Smart Dubai announcedtheaccomplishments that 41 governmental authorities have achieved in implementing “Dubai Paperless Strategy” through which it seeks to decrease the use of paper in these authorities to the half by the lapse of the first six months of joining the strategy and continued in accomplishing its targets to transform to 100% digital authorities by the end of 2021.
This came within the virtual event which Smart Dubai organized in the attendance of His Highness Abdullah Al-Basti, Secretary General of the Executive Council, and his Excellency Yunis Al-Naser , Assistant of General Manager of Smart Dubai, the Executive Director of Dubai Data Corporation, and his Excellency WessamLoutah, the Executive Manager of Smart Dubai Government Corporation, besides the Highnesses and Excellences, the general managers of the governmental authorities participating in the implementing of “Dubai Paperless Strategy”.
In details, the great entities have achieved within the strategy a reduction percentage in the use of papers amounted to 83.86% at 232 millions, 76 thousand and 717 papers up to December 2020. Medium entities have achieved a reduction percentage amounted to 76.23% at 10 million, 642 thousand and 656 papers. Small entities have a reduction percentage 77.30% at 27 million, 179 thousand and 248 papers.

Smart Dubai, during the event, provided for each of “Dubai Electricity and Water Authority”, “Dubai Municipality”, “Dubai Sports Council” and “Dubai Census Center” the stamp (100% Paperless) which is granted to governmental authorities that accomplished the implementation of ““Dubai Paperless Strategy”” at 100% where the stamp represents a milestone that manifests their full transformation to entities of full digital transactions and services.“Dubai Electricity and Water Authority” cancelled the consumption of 22 million, 633 thousand and 484 papers which had been used annually in their transactions, Dubai Municipality cancelled the consumption of 20 million, 960 thousand and 743 papers, Dubai Sports Council cancelled the use of 408 thousand and 623 papers annually, and “Dubai Census Center” cancelled 172 thousand and 129 papers used annually for a 100% digital transformation.
On the other hand, it was officially announced during the event for the countdown for the announcement of Dubai government as the first paperless government through the full implementation of ““Dubai Paperless Strategy”” in all the governmental entities at the level of Dubai Emirate so that no governmental body shall issue or demand any paper for internal and external transactions with dealers after 12.12.2021 to insure that all transactions shall contain no papers.

His Highness Yunis Al-Naser, Assistant General Manager of Smart Dubai, the Executive Manager of Dubai Data Corporation confirmed that ““Dubai Paperless Strategy”” passed a great way towards its main target represented in digitalizing all internal governmental transactions and serviced provided to the public in a way thatinsure full abandonment of Dubai Government ofthe use of paper transactions, congratulating the governmental entities that raced time and succeeded in abandoning the use of papers 100% whereas other governmental entities executing the strategy a rapid progress towards this target that goes beyond expectations for every stage of the application of the strategy.

His Highness added that by the directives and close follow-up of His Highness Sheikh Hemdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Crown Prince of Dubai, President of the Executive Council, “Dubai Paperless Strategy” could make a qualitative movein the course of the digital transformation of Dubai Government and the basic pillar to make the Emirate the smartest and happiest city on earth.Now, the countdown started in Dubai Government for the time of the full abandonment of paper in all entities by 12 December 2021 where the great role of the governmental co-operation and the efforts exertedfrom all parties to realize this target, confirming his trust that the close partnership between Smart Dubai and governmental entities shall contribute in accelerating the digital universal transformation process of the city.

By his turn, his Highness WessamLoutah, the Executive Manager of Smart Dubai Government appraised the close efforts of all governmental entities in their pursuit to accelerate the pace of the universal digital transformation and through the effective contribution in fulfilling the objectives of “Dubai Paperless Strategy”. The Entities that were granted 100% paperless stamp realizeda remarkable achievement in a record time through which they totallyabandoned the consumption of papers whereas other entities are working with high efficiency to achieve similar and rapid results.

