Dubai government to end paper transactions in 2021 – Crown Prince

The government of Dubai will stop issuing paper transactions from 2021, as the emirate moves into its next phase in sustainable development with the Smart Dubai 2021 initiative.

Launched by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, the initiative will seek to build on the achievements of the Dubai Smart City project, launched three years ago by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

A key aspect of the initiative will be the end to paper transactions for Dubai government as of 2021, building on the current move towards digital transactions.

“While we’ve already seen a great shift towards digital government transactions, I believe that the future of government will be entirely paper free,” said Sheikh Hamdan at the launch.

“The government of the future will set plans and strategies to ensure the best possible standards of living for people and to save them time and effort. In 2021, we will celebrate the very last paper transaction in Dubai, and Smart Dubai will see to it that we achieve this mission,” he added.

Speaking at the Future-Now event at Dubai Design District, Sheikh Hamdan also launched the Dubai Pulse platform, which will host all of Dubai government’s data and serve as the backbone of its shift towards smart development.

The Crown Prince described it as the “backbone of Dubai’s transformation and shift towards smart technologies” and ordered all government departments to begin populating the platform with their data as of today (Sunday).

“Throughout history, information has been key to our lives as human beings, allowing us to communicate with others ­– be they individuals of communities,” he said.

“Today, in the era of big data, it is essential to have a central platform to house all of the government’s data – a platform that taps into the potential of artificial intelligence to spread happiness among people. This is the only option for countries that want to remain relevant and build infrastructure that meets the needs of the future. This is why we launched Dubai Pulse.”

The platform will compile all available data in both the public and private sectors, providing access for the first time to live and up-to-date data about the city.

It includes three layers of data – the first catering to the public and being free of charge, the second offering a thorough analysis of the data in exchange for a fee, and the third being data accessible exclusively to Dubai Government entities.

The four-year Smart Dubai 2021 plan covers infrastructure, legislation and applications that the Dubai Smart Office and its affiliates have been successful in achieving in the course of the past three years. It represents the move into the next level of smart transformation, in line with the requirements of the Dubai 10X initiative and the UAE Centennial 2071.

“Today, we mark the beginning of new phase – Smart Dubai 2021 – that revolves around challenging ourselves and surpassing our own previous achievements,” added Sheikh Hamdan.

“We are looking to build a truly smart city – one that will use technology as the key to a balanced and happy life.”