani Shura paper; while National Digital Certification Center Acting Director Mr. Yahya AlAzri will present the Electronic Authentication Use through Mobiles paper. From Qatar, Director of Human Resource Information System Ms. Noora AlNeaimi will showcase the Mawared Program; along with Senior Level Government Manager Mr. Walid Galal presenting the paper Discover the Benefits of Government Shared Services. Kuwait will be presented by Dr. Mohammad AlAhmad, Deputy Director General for Environmental Monitoring Affairs, within the GCC Environmental Portal session; whereas the Online Social Loan Service session presented by Chief Information Officer Mr. Tariq AlUsaimi.   "Work is underway to complete the remaining preparations of hosting our regional neighboring countries in their second home, the Kingdom of Bahrain; to participate in the conference and highlight the most significant local initiatives being implemented in the GCC countries along with the various advanced initiatives in order to boost the quality of government services provided to citizens," said Organizing Committee Chairman of the 4th GCC eGovernment Award, Conference and Exhibition 2015 Director of Awareness & Marketing Directorate at the Information & eGovernment Authority Mr. Fahad Isa Al Qadhi.   The GCC eGovernment Award, Conference and Exhibition is held once every two years in one of the GCC states. It was first hosted in the Sultanate of Oman in 2009, followed by Kuwait in 2011, then United Arab Emirates in 2013. The award is considered as a tool in encouraging and promoting positive competition among countries to present the best services for users. The conference is also weighted as a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences amongst participating countries as well as execute strategies and programs related to eGovernment. Moreover, it is measured as a tool to enrich mutual relations amongst countries as well as cooperatively contribute in setting future developments that aim at advancing joint GCC initiatives so as to serve citizens of this region. 

06 December 2015

The GCC eGovernment Conference is Concluded

The 4th GCC eGovernment Award, Conference and Exhibition 2015, under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa – the Prime Minister, was concluded on Thursday (26th November) with the attendance of more than 750 participants from all over the GCC countries - joining the Opening Ceremony and conference sessions held in the course of two-days. Day two of the event embraced seven plenary sessions alongside a Panel Discussion of the six GCC eGovernment Heads – moderated by Dr. Zakareya Ahmed Al-Khaja from Bahrain's Informatics & eGovernment Authority. A number of topics, related to the eGovernment's role in the national economy, were covered during the discussion; highlighting how the public has built its confidence in eGovernment and the extent of the eGovernment's steadiness in competing on an international level thanks to its future projects. During the discussion, UAE's Information & eGovernment Sector Acting Deputy Director General Mr. Salem Al-Hosani stated that even though the current situation is directed towards reducing costs, such reduction should not be on the expense of providing services to citizens; instead, services must remain on very high standards. Mr. Mohammed Ali Al-Qaed, from Bahrain's Informatics & eGovernment Authority, confirmed the importance of working on developing the governmental services through Business Process Re-Engineering and operations of governmental entities, in order to effectively reduce costs. Dr. AbdulRahman bin Sulaiman Al-Eraini; Saudi Arabia Advisor to the Minister of Communications & IT and Director General of eGovernment Program; stressed on the importance of investing in IT in line with other fields such as health and education sectors. He also mentioned that 70% of ICT investments are being spent on equipments while it is required to focus the spending on other areas such as re-engineering and enhancing the innovation role. Oman's Chief Executive Officer of Information Technology Authority Dr. Salim Al Ruzaiqi stated that each GCC country own comprehensive strategies, that not only focus on providing online services but also consider the awareness area and citizen's capacity building. Qatar's ICT Government Programs Assistant Undersecretary Hassan AlSayed stated that in order to obtain the citizen's trust in utilizing the eGovernment services, it is required to eliminate the traditional methods. Kuwait's Central Agency for Information Technology Deputy General Director Ms. Majida Al-Naqeeb highlighted the methods utilized in Kuwait to gain citizens' trust in online services through allowing easy obtaining of information and payment services. Second day of the event commenced with the ‘Big Data' session presented by Gartner Inc. Research Director Mr. Joao Tapadinhas, followed by United Arab Emirates' ‘Smart Cloud' session, then Qatar's ‘Discover the Benefits of Government Shared Services', ‘Electronic Authentication Use through Mobiles' by Oman, ‘Big Data between the Notion and Technique' by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait's ‘Online Social Loan' session, and finally with Bahrain's ‘Business Licensing Integrated System'. At the conclusion of the sessions, Recommendation Committee proposed several recommendations which will be raised to the GCC eGovernment Executive Committee so as to follow-up on their executions, going in line with the achievements of policies and strategies of the member states. In the accompanied exhibition; the stands of the 18 participating governmental entities from the GCC countries, showcased the most prominent experiences and electronic projects. Such attempt enhances the exchange of expertise among the GCC countries in the eGovernment field.

