For UAE, digital harmony comes from security
In the UAE, there’s no slowdown in the digital path to progress. In fact, this digital dynamism and entrepreneurship is only picking up. Yet, there’s more to be done on the road to a full and complete digital economy. People here are e-aware, smart and mobile. The government is innovating and rolling out e-products and services to make it easier for residents. Parks, airports, beaches and shopping malls are Wi-Fi enabled. Commerce is wired to make it easy for people and businesses to buy and sell goods. That’s why the World Economic Forum’s latest Digital Evolution Index classifies the UAE as a ‘Stand Out’ country with an overall score of 3.22. This makes it the most advanced market in the Arab world and 22nd on a global level. All the hard work seems to be paying off as the country takes giant strides electronically.
The report is also an indicator of how much the UAE must climb to get to the top of the digital pantheon. What’s interesting about this report is that it shows that the country is constantly trying out new projects and initiatives in the tech sphere. The government is making it a special social experience because there is constant engagement with people to find out what they want, and delivering on promises. They key here is delivery. Most government transactions, from paying utility bills to applying for visas, have gone electronic and mobile. Even immigration procedures are a smarter experience with the Emirates ID. The government’s plan is to put the Emirates ID to several uses. The shift to a tech-driven digital economy, however, has its challenges, the chief being security. How do we keep it away from the prying eyes of cyber criminals or from people who want to harm us? What’s needed is a robust infrastructure to stave off cyber criminals and attacks. Such a defence system is being built and perfected with help of law enforcement agencies. Regular upgrades should give the UAE the cyber security edge which could make it an economy that is in digital harmony with its people.