Sharjah to link 31 govt entities on one platform

The Sharjah Department of eGovernment (DeG) has announced that 31 government entities will all be linked on a unified digital network by 2020, with the first phase due to kick off by the end of this year.

“This transformation will provide government departments with a more multi-dimensional communication strategy with their customers and end users, developing services such as applications, permits, authorisations and much more in a fraction of the time,” said Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmad bin Sultan Al Qasimi, director general of DeG, at the Gitex Technology Week 2017 exhibition.

He added that end users will be able to see many of the benefits of the digital transformation as soon as 2020. “It is a key step forward with the potential to alter the way we organise our daily lives, allowing a safer, more integrated and streamlined exchange of information, making processes and procedures faster and more efficient than ever before.”

Over 48 local Sharjah government entities and departments are taking part at the show, with many innovative digital applications and services being unveiled at the Sharjah Pavilion, under the theme ‘History and Communication.’

The DeG also unveiled its chatbot, a computer programme designed to simulate human behaviour and communication, dubbed the ‘Sharjah Government’s AI’. The prototype was showcased through a large interactive screen allowing visitors the opportunity to interact and experience the full spectrum of its features.

Sharjah is also planning a new free zone dedicated to R&D – the AUS Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) Park. The initiative, of a holding company linked to the American University of Sharjah, hopes to welcome 200 companies in its first phase of development, which is due for completion in 2018. Supported by the Sharjah Government, the freezone will feature different entities working together to integrate their services in a unified framework that will provide direct communication with the end user.

Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmad bin Sultan Al Qasimi also noted that in terms of transformation, Sharjah has been fully prepared for the inevitable onset of a digitally-driven environment for some time. Not only must the public sector be able to communicate and collaborate through the most time-efficient methods, he said, but the private sector must be able to conduct their business through the most cost-effective channels.