UAE e-government initiative moves into second phase
The UAE E-government Steering Committee reviewed yesterday the next phase of the implementation of the UAE E-government project. The meeting also discussed ETISALAT's role as service partner for implementation of the project. Saqr Ghobash, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information and Culture, chaired the on behalf of Dr. Mohamed Khalfan bin Kharbash, Minister of State for Finance and Industry.
Khalid Ali Al Busatani, Assistant Under Secretary for Budget and Resources at the Ministry of Finance and Industry, said: " The FMIS, being one of the most crucial steps in the second wave of implementation is a modern, comprehensive and integrated system that is capable of meeting immediate financial accounting and management needs. The system is designed to take full advantage of sophisticated communications infrastructures as well as Internet and intranet interoperability."
The initiative was introduced as a tool to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the UAE Federal Government and is a key component in sustaining the country's competitiveness. It promotes greater transparency and facilitates the introduction of more liberal economic laws. The E-government project is just one of four initiatives being driven by the Ministry of Finance and Industry with a view to creating greater efficiency and effectiveness in government operations.
Total quality management, performance-based budgeting and executive training conducted in conjunction with Harvard University, are also being implemented as part of the government's high performance programme. The E-government project draws from the experience of other countries that have implemented similar programmes including those in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. (The Emirates News Agency, WAM)
His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Khalfan Bin Kharbash, the UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry
The assessment was conducted in two stages comprising first a strategic analysis and secondly a technology analysis.
Speaking about the process, His Excellency Dr Mohammed Khalfan bin Kharbash,
UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry, and Chairman of the Steering Committee said: 'The strategic analysis examined the services and activities of the Federal Government and the existing data as compared to best practices in various countries around the world. Currently the Steering Committee is prioritizing the different E-Government initiatives that will be adopted by government institutions. The technology analysis included a comprehensive analysis of available, as well as needed, technologies in the federal government.'
Dr Kharbash explained that the Steering Committee is now putting together a general framework for the government to work more effectively and efficiently through the application of technology through E-Government.
The Minister commended the high level of co-operation and commitment displayed by all the ministries and agencies involved in the project: 'Since the beginning of this project all ministries and government agencies have worked cooperatively together supported by a team of international and regional specialists in the fields of government transformation and E-Government. There is an unprecedented consensus regarding the need to use E-Government as the means to transform the way the Government works, to maintain and improve the international competitiveness of the country.'
Following on from the latest meeting, the E-Government project will develop a detailed transition plan, road map and blueprint for transformation. The Government will subsequently decide which specific projects will be implemented as pilot projects.
The idea of adopting ICTs is to move beyond the passive information-giving to active citizen involvement in the decision-making process.
Governance refers to the exercise of political, economic and administrative authority in the management of a country’s affairs, including citizens’ articulation of their interests and exercise of their legal rights and obligations.
E-governance may be understood as the performance of this governance via the electronic medium in order to facilitate an efficient, speedy and transparent process of disseminating information to the public, and other agencies, and for performing government administration activities.
E-governance is generally considered as a wider concept than e-government, since it can bring about a change in the way how citizens relate to governments and to each other.
E-governance can bring forth new concepts of citizenship, both in terms of citizen needs and responsibilities. Its objective is to engage, enable and empower the citizen.
Why introduce e-governance?
The purpose of implementing e-governance is to enhance good governance. Good governance is generally characterised by participation, transparency and accountability. The recent advances in communication technologies and the Internet provide opportunities to transform the relationship between governments and citizens in a new way, thus contributing to the achievement of good governance goals. The use of information technology can increase the broad involvement of citizens in the process of governance at all levels by providing the possibility of on-line discussion groups and by enhancing the rapid development and effectiveness of pressure groups. Advantages for the government involve that the government may provide better service in terms of time, making governance more efficient and more effective. In addition, the transaction costs can be lowered and government services become more accessible.
