E-Kuwait targets top quality e-services: Sheikh Mohammad
The 4th E-Government Forum titled ‘Electronic Services Perspectives’ kicked off yesterday at the Arraya Ballroom. Several companies and institutions are participating in the forum and presenting various solutions for ministries and government institutions in order to help achieve the desired e-government goals including securing data and government systems. The forum is organized by Nouf Expo and sponsored by various institutions.
During his opening speech, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Acting Minister of Justice Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah AlMubarak Al-Sabah said that the government datacenters play an important role in keeping pace with latest technology. “This forum presents the latest technologies, and we request that all the government datacenters set their plans to acquire and develop their human resource professionals and at the same pace upgrade the technologies in accordance with the e-government plans,” said Sheikh Mohammed.
He added, “We believe that improved electronic services help build a more transparent government that in turn helps achieve the ultimate strategic goal represented by e-Kuwait, where all can enjoy quality e-services at all times wherever they are.” He underlined the need to achieve greater cooperation and professionalism among each of the Central Agency for Information Technology, the General Authority for Communications and Information Technology and Information Centers in government entities and other bodies of national security.
Sheikh Mohammed pointed out that the world is changing at a fast pace and it is no longer acceptable to do simple paper work in a long line in the ministries. Explaining that the world is currently developing the technology fast, he said, “The Internet, social networks, and smart devices come with more challenges on the level of information security, which has become the head of the list of concerns in all the national security agencies in the countries of the world as a whole. It is not possible to separate the information security and the security of Kuwait and its people from each other,” he said. Qusai Al-Shatti, Acting Director General of the Central Agency for Information Technology (CAIT), said that electronic services are a natural product of the egovernment programs implemented by Kuwait in order to improve government services provided to citizens and residents.
Al-Shatti added that the Central Agency for Information Technology is making great efforts for the development of e-government services through the official portal of Kuwait. “EGOV4 will focus on electronic services. We all realize that e-services are the final target product of e-government programs,” he added.
He noted that CAIT is looking forward to working along with all the government agencies to improve more electronic services on par with the developed countries, indicating that they will introduce outstanding electronic service award from this year.
Shatti expressed confidence that the institutions and companies’ participation in this forum will be a great asset to the Central Agency for Information Technology which will in turn help in better cooperation and interaction between government and the corporate and local technology organizations.
International companies specialized in the field of information technology participated in the forum included Microsoft, Symantec and Cisco in addition to local companies such as Kuwait Finance House,VIVA and others. The 4th e-Government Forum runs from November 27 to 29 November, 2016 at Arraya Ballroom of the Courtyard Marriott Hotel, Kuwait City.