28 April 2021

Two New Services Launched at Engineers Committee

The Information Systems Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning (MMUP) announced the launch of two new services, in coordination with the Engineers & Engineering Offices Accrediting & Classifying Committee, namely the grievances service and the registration and follow-up service of engineers' accreditation by the Engineers & Engineering Offices Accrediting & Classifying Committee. Users can benefit from the two services by submitting their grievances requests through the MMUP website, then following up their requests and the actions taken. The two services are part of the bundle of services related to the committee on the MMUP website to ease and accelerate the completion of the committee-related services.

23 March 2015

West Bay free transport smart cards distributed

The Ministry of Transport started issuing smartcards for the free West Bay shuttle bus service launched by the Ministry last year in a bid to overcome traffic jams, facilitate travel of commuters and resolve car park problems in that area. Smartcards are being issued to employees of the Ministries of Justice and Municipality and Urban Planning, Public Works Authority (Ashghal) and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy. The Ministry of Transport considers this move as part of a campaign promoting the use of public transport as an alternative to single occupancy private and taxi vehicles. The Ministry hopes the service, will help customers visiting shopping malls and various ministries, government agencies and service departments spreading in the Towers Zone, and enable them complete their transactions and services in shorter time. Although the service is free of charge, passengers must use Karwa smartcards to take the shuttle buses so that the ministry can collect and analyze data on the service. The Ministry pointed out that the cards may also be used for other public transport buses provided they are topped up at Karwa smartcard outlets, Ooredoo or at the main bus stations. It is worth noting that the Ministry has widened shuttle bus road lanes at West Bay to improve services for visitors and residents of the area. The shuttle service works on 2 routes, dubbed the red line and the blue line. The blue line starts from Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex and travels along the International Convention Center, the Towers Zone, Ministry of Justice, Ashghal, Sheraton Hotel, the Hotels Area up to City Center and back to Khalifa Tennis Complex. The red line starts from the General Post Office and goes to the Hotels Area, the ministries opposite City Center and back to the Car park at the General Post Office. The Ministry aims to make public transport more efficient and attractive with the understanding that public transport contributes positively to the economy, and that sustainable transport will eventually improve upcoming generations' quality of life and achieve environmental justice. The Ministry is keen to promote a culture of public transport in densely populated areas through diversification of convenient and comfortable services for residents and visitors. The Ministry strives to implant the concept of sustainable transport as a safe solution that helps avoiding congestions and traffic jams, and facilitates transactions for customers at the ministries and banks located in West Bay.

28 March 2016

MoFA Information Systems and Technology Gets ISO Certification

The Information Systems and Technology at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has obtained the ISO 27001 Certification in Information Security Management System (ISMS). Such an achievement is a culmination of the efforts being exerted in order to improve the technical aspects in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the certificate documents the functions of Information Technology functions within the Ministry in the areas of development, implementation, operation, monitoring, review, maintaining information security systems as part of a continuous risk management process and providing maximum protection for the information. To read more, please visit this link.

28 March 2016

Mowasalat launches Karwa taxi app

Mowasalat has launched a Karwa taxi app, which is free to download for both IOS and Android devices. A ride can be requested with a single click, and the customer gets picked up by the nearest taxi in the shortest period. A booking can also be made for future or for immediate pickup. It is also possible to rate one's trips, including driver, vehicle and overall service. Each service provider's performance is linked to trips ratings. "I have to thank the team Karwa Solutions, in accomplishing this landmark service with the cooperation and collaboration of Mowasalat's Karwa taxi operations, Karwa Taxi Management office and our four franchise taxi operators," Mowasalat CEO, Khalid Al Hail, said. "Today we are operating around 4000 taxi with four franchise operators on board, which will go up to 7000 taxi with more franchise operators joining. We envisage our company to grow in the future and become a shareholding company with IPO plans. Through franchise, we have given taxi license to four more operators to increase growth in taxi fleet and services," he added. To read more, please visit this link.

23 March 2015

U.A.E: Shaikh Mohammed attends launch of GEMS Education initiative

Shaikh Mohammed was briefed on the first of its kind initiative in the region. His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has attended the launch of GEMS Education, an initiative by The Arab Innovation Centre for Education, on the sideline of the 3rd Government Summit 2015, running from February 9 to 11. Shaikh Mohammed was briefed on the first of its kind initiative in the region, in the presence of Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, and Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the Organising Committee of Government Summit. The Arab Innovation Centre will offer a platform for research to promote international best practices in the field of innovation and education and will incubate emerging business projects developed by UAE nationals in the education sector. It will also serve as an environment that allows young Emiratis and GEMS students, interested in the education field to showcase their entrepreneurship skills as well as the practical implementation of their ideas. The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, last year announced 2015 as the "Year of innovation", in line with plans to make the country a world leader in the field which will help boost research, attract national skills, and develop future leaders in the UAE.

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