The fields of implementation of e-governance are:
e-administration- refers to improving of government processes and of the internal workings of the public sector with new ICT-executed information processes.
e-services- refers to improved delivery of public services to citizens. Some examples of interactive services are: requests for public documents, requests for legal documents and certificates, issuing permits and licenses.
e-democracy- implies greater and more active citizen participation and involvement enabled by ICTs in the decision-making process
DUBAI - The UAE has been ranked first in the regional ICT statistical index launched by Madar Research Group. The Madar ICT Index serves as a comparative tool among 18 Arab states in terms of their progress in using knowledge economy tools. The index, published in the May issue of Madar Research Journal, ranks the UAE first among Arab countries in ICT adoption as of end of February this year. The UAE scored 1.43 in the index.
An index score of less than one indicates poor ICT adoption rate, while a score of one and above suggests an aggressive rate of adoption. The UAE recorded Internet and mobile phone penetration rates of 29.73 per cent and 67.77 per cent, respectively, out of a population base of 3.7 million. Bahrain scored 1.18 on the index, followed by Kuwait which received 1.01, while the 15 remaining countries scored below one.
Bahrain also showed the highest penetration rates after UAE in all indicators except for mobile phones, whose penetration rate was higher in Kuwait. Qatar came next on the index, with a score of 0.80, but it outranked Kuwait in fixed telephone line and PC penetrations. Initially the index will be updated on a quarterly basis and will show the individual progress of an Arab state over time, and help predict its future course.
The main value of the index lies in the set of primary data used in calculating the index.
These are estimates on each country's PC base and numbers of Internet users, in addition to numbers of subscribers to mobile and fixed line telephones. The index is calculated by adding up the value of these four parameters and dividing the sum by the country's population.
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The new global consensus to change the framework of development aid places priority on the strengthening of developing countries’ administrative systems. Particular emphasis is being placed on the improvement of financial management, development planning, public procurement and service delivery to citizens.
E-government systems are a critical component of institutional capacity building. Our e-Government Grants Program fits squarely within this agenda, helping governments increase efficiency in the public sector through improved transparency and institutional capacity in critical areas. The program is a partnership with the Government of Italy and it is open to additional co-funders.
Lebanon
e-Procurement
The Government of Lebanon is planning to connect five ministries through an e-government system that aims to cut costs by streamlining their procurement processes and opening them to more competitive bidding online. The first phase of the system is being deployed with technical assistance and a grant from our e-Government Grants Program. The grant was announced in November 2005.
This first phase includes the installation and upgrading of back-office systems, creation of a website and training. Upon completion of the first phase, the five ministries will post their tenders together on the website. The Office of the Minister of State for Administrative Reform (OMSAR) of the Government of Lebanon is the designated national implementing agency.
Partners
Government of Lebanon
Government of Italy
Development Gateway Foundation
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Public sector reform is not a new concept but early attempts to improve service delivery have not always benefited citizens and businesses – government's customers.
: Nicholas Brealey Publishing, London, 2001ISBN: 1857882784
Public sector reform is not a new concept but early attempts to improve service delivery have not always benefited citizens and businesses – government's customers. When dealing with public administration, people still have the hassle of long waits, endless form-filling, red tape and inflexible bureaucrats. But as the internet changes the means of communicating, working, shopping and entertaining, it too can enable a new way of governing. Whether it's to renew a driver's license, pay income tax or receive welfare benefits, rather than stand in line, citizens can now go online.
In time, e-business will affect the public sector much more profoundly than it has the private sector. The internet provides government the opportunity to deliver cost-effective, round-the-clock, customer-orientated services. The web can integrate traditional vertical structures to provide cross-cutting services from one point of contact, such as a portal or one-stop shop. Public sector employees can share information and work as a team. Government can be more open, paving the way to participative democracy. Ultimately, e-business in government – or e-government – is about making the transition from the industrial society to the information society. By going online, governments create a healthy employment and business climate for their regions to succeed in a knowledge-based economy.
Drawing upon the experiences of some early leaders, “eGov” sets out e-business strategies and best practices that can be replicated throughout the public sector – central government, local government, education, public safety and health, criminal justice, military, and supranational and inter-governmental bodies. In each case study, organizations aim to put services and information online, and ensure easy and universal access to these services and information. They skill their employees to be knowledge workers, and they work in partnership – with business and other agencies. Above all, government removes barriers to the information society and leads by example.
