Dubai, October 10, 2019 – Smart Dubai has concluded another successful participation in GITEX Technology Week, where its pavilion at the 2019 edition was host to 13 presentations, 13 signing ceremonies for MoUs, a book launch, and several high-profile visits.

Bearing the theme ‘From Paper to Paperless’, Smart Dubai’s display at this year’s edition of the event – held on October 6-10, 2019, at the Dubai World Trade Centre – showcases the emirate’s strategies, services, and initiatives that expedite the shift towards a paperless government, making Dubai a world leader in the smart city sector. This is in line with the Dubai Paperless Strategy 2021, launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, in February 2018 to digitise all internal and external government transactions, rendering them 100% paperless.

So far, 15 Dubai Government entities have successfully reduced their consumption of paper by 74 million pieces a year, saving 3.5 million hours and AED335 million in the process. A total of 25 government entities have now joined the effort, pledging to cut their paper consumption in the near future. In line with its efforts to implement the Strategy’s second pillar, Smart Dubai showcased an ecosystem of smart, integrated services at GITEX via the DubaiNow application, which now offers 88 services through integrated customer journeys, and has helped reduce the number of times individuals need to travel to customer service centres annually from 23 to 9, saving 28 hours per year.

Another initiative in the limelight this year was UAEPASS, the national digital identity platform, launched in October 2018 in partnership with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) and the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA), which now embeds 89 services offered by 58 different entities across the UAE. UAEPASS allows citizens, residents (and soon, visitors) to access government and private-sector services through secure mobile-based authentication on the UAEPASS app. It also boasts a digital signature feature, which allows users to digitally and remotely sign official documents at any time using their smartphones.

Smart Dubai collaborated with 47 government and private-sector entities in Dubai, as well as several private-sector institutions, who took part in the forum under its umbrella and exhibited ground-breaking smart government services.

“GITEX Technology Week is a leading event that has cemented Dubai’s international status as a leader in advanced technologies, shedding light on the emirate’s unique experience with digital transformation,” said Smart Dubai’s Director General Her Excellency Dr Aisha Bint Butti Bin Bishr. “We now draw the curtain on an eventful week full of success and achievements we were happy to witness here at our Smart Dubai pavilion, in partnership with 47 government and private-sector partners, who put forth ambitious projects to drive Dubai’s mission to become the world’s happiest and smartest city.”

“We reiterate our commitment to maintaining close cooperation with all entities to promote smart technologies in the Emirate of Dubai, in a way that unmistakably improves people’s everyday lives,” H.E. Dr Aisha concluded.

Smart Dubai’s pavilion at GITEX Technology Week 2019 welcomed multiple official delegations from all seven emirates and including both the public and private sectors, as well as prominent delegates from the region and the world.

In addition, the pavilion hosted 10 international delegations from around the world, including a Japanese delegation from Daihatsu, a Chinese delegation from several private companies, as well as groups from Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Singapore, New York, the UK, the UN, France (led by H.E. Ambassador of France in the UAE), and a delegation from Auto X.

As many as 13 MoUs were signed at the Smart Dubai pavilion in GITEX where various government and private entities pledged support and partnership to other participating entities to work together, develop advanced smart services and projects, and improve the wellbeing and happiness of the community. Of these agreements, 3 were signed directly by Smart Dubai, namely, with the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), with Software AG, and with the Government of Ajman.

Furthermore, the Smart Dubai team led 6 presentations at the pavilion, covering various services and programmes offered by Smart Dubai, including Smart Supplier, Smart Path, ‘Data First: The City’s Data Challenge’, the artificial-intelligence-powered city concierge ‘Rashid’, dynamic request in Government Resource Planning Systems (GRPS), and the national digital identity platform UAEPASS. This in addition to a panel discussion featuring Happiness Champions from various Dubai Government entities who discussed ‘Designing Cities’. The stand hosted a total of 13 presentations featuring representatives from the various partners taking part in GITEX under the Smart Dubai umbrella.

Last but not least, the pavilion hosted a book launch for Digital Nation, which discusses how the UAE is building a future for the country, backed by technology innovation. It includes interviews with executives and directors-general from various government and semi-government entities in the UAE. Smart Dubai then concluded its participation at GITEX Technology Week with an Awarding Ceremony for participants in the exhibition.

With more than 4,800 exhibitors and speakers from around the world, GITEX Technology Week 2019’s full agenda of seminars, workshops, and displays generated over 290 hours of content. This year’s programme was divided into several subcategories, each delving into one area of emerging and advanced tech and exploring it in-depth. These included the game-changing 5G technology, Future Mobility, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Smart Cities, in addition to the first-ever GITEX Awards.