Sheikh Hamdan launches ‘Emirati’ initiative to provide citizens with integrated digital services

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, First Vice President of the Dubai Council, and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Development and Citizens Affairs, has launched the ‘Emirati’ initiative, a comprehensive single-window platform exclusively designed to offer UAE citizens all the city services they need through the DubaiNow application.

Sheikh Hamdan said that the ‘Emirati’ initiative reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to harness technologies to enhance people’s happiness and transform Dubai into the world’s best city to live in.

“By enhancing Dubai's digital transformation, we seek to further consolidate the city’s digital economy and provide innovative smart services that help raise the wellbeing of all UAE citizens,” Sheikh Hamdan said. “The ‘Emirati’ initiative, which offers a comprehensive, easily accessible, secure and seamless digital platform for providing services for citizens, further strengthens Dubai’s position as a city of the future and enhances the quality of life in the emirate."

Sheikh Hamdan directed the Digital Dubai Authority to work with various Dubai Government entities to ensure all the services required by citizens are added on the platform by the end of 2023.

The launch of the ‘Emirati’ initiative reflects Sheikh Mohammed’s commitment to placing UAE citizens at the heart of government operations and ensuring people’s wellbeing remains at the forefront of Dubai Government’s priorities. The Government of Dubai is constantly seeking to provide world-class services to citizens by adopting innovative digital solutions and services.

Integrated digital platform

Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General of Digital Dubai, said: “The ‘Emirati’ initiative implements the directives of the Higher Committee for Development and Citizens Affairs to provide easy and integrated digital services to citizens as part of Dubai Government’s strategy to digitise all aspects of life in the emirate. The unique platform provides users with an easy and integrated experience and features services across various sectors.”

Al Mansoori added that the ‘Emirati’ initiative is in line with Dubai Government’s commitment to providing comprehensive and integrated services that meet the aspirations of citizens.  

First Phase

In its first phase, the ‘Emirati’ initiative allows citizens to benefit from various digital services including: housing and construction grants; social benefits; Al Furjan events; Esaad card, electricity and water services, and more. Citizens will be able to access these services by logging into the DubaiNow application using their UAE PASS digital identity.

The first phase of the initiative will see 22 new services added to the current 131 services available on the platform. This will bring the total number of services provided through the 11th version of the DubaiNow smart application, which will be launched in February 2023, to 153.

As part of the first phase, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment is offering five new digital services through the platform, which allow users to request for a residential land, request to build a house, inquire about the status of housing applications, access a loan calculator, or request for a ‘To Whom It May Concern’ certificate (in the housing sector). Dubai Municipality has also added two new services: land allocation and map issuance within the ‘Land Grant section’.

The Community Development Authority has also added three new services under the ‘Social Benefits’ section including a request for a periodic benefit, a request for equipping a home, a request for temporary housing, and a request to file a human rights complaint.

The Dubai Land Department is working on further enhancing the services it provides through the DubaiNow application and will be offering a new service under the ‘Construction Grant’ section which will allow users to apply for a land mortgage certificate.

The Dubai Police General Command is offering the ‘Esaad’ card service through the platform, while the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) is providing a service that allows users to browse cultural and artistic events, under the ‘Al Furjan Events’ section. The same section will also include a feature to browse events organised by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism and the Dubai Sports Council.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is offering free parking permit service and the ‘Madinati’ service, while the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has provided a service for the Enaya insurance card. The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai is providing a service for paying residency violations through the app, while the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority is offering support for electricity and water services.

Second Phase

The second phase of the ‘Emirati’ initiative on the DubaiNow application will be launched during the first quarter of 2023. It will see more than 15 services provided by the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment, Dubai Municipality, the Community Development Authority, and the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, among other entities, in an effort to enhance and unify the services provided to citizens through a single platform within the DubaiNow app.

Single-Window

The DubaiNow application was launched to facilitate access to all city services for customers through a single, streamlined digital platform. The app has undergone major upgrades over the last few years and has expanded the number of services provided by various entities.
In future phases, The ‘Emirati’ initiative will be further developed to provide more services across various sectors.