GITEX 2020 Dubai: Government entities forge deals, highlight innovative projects on last day

Dubai: Several government entities forged important deals and highlighted their innovative projects as the 40th GITEX Technology Week came to a close here on Thursday.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), met several officials from local and international organisations to enhance cooperation in the energy and water sectors. Al Tayer met Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director-General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) and head of the UAE Digital Government. They discussed the role of digital tools in achieving a more agile and resilient government and also discussed the role of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and cloud platforms in their projects and initiatives.

Al Tayer discussed with Sayed Hashish, regional general manager of Microsoft Gulf, new quantum-based solutions that will address energy optimisation and conservation. He also met Charles Yang, president of Huawei Middle East, to enhance strategic cooperation between DEWA and Huawei.

National projects and initiatives

TRA showcased its national projects and initiatives at the event. It also provided updates on its Digital Identity project, Digital Signature, Data Vault and digital payment solutions that will be used for government services.

Al Mansoori said: “At the conclusion of GITEX Technology Week 2020, I would like to congratulate the government entities in the Digital Government Stand for the success of this edition, which happened under exceptional circumstances. This year’s edition represented a milestone in the history of this global event and in the history of our beloved country. Next year, we will celebrate the golden jubilee of our blessed union and these exceptional days will be just a memory that motivated us to accelerate the pace towards the application of digital technologies to serve people and achieve development for all.”

Dubai Customs showcases information security

At the event, Dubai Customs showcased its competence in dealing with cybersecurity challenges. “The growing cyber attacks during the first half of 2020 is related to the shifts caused by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Adel Al Housani, manager of Information Security Section at Dubai Customs, said. “Most countries are now relying more on technology to conduct their business and other activities. We witness more demand for virtual meetings and a more active online market and services sector,” he added.

Al Housani pointed out that Dubai Customs’ recently-developed information security platform Aman (safety) aims to raise awareness around information security among its employees. “It is not the responsibility only of a certain department or section. It is everybody’s responsibility to be aware of these threats and how to deal with them,” he underlined.

MoHAP and MoJ collaborate on e-marriage contract

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) announced that it will collaborate with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to document and finalise the E-marriage contract, by establishing an electronic link to share the premarital screening and counselling reports that will ensure a couple’s privacy and data secrecy.

Justice Dr Saeed Ali Bahbouh Al Naqbi, Acting Undersecretary at the Ministry of Justice, noted that the e-marriage system is completely paperless and has become fully operational at all federal courts across the country.

Ali Al-Ajmi, director of MoHAP’s Health Information Systems Department, added: “Our partnership with MoJ steps up the joint efforts to automate services and help obtain accurate information and statistics.”

Latest health projects

MoHAP also showcased its latest services and smart initiatives, including linking the National Ambulance with hospitals to automate patient data and activate the electronic early-warning system.

Another project was the ‘Reaya App’ intended to provide the necessary follow-up for confirmed and suspected COVID-19 cases through communication between the physician and patient during isolation periods. MoHAP also developed the ‘Telemedicine Project’ to ensure the safety of community members, limit health hazards and save the effort of commuting between hospitals and outpatient clinics.

MoHAP also highlighted its e-system for filing medical and administrative complaints against private health facilities. The ministry showcased the ‘SHEFAA’ and ‘Wareed’ systems that cover all MoHAP centres and hospitals in a single network.

Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi Social Support Authority (ADSSA) updated its social support application process that will help shorten the time to process applications by 50 per cent.

More smart projects

Smart Dubai launched a number of new projects during GITEX, including ‘Dubai Registers’ that is aimed at building a network of accurate, reliable and interconnected database. It also introduced the ‘Leadership Dashboard for Government Resources’ for financial, contractual and human-resource-related government data.

Another notable launch this year was the ‘Future of Work’ report that looked at the evolving structural changes in the way humans work and source talent. Smart Dubai also released the Arabic edition of its popular book ‘Digital Nation: How the United Arab Emirates is building a future based on tech innovation’, published in collaboration with authors Dr Saeed K. Aldhaheri and Ranjit Rajan. Smart Dubai also launched Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) and the City Simulation Dashboard, a data-powered dashboard designed to help estimate the potential growth or decline of COVID-19 cases in Dubai based on simulations, showing how policy changes may affect the mobility of people across different places in the emirate.

Looking ahead

Younus Al Nasser, Smart Dubai assistant director general and CEO of Dubai Data Establishment, noted: “Throughout these trying times, technology has demonstrated that it is capable of addressing the challenges. As countries went into lockdowns and social distancing became imperative, demand for remote communication, e-commerce and [smart] payment technologies skyrocketed. UAE and Dubai proved particularly successful in that regard, reaffirming our leadership in advanced technologies. We have every confidence that the UAE will lead the world in bouncing back from this situation.”

Wesam Lootah, CEO of the Smart Dubai Government Establishment, added: “We are happy to be ending the year on a high note with another successful edition of the GITEX Technology Week. We look forward to further cooperation with all of our partners and other stakeholders to further drive Dubai’s smart transformation and embrace technology that positively affects people’s everyday life. This gives us great hope for the year ahead.”