He added that the reduction percentage of using papers in all entities that apply the strategy amounted to 82.82% that saved 269 million, 898 thousand and 621 papers. So,the strategy achieved size and saving amounted to AED 1.13 billion and saved 12 million, 138 thousand and 416 business hours, and saved 32 thousand and 388 trees that were used in themanufacturing of papers expressing his appreciation to all entities in pushing the digital transformation process in Dubai and provide governmental services through digital channels in full supported by an internal effective environment that insuressaving millions of business hours and papers in addition to achieving savings to Dubai Government and raising the level of people happiness in a way that serves our ultimateobjective in transforming Dubai to the smartest and happiest city on earth.

“Dubai Paperless Strategy” was implemented on several stages each stage involves new group of governmental entities in Dubai that seeks reducingtheir consumption of papers by 50% in the first six months. Since its launching to date, the strategy has achieved progressrates in decreasing paper consumption as well as organizing series of workshops with each group to develop the bases of implementing the strategy and consequently drafting plans for executing paperlesstransactions.
The first group that consists of six strategy implementation entities started in February 2018, these are;Road and Transportation Authority, Dubai Police, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Economic Development Department, Tourism Department, Commercial Marketing, and Land Department. The group at that time exceeded its specified target to reduce its collective consumption of papers to 57% by the end of 2018.
In February 2019, the second group joined the strategy with nine new entities so that the total number of participants reached 15 entities. These entities composed of: Dubai Courts, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Public Prosecution, Knowledge and Human Development, Dubai Health Authority, Community Development Authority, Dubai Customs, General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, and Smart Dubai. The group participated in 64 workshops and succeeded in reducing their consumption of papers 57.5% by the end of 2019.
The third group joined the strategy in September 2019 and the group composed of nine new entities, theseare:Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services, Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department, Dubai Media Incorporation, Department of Finance, Dubai Government Human Resources Department, Dubai Culture, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Al-JalilaCultural Center for Children, and The Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department. The number of entities participating in the strategy reached 24 entities.  The third group participated in 59 workshops and could reduce their consumption of paper 60.4% by April 2020.

In February 2020, the strategy witnessed the participating of the fourth group and involved the biggest number of new entities which number amounted to 10 entityso that the total number became 34 entity. The fourth group comprised of both: Dubai Census Center, Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation, Dubai Woman Establishment, Security Industry Regulatory Agency, Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Est., Dubai Sports Council, Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, Dubai Maritime City Authority, Dubai Air Navigation Services, Dubai Airports. The group participated in 98 workshops that that resulted in the reduction of their consumption of paper 62.77% by November 2020.

In March 2020, the fifth group comprising 7 entities joined to bring the total number to 41 entities which achieved up to December 2020 a reduction percentage amounted to 89.89% by 5 million, 121 thousand and 342 papers out of  5 million, 697 thousand and 549 papers that they were using. These entities involvedboth;The Executive Council of Dubai, Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre, and Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects, Dubai Future Foundation, The Supreme Legalization Committee, Professional Communication Corporation “Nedaa”, Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation.

It is determined to implement “Dubai Paperless Strategy” in all the governmental entities in Dubai for digitalizing the governmental basic services and benefiting by the application of “Dubai Now” and serving them on one platform. The strategy focuses on enhancing and improving internal transactions and services through digitalizing and abandoning unnecessary documents and increasing the benefit from the joint services among the entities that Smart Dubai provides.

It is worth mentioning that the development of “Dubai Paperless Strategy” was done around three basic goals that include: costumers’ happiness through meeting their needs, providing easy and integrating and pro-active services, achieving global competiveness through making Dubai the digital leading city at the globe level, increasing the government efficiency through saving operational costs, assuring the optimal use of governmental resources through simplifying and digitalizing transactions and services provided to individuals and business sector. The strategy is pursuingthe specification of all basic manual transactions that need using papers and making them 100% digital.