Contents
Acknowledgments Introduction
View / DownloadPart One: The ABCs of eGovernment
1. Getting from A to C: Administration to Citizen
2. Getting from A to B: Administration to Business
3. Getting from A to A: Administration to Administration
Part Two: Living with eGovernment
4. Social Exclusion: Better Ways to Work
5. Learning: Lifelong and Online
6. Quality of Life: a Greener and Healthier Society
7. Crime: Connecting Cops and Courts
8. War: Establishing Information Superiority
Part Three: The Emerging Challenges
9. Public Policy: Taming the Wild Web
10. Universal Access: Spreading the Web Worldwide
11. Smart Communities: Better Places to Live and Work
12. Cyberdemocracy: Onward to Electronic Suffrage
Bibliography Web References Index
Senior Lecturer
BA MA Cambridge, MPhil Leicester, PhD Open
Room 8.21
e-mail:
richard.heeks@manchester.ac.uk phone: +44(0)161-2752870 (ext.52870)
Research Interests
Information systems; e-governance; knowledge management; information resource management; information technology industries; small enterprise development; trade and industrial policy.
Top^
Country Experience
Brunei, China, India, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa.
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Recent Publications
- (forthcoming) Implementing and Managing eGovernment: An International Text, Sage Publications, London.
- 2005 'eGovernment as a carrier of context', Journal of Public Policy, Vol 25(1) pp51-74
- 2004 'Facing in, facing out: information technology production policy in India from the 1960s to the 1990s', Information Technology Policy, pp276-303
- 2004 'A Profile of Nigeria's Software Industry', IDPM Development Informatics Working Paper no.21
- 2004 'ICT Initiatives, Women and Work in Developing Countries: Reinforcing or Changing Gender Inequalities in South India?' IDPM Development Informatics Working Paper no.20
- 2004 'eCommerce for Small Enterprise Development: A Handbook for Enterprise Support Agencies in Uganda', (with R Duncombe, R Kintu and B Nakangu)
- 2004 'eCommerce for Small Enterprise Development: A Handbook for Entrepreneurs in Uganda', (with R Duncombe, R Kintu and B Nakangu)
- 2004 'Romania's hardware and software industry: building information technology policy and capabilities in a transitional economy', Information Technology Policy, pp320-338
- 2003 'eGovernment in Africa: Promise and Practice', Information Polity, 7(2-3), pp 97-114.
- 2003 Uncertainty and Coordination in Global Software Projects: A UK/India-Centred Case Study, IDPM Development Informatics Working Paper no.17 (with S.-Y. Lai & B. Nicholson).
- 2003 Knowledge and Learning in Online Communities in Development: A Social Capital Perspective, IDPM Development Informatics Working Paper no.16 (with S. Cummings & M. Huysman).
- 2003 Ethical Trade: Issues in the Regulation of Global Supply Chains, Centre on Regulation and Competition Working Paper no.53 (with R. Duncombe).
- 2003 Most eGovernment-for-Development Projects Fail: How Can Risks be Reduced? IDPM i-Government Working Paper no.14.
- 2003 Bridging the Information Divide, IDPM, University of Manchester, UK & NCPAG, University of the Philippines (with E. Alampay & P.P.A. Soliva).
- 2002 ‘Information Systems and Developing Countries: Failure, Success and Local Improvisations’, in The Information Society, Vol 18(2), pp 101-112.
- 2002 ‘Citizen Access and the Use of Government Data: Understanding the Barriers’, in J Kisielnicki (ed), Organizations in Virtual Communities, IRM Press, Hershey, PA.
- 2002 ‘i-Development not e-Development’, in Journal of International Development, Vol 14(1), pp 1-12.
- 2001 ‘Synching or Sinking: Global Software Outsourcing Relationships’, in IEEE Software, March/April, pp 54-61 (with S Krishna, B Nicholson and S Sahay).
- 2001 Information, Technology and Small Enterprise: A Handbook for Enterprise Support Agencies in Developing Countries, IDPM, Manchester (with R Duncombe).
