Dubai eGovernment and Etisalat in Strategic Partnership

Dubai eGovernment and Etisalat in Strategic Partnership
 
Collaboration to create new forms of electronic and mobile services for government units in the UAE and GCC
 
 
Dubai eGovernment signed a memorandum of strategic partnership (MOSP) with Etisalat, the UAE's leading telecommunications provider. Under the terms of this agreement, the two entities will work together to establish the groundwork for a joint venture to deliver a range of ICT solutions to Government units in the UAE and across the region.
 
Dubai eGovernment and Etisalat have agreed to pool their resources together and engage in a long-term relationship that would promote, develop and offer e-services and mobile solutions to the broader regional market. Among the offerings in the pipeline are electronic payment (ePay) services, mobile payment (mPayment) services and mobile government (mGovernment) services.
 
"Dubai eGovernment is leveraging its extensive experience and expertise to create a platform that will assist other government agencies in the region in their transition to a knowledge-based society. Etisalat's state-of-the-art communications infrastructure and massive customer base will be critical in realizing the project and creating awareness among the general public," said Salem Al Shair, eServices Director, Dubai eGovernment.
 
The partnership will facilitate the easy absorption of eServices among all UAE government offices by combining Etisalat's existing service offerings and network infrastructure with Dubai eGovernment's own services and strategic connections with local and federal government agencies. Dubai eGovernment and Etisalat also intend to develop other ICT-based services and solutions that will suit the requirements of other eGovernments in the UAE and the rest of the region.
 
One of the existing services that will be integrated into the joint venture is Etisalat's eZeePay system. The ePayment service will be extended to cover government department payments, allowing the public to transact with the government through any bank with an eZeePay facility.
 
Ahmed Abdulkarim Julfar, Chief Operating Officer of Etisalat, said: “We have worked together with various entities and Government organisations to realise their ICT needs and goals, and this partnership with Dubai eGovernment brings together two of the most experienced and successful entities in the UAE. We look forward to the roll-out of the benefits of these services across the region, and eagerly await a seamless network of e- and m-services in the GCC.”
 
Dubai eGovernment will also promote and offer mPayment services to all government departments utilizing Etisalat's mPayment infrastructure and to Etisalat's significant mobile customer base of over 6 million customers. Additionally, Dubai eGovernment will act as the interface between Etisalat and all government departments for the mPayment services. The joint venture will also upgrade the current Dubai eGovernment mDubai portal by introducing additional services and mobile channels such as USSD, SimToolkit applications and Over The Air (OTA).
 
"We take our role very seriously in creating new initiatives that reinforce the UAE's image as the region's innovative leader in electronic services and eGovernance. Dubai eGovernment is committed to fulfilling the vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai, to optimize the use of online platforms in the delivery of government services. As such, it is a pleasure to work with Etisalat for the greater interest of the general public," concluded Al Shair