Fourteen Dubai Government entities have successfully reduced their consumption of paper by 74 million pieces a year, saving 3.5 million hours and AED335 million in the process, as they implemented the Dubai Paperless Strategy 2021.

Launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, in February 2019, the Dubai Paperless Strategy seeks to digitise all internal and external government and consumer transactions, rendering them all 100% paperless.

In line with its efforts to implement the Strategy’s second pillar, Smart Dubai showcased an ecosystem of smart, integrated services at GITEX Technology Week 2019 via the DubaiNow application, which now offers 88 services through digital seamless, integrated customer journeys, and acts as a one-stop shop for all of Dubai’s Government-To-Consumer services. Providing these services digitally has reduced the number of times individuals need to travel to customer service centres annually from 23 to 9, saving 28 hours per year.

Her Excellency Dr Aisha Bint Butti Bin Bishr, Director General of Smart Dubai, said: “Smart Dubai has always had the honour to play an instrumental role in implementing the visions and directives of the UAE leadership, and spearheading Dubai’s transformation into a world-leading smart city and a hub for advanced, avant-garde technologies. And today, as we take pride in celebrating the achievements of the success of the Dubai Paperless Strategy, we are also excited to announce that we will be working with 10 new government entities to ensure the complete elimination of paper from all of Dubai Government’s internal and Government to Consumer transactions.”

“We are also proud to announce 27 new services under six industry sectors, have been launched on the DubaiNow application this GITEX, all of which have been built with a core focus to serve the end user – residents and visitors of Dubai. Some of the services now available 100% digitally via the app are, renewing and cancelling residency of family members, signing a home rental contract to rent a house in Dubai, signing a Parent-School contract at the beginning of the new school year, and viewing Electric Vehicle Charger locations across the city. In addition to these, DubaiNow will also soon host more services under the Police, Health and Justice categories.”

So far the 15 entities that have made significant progress on their digital transformation as part of the Dubai Paperless Strategy are: Dubai Land Department (DLD), The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Knowledge and Human Resources Authority (KHDA), Dubai Airports, Dubai Police, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Department of Economic Development (DED), Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Dubai Courts, Dubai Municipality (DM), Dubai Public Prosecution, Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Community Development Authority, the  General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai, and Dubai Customs.

Joining them will be 10 new entities: The Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services, Islamic Affairs and Charitable Services Department, Dubai Media Inc., Department of Finance, Dubai Government Human Resources Department, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children, the Dubai Aviation City Corporation, and the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department. The objective of these 10 entities is to reduce their consumption of paper by 50% by April 2020.

In alignment with the Dubai Paperless Strategy, after December 2021 government entities will stop issuing or requesting paper documents from customers for all transactions, while government employees will also stop issuing or processing paper in key or supporting internal operations. The programme stands to economise over one billion pieces of paper used in the Dubai Government every year, saving 9,173 trees. It will additionally be saving Dubai’s residents and visitors over AED40 million and 125 million hours a year that would have been spent on paper transactions.