Smart Dubai announces details on Strategic Affairs Council’s decision to mandate UAE PASS as the only digital identity to access Dubai Government Services

Mohamed Nass - Dubai - Smart Dubai has announced details regarding the recent decision issued by the Strategic Affairs Council – part of The Executive Council of Dubai – to mandate UAE PASS as the only digital identity to be used by citizens and residents to access government services in Dubai.

Smart Dubai had put in motion an initiative called "The Digital Future", developed as part of its 100-day plan for the "Government Development Track" – one of the six tracks announced by the Dubai Council, which was inaugurated at the beginning of 2020 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The initiative expedites the adoption of UAE PASS by citizens and residents, which will pave the way for a digital future across the government and private sectors.

The Strategic Affairs Council had adopted the UAE PASS policy in the Emirate of Dubai as of 1st May, 2020, as one of the initiatives of the Dubai Council. The decision was motivated by UAE PASS’s potential to drive development across the government service ecosystem; enhance communication between local and federal entities on one hand, and the private sector on the other, and grant citizens and residents access to government and private-sector services.

UAE PASS provides an authorised digital ID through smartphones and includes a digital signature feature allowing users to sign official documents. Users can access more than 5,000 government services by using a single username and password. With this, UAE PASS adds an element of trust to digital government transactions. The service has so far been adopted by 200,000 individuals.

Dr. Aisha bint Butti bin Bishr, Director General of Smart Dubai, asserted that the Strategic Affairs Council’s decision to mandate the use of UAE PASS by all individuals and government entities in Dubai will considerably accelerate its adoption across the entire Dubai community, and promote its use for various transactions in the UAE.

"In partnership with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, the UAE PASS project was launched in 2018 to support our wise leadership’s vision to build future-ready smart cities. It is in line with their plans for digital transformation and supports the Dubai Paperless Strategy," Dr Aisha explained.

"Today, as we launch a policy for the UAE PASS being the official gateway to access all Dubai Government services, we reap the fruits of years of hard work," Dr Aisha noted.

Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director-General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, said, "The directives to adopt UAE Pass in Dubai indicate the digital leadership of Dubai and the UAE as a whole, and it reflects the rapid progress towards a digital wellbeing future, that takes into account the happiness of society and individuals, through the provision of interconnected integrated services in which the public and private sectors participate, and accessible by customers anytime, anywhere, as they can enjoy a fully interactive experience."

Smart Dubai will work on a set of tasks, from developing plans to implement the system in the emirate and overseeing their implementation at various government entities, to developing the system in cooperation with relevant authorities and outlining frameworks to operate it. Additionally, Smart Dubai is tasked with authorising system operators in Dubai and overseeing the proper use of the system in accordance with pre-determined conditions. The UAE Central Bank adopted the initiative in September 2019, allowing all customers to accelerate the process of opening an account remotely, without needing to physically go to the bank.

The list of entities that have implemented UAE PASS in their digital transactions now includes 29 Federal Government entities, 22 Dubai Government entities, and 31 entities from the six remaining emirates, as well as 10 private-sector entities.

In Dubai, the list consists of Dubai Economy, Dubai Police, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Knowledge and Human Development Authority, General Directorate of Civil Defence in Dubai, Dubai Land Department, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai Courts, Roads and Transport Authority, Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai Culture, National Bonds Corporation, Dubai Asset Management, Dubai Sports Council, Dubai Maritime City Authority, among many others.

Outside Dubai, the entities include Fujairah Police, Fujairah Municipality, Sharjah Economic Development Department, Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme, Ministry of Infrastructure Development, and Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology, among many others.

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