- 2001 ‘Information Systems and Public Sector Reform in the Third World’, in W McCourt and M Minogue (eds), The Internationalisation of Public Management: Reinventing the Third World State, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham
Home > Government > eGovernment Projects
1.1 E-Government Vision
The UAE Federal Government e-Government vision is embodied in the following statement:
"Enabling integrated policy formulation facilitating a knowledge-based world class government"
This vision defines:
- What the UAE Federal Government will become - a world-class e-Government. A world-class government provides its communities with the best access to knowledge and services in the most efficient, effective and economic way. That access is facilitated by e-Government technologies and channels.
- What the UAE community will become - a knowledge based society. Creating a knowledge-based society is seen as the foundation for e-government to see its citizens, businesses, schools, public administration and service industries all become knowledge-based. Networks and IT are to become part of the daily work and lives of the people. In the digital economy, the creation and strategic use of knowledge - how well it is managed, shared, transmitted and stored - is growing in importance. Government must lever enterprise-wide IT initiatives to manage records, information and knowledge resources in ways that were never before possible. Just as importantly, knowledge must be viewed as a resource to be nurtured and shared in support of broad corporate goals. While knowledge creation, transfer and sharing are principally behavioural, IT can be key enablers in this process. To succeed in the future, government ministries and departments must collaborate to develop the necessary systems, strategies and cultures for knowledge management.
- The goals of the UAE Federal Government e-government strategy - integrated policy formulation through cross-department cooperation. The Government is committed to identifying additional opportunities for cross-Ministry/Department online initiatives, through different Ministries:
- identifying specific areas with potential for joint initiatives with other Ministry/Department;
- developing a number of trials of cross-Ministry/Department initiatives;
- consulting with other Ministry/Department when new services are to be launched; and
- facilitating research and information sharing on the technological approaches appropriate to implementing
Ministries must cooperate in the development of policies that cut across traditional portfolio boundaries. This involves addressing the issues of ownership of shared business systems and adoption of appropriate standards. It is important that there be further collaboration on IT procurement both by leveraging the Government's collective buying power and by increasingly re-using valuable intellectual property across the UAE Public Service. Re-use of assets will be enhanced by greater commonality of architecture and open standards.
1.2 Strategic Objectives
Based on the e-Government Vision, a set of strategic objectives follows. The strategic objectives are key result areas that directly support the vision statement. These practical areas should be use to provide focus and assist leadership in assessing if new e-Government ideas are worth pursuing i.e. they are on strategy.
| The Vision | The Strategic Objectives |
| "Enabling integrated policy formulation facilitating a knowledge based, world-class government" | - Integrated policy formulation
- Facilitate collaboration between Federal Government entities.
- Establish focus on policy formulation.
- Knowledge based
- Create, share and distribute data between Federal entities.
- Assist factual based federal decisions support.
- Share, allow external access to federal government information.
- World-class government
- Focus on appropriate and relevant best practices examples worlwide.
- Reduce cost, maximize internal operational effeciency and effectiveness, focus on core government activities, eliminate duplicated and non-value adding activities, and outsource non core activities and services.
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Integrated policy formulation
- Facilitate collaboration between Federal Government entities.
- Establish focus on policy identification and formulation.
Knowledge based
- Create, share and distribute data between federal entities.
- Assist factual based federal decisions support.
- Share and allow external access to federal government information.
World-class government
- Focus on appropriate and relevant best practice examples worldwide.
- Reduce cost, maximize internal operational efficiency and effectiveness, focus on core government activities, eliminate duplicated and non-value adding activities, and outsource non core activities and services.
1.2.1 Long Term Vision based on the Strategic Objectives
The strategic objectives are used to paint to the future picture and status of the UAE Federal Government as e-government is implemented. This section defines a set of guidelines for the achievement of each strategic objective and defines how activities will be performed, behaviors and structures will be set and how IT will be used in the future of UAE Federal Government.
Integrated policy formulation
- Strategic Objective 1:Facilitate collaboration between federal Government entities.
- Strategic Objective 2: Establish focus on policy development and formulation.
| STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 1: FACILITATE COLLABORATION BETWEEN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES |
| LONG TERM VISION |
- Single location for customers to access any service from the Federal Government.
- Cross departmental initiatives are launched that focus on polices, standards, and services transformation.
- Launch of cross departmental forums and platforms for discussion and exchange of ideas.
- New organizational roles are created that span across more than one federal entity.
- Solicit ideas and feedback from external stakeholders.
- Shared information portals for federal entities.
- Correspondence and documentation are managed electronically.
- Cross departmental / Ministry initiatives are implemented allowing more than one ministry to collaborate online to complete a specific output.
- Online authorisations and approvals.
- Pre-approvals from federal entities is shared electronically. Federal government customers are not asked to get previous approvals as pre-requests to complete Federal transactions.
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| STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 2: ESTABLISH FOCUS ON POLICY FORMULATION |
| LONG TERM VISION |
- Cabinet and policy formulation related processes are re-engineered and facilitated by informational technology.
- Federal entities are primarily focused on policy formulation and regulation rather than on service delivery.
- Electronic distribution and management of cabinet papers and correspondence (at pre- cabinet meetings, during cabinet meetings and post cabinet meetings).
- Use of technologies to improve presentation of complex issues to cabinet.
- Use of technologies in direct support of cabinet meetings.
- Creation of new information resources for cabinet members.
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Knowledge based
- Create, share and distribute data between federal entities.
- Assist factual based federal decisions support.
- Share and allow external access to federal government information.
| STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 3: CREATE, SHARE AND DISTRIBUTE DATA BETWEEN FEDERAL ENTITIES |
| LONG TERM VISION |
- Federal entities maintain electronic databases holding their key data.
- Data can be readily accessed between federal entities.
- Data mining and analysis tools are used by federal entities to facilitate policy formulation and regulation.
- Federal entities can validate own data through knowledge sharing.
- Share and allow external access to federal government information.
- Security hierarchies to allow access to information only at appropriate levels.
- Integration standards are set and used by federal government entities.
- External parties have rapid, automated access to federal government data.
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| STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 4: ASSIST FACTUAL BASED FEDERAL DECISIONS SUPPORT |
| LONG TERMS VISION |
- Data mining and analysis tools are used by federal entities to facilitate policy formulation.
- Internal government services are offered that provide statistical data and research to assist decision support.
- Federal ministries are able to formulate polices based on knowledge accessed and sourced through other entities.
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| STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 5: SHARE AND ALLOW EXTERNAL ACCESS TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INFORMATION |
| LONG TERM VISION |
- The community i.e. citizens, residents, businesses etc. is able to access accurate and up to date information on all aspects of government - laws, regulations, rules, processes, services etc.
- The community is able to rely on, measure and be informed of the processes of government and the associated progress of any associated service or activity.
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World-class government
- Focus on appropriate and relevant best practice examples worldwide.
- Reduce cost, maximize internal operational efficiency and effectiveness, focus on core government activities and eliminate duplicated and non-value adding activities and outsource non core activities and services.
| Strategic Objective 6: FOCUS ON APPROPRIATE AND RELEVANT BEST PRACTICE EXAMPLES WORLDWIDE. |
| LONG TERM VISION |
- Use of technology with the objective of reducing costs within the federal government.
- Deliver government activities using state of art technology.
- Undertake government using a minimalist approach.
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| STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 7: ASSIST FACTUAL BASED FEDERAL DECISION SUPPORT |
| LONG TERM VISION |
- Non government activities are outsourced from the federal government.
- Core government activities are delivered efficiently.
- Controls for outsourced services are maintained and monitored at the federal government level.
- Federal entities' roles and responsibilities are revised to eliminate service delivery aspects.
- Outsourcing options are analyzed for use with federal government.
- Federal government uses more than one outsourcing option depending on the application. Lessons learned are fed back into future initiatives.
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1.3 E-Government Benefits for the UAE Federal Government
The benefits of e-Government for the UAE Federal Government can be looked at from an internal point of view relating to internal functions of the Federal government entities or externally from the different customers dealing with the federal entities. In any case the main benefit of e-government is the fact that it is an opportunity to transform the way government operates.
1.3.1 Internal benefits:
- Improved organisational performance.
- Streamlined of internal processes.
- Improved processes effectiveness.
- Transparency of government services.
- On-line integration between different departments and ministries.
- New service delivery channels.
- Reduced levels of paper work.
- Improved staff skill levels.
- Increased revenues through additional fees.
1.3.2 External benefits
- Improved levels of service to customers.
- Faster service delivery cycles.
- More channels to access services.
- Reduced bureaucracy.
- Quick access to information anytime.
- Knowledge and information sharing.
- Generating new outsourcing opportunities.
- Sustainable international competitiveness.
- Increased career opportunities for nationals.
Moreover, e-Government provides many opportunities to enable the UAE Federal Government to realize better policy results and objectives through closer cooperation between different Ministries and Departments.
The benefits of e-government include:
- Better integrated services - cooperation between Ministries and Departments to provide more convenient and reliable services, with lower costs, higher quality and value.
- Cost effectiveness and efficiency - cheaper, better information and services for customers.
- Improved reputation - continuing to build an image of UAE as a modern nation, and an attractive location for people, business and investment.
- Greater participation by the community in government - making it easier businesses and citizens for those who wish to contribute and share knowledge.
- Leadership - supporting the knowledge-based society through public sector innovation to enable the UAE Federal Government to become a world-class government.
1.4 Measurement of Success
A range of factors will determine the success of the e-government strategy. Some of these will to be quantitative whilst others will be qualitative. This section examines these measures. The transition plan report will address when and how these should be measured. The most critical of these are:
1.4.1 Quantitative Measures of Success
The measures of success need to be determined in advance of the execution of each part of the e-Government implementation. The quantitative measures that should be developed will be targeted on the following areas:
- Performance. Many of the projects associated with e-Government will be to deliver a service or meet an existing need in a new way. One could decide for example to deliver a service in 2 hours rather than the 2 days currently taken or deliver a service with only one visit to a government office rather than the average of four visits currently required. These before and after output measurements are probably the most important measurements of success and are directly related to the justification for the individual projects.
- Time. All of the e-Government projects will be associated with an anticipated timeline. One of the measures of success will be related to a projects timely completion.
- Cost. Of course all projects will be associated with a cost of implementation and subsequent operation. Measurements of success can certainly be made against planned costs.
1.4.2 Qualitative Measures of Success
There are other aspects of projects and initiatives that will relate to success which if measured and hence monitored will directly impact success.
- Leadership support and advocacy for e-government. E-government champions must have a personal stake in the outcome of the e-government strategy and in the specific projects that implement that strategy. The champions must be actively involved when needed. The e-Government leader must have the authority to define project goals, secure resources, and resolve organizational and priority conflicts.
- Clear goals and specific performance targets. The e-government projects must have clearly defined goals that can be measured against specific performance targets. The targets should represent tangible benefits to the UAE Federal Government and provide a means to determine project success or failure.
- Willingness to change the way ministries work together, share, manage information and services.
- Knowledge sharing and cross ministries/departments cooperation. E-Government projects create demands for new skills to meet new situations. Sharing knowledge among various ministries and implementation team is an important means to develop new skills and disseminate that insight.
- Ability to change the culture, skills, governance and financial arrangements in Ministries to support e-Government.
- Starting small and growing quickly, but at a speed consistent with customer expectation, adoption rate and acceptability.
- Developing acceptable privacy and security safeguards, including authentication.
Softer management skills are more important than technical skills in senior e-government roles, such as e-champion and head of ICT, according to the Delivering Local E-government report from Socitm.
The study warns that a lack of clarity about how e-government should be managed, and the roles at the heart of e-government, will add to the risks of failure for e-government programmes.
The role of e-champion is to promote service transformation and to set the strategic direction.
Organisational awareness, relationship building, communicating, customer service, leadership and influencing are all necessary skills for an e-champion, said the report.
On the other hand, the head of ICT is responsible for developing technical infrastructure, delivering operational services and for setting e-government strategic direction.
"The head of ICT must possess the professional expertise required to deliver operational services and be able to manage performance and projects," said the report.
Socitm also noted that leaders of the two positions must demonstrate emotional and strategic intelligence, skills in strategic working and a solid political understanding.
And if that wasn't enough, the report added: "In fact the head of ICT or e-champion is expected to lead like the chief executive, have the analytical powers of the director of finance and be able to deliver the ICT service like the most effective service department."
The report pointed out that the majority of heads of ICT have come up through the ICT ranks, but that the skills they need for success have little to do with technology.
Tony Riding, author of the report, said in a statement: "The move to a more strategic role requires a shift from management to leadership and a need for much softer skills.
"The task of promoting and delivering e-government requires skills and behaviours more closely associated with chief executives than the traditional ICT role.
"This report helps explain how to balance on the e-government tight rope by providing a management framework as well as identifying the roles and responsibilities - and the skills - required to deliver e-government."
A four-member delegation from the government of Jordan, led by Lutfi Abu Hazeem, national project co-ordinator of the Property Tax Project, Ministry of Finance in Jordan, visited Dubai eGovernment to study the Dubai experience in delivering public services through electronic channels.
The Property Tax Project is a joint program developed between the Ministry of Finance in Jordan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Dubai e-Government: the great vision
Dubai e-Government�s new magazine e4all published an interview with General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister, in their first issue.
The following is a translation of the interview as it appeared in Al Bayan newspaper.
Question: Your Highness� achievements in various fields have amazed everyone. Many people wonder about the secret behind your success in everything that you undertake, whether it is leading the emirate and running its affairs or your personal hobbies - equestrianism, sports, poetry and literature. Where does your strong will come from and who is your greatest role model?
Sheikh Mohammed: His Highness Sheikh Zayed and my father, the late Sheikh Rashid, did not wait for history to be written, they made history. Let�s write history instead of waiting for other people to write about us.
Q: Dubai has, for many decades, been a well-known regional centre for trade. What does Your Highness want to contribute with the Dubai e-Government initiative?
SM: I want Dubai to be distinguished by its trade and economy in this digital age, just as it was known for trade in the past.
Q: We are seeing initiatives that are helping society convert to the digital age and there are questions about the eCitizen, eEmployee and e4all initiatives, the last of which includes the biggest IT companies and makes the latest IT more accessible to everyone. What is your goal?
SM: I want the Dubai e-Government team to be experts so that they can train and support government employees.
Q: What encouraged you to launch the e-Government initiative so early given that this government practice started in the mid-nineties and that only five years have passed since it was first launched and some developed countries still haven�t launched e-Government initiatives? What drove you to launch this initiative at this early stage?
SM: We want Dubai to be a hub for the New Economy, with the cooperation of IT companies and innovators. To achieve this, we had to revise our concept of government. I will lead this shift personally. We have always wanted to be at the forefront and the world is making this shift, so why not take the initiative and be one of the first to do so?
Q: What, in your opinion, is the importance of this step? And to what extent does Dubai need it?
SM: Our shift to e-Government is necessary if Dubai is to remain prosperous and if it is to be a destination for tourists.
Q: You gave this project a deadline of 18 months, which surprised many people, especially in a country that is still in the process of developing its technological infrastructure. On what did you base this deadline when other countries have 5-to-10 year plans?
SM: Man is full of potential. You have all seen how impressively our young people perform when given the opportunity.
Q: If we ask Your Highness to sum up your initiative and title it, what title would you choose?
SM: I want it to be a sincere attempt to make people�s lives easier and to facilitate companies� transactions.
Q: How does Your Highness feel after launching the first Arab e-Government? Do you think that because you were one of the first to announce this initiative, some parties will not act as quickly as is necessary?
SM: While what we have achieved is very important, it is still just the beginning. It is just the first step on a long and arduous path. We do not want to be misled by conceit or pride for having the first e-Government in the Arab world.
Q: Is there any mechanism to evaluate or control the government�s e-services and to measure how much the public benefits from these services?
SM: All government services and procedures should be in harmony with the modern digital economy. We should also improve the quality of the services rendered to the private sector and the public if we want Dubai to become a leading centre. To me, the most successful department is the one that deals with its clients electronically.
Q: Your Highness, you launched e-Government with 14 e-services and the number of e-services that the public benefits from has grown to 617, 211 of which are procedural and the rest of which are informative. How does Your Highness respond to those who were afraid that the initiative would fail, those who doubted that it would succeed, now that the number of services has increased 50 times in two years?
SM: Today, I am very proud of our young people, who have brought the e-Government up to this level, the level we wanted. You have heard how officials and directors are talking about it even though at the beginning they asked, �Where are we going?�.
Source: Al Bayan
E-government transforms public sector services, says researcher
-- September 1, 2004 -- The Research, Development and Evaluation Commission is the think tank of the Executive Yuan, and among the RDEC's six departments, the Department of Information Management is responsible for the planning, evaluation and implementation of e-government services.
Ho Chuan-te, director of the RDEC's Department of Information Management, explained that an important function of his department is that of coordination between government agencies. "I have studied the e-government programs of major countries and they point out that the next phase of e-government is integrated service. So, my department is developing a common platform. Through this common platform, different information and different services can be integrated." With such integration, there will be less need for people to physically go to and from a number of agencies to receive services. Instead, through the latest technology they can access our "one-stop service."
Ho explained that, "By the end of this year, we are going to provide online travel service and business start-up service. If you want to start a business, you just log on to the government portal to obtain all of the necessary information about registration, taxation, etc. Then, through a single window obtain all of the necessary services. We would also like to provide sightseeing services through integration of the private and public sectors. Previously, if you wanted to obtain such services, you had to visit lots of Web sites for information, for hotel booking, for transportation. In the near future, we are going to integrate them. This is what we call a one-stop service or cross-boundary service, not only connecting government to government, but also extending government services to the private sector." Also in the works are online medical, household and government employment services.
Ho noted that barrier removal is also critical. For example, Taiwan is strong in IT but weak in application. The government is working to break down that barrier, such as by creating a national tax database for convenient filing of tax returns and downloading of tax information. Ho notes that this year, 20 percent of taxpayers obtained digital certificates and filed their returns online. Another 20 percent used a barcode system. Thus, about 40 percent of taxpayers used online taxation services.
Ho's vision is that through ICT and through e-government he can provide the business community and the general public with innovative and integrated services. He added that progress has been made in achieving that vision. "If you ask me what is one of the success factors for implementing e-government, I will say that leadership is very important. My department has received much support from the premier and even from the president. That is one of the reasons that Taiwan has made so much progress in e-government."
Taiwan's e-government success has been recognized internationally. In surveys of the state of e-government among 198 nations published by Brown University, Taiwan was ranked first in 2002 and fifth in 2003. Meanwhile, in the Global Information Technology Report 2002-2003 published by the World Economic Forum, Taiwan was ranked second in government readiness and fourth in government usage.
In the next phase of e-government implementation, the focus will be on the issues of e-governance and e-participation. "We have to pay more attention to e-citizens, because e-citizens are becoming the majority.
In Taiwan, Internet penetration is quite high, above 50 percent. So, the government is putting much effort into implementing e-government to satisfy its digital citizens." He added that, "Today's young people are growing up with ICT as part of their lives. According to studies, the e-generation is politically active, they want equality, they demand input and they are rights-oriented. They also want choice and empowerment. They demand the expansion and growth of e-services. They expect information access. They expect to control the service experience, they want to be the core decider of services and they demand data privacy."
Ho pointed out that data privacy and security issues are becoming more important in Taiwan and that he would like to create secure and trusted e-services. "Three factors; performance, professionalism and promotion, are necessary for increasing trust and confidence in e-services."
In terms of equality, the Taiwan government is working to provide more convenient e-services to foreigners. Ho notes that, "We want to create a single Web site this year with information in English and services for foreigners. This is very important because Taiwan is part of the global society, so we have to open a window to connect Taiwan with the world."
As part of the effort to create an English-friendly environment in Taiwan, government agencies are required to build up comprehensive bilingual Web sites. In addition, the government has launched themed bilingual Web sites on subjects such as human rights, Taiwan's case for admission to the WHO, tourist information, investment information, NGOs and NPOs. These Web sites help the international community to understand what Taiwan is doing in these areas.
Another goal that Taiwan has is to share its best practices with other countries to market itself as an international expert in e-government
| Qatar wins the Excellent e-Government Portal Award |
| 2004-07-08 |
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Qatar’s e-Government was awarded the Excellent e-Government Portal Award on the first day of the 10th GCC e-Government and Telecom Forum held in Dubai between 24-26 May 2004.
The prize highlights Qatar’s e-Government efforts in providing a single-point, web-based system which integrates data from multiple sources, including local, State and Government and private sector databases. Each of the providers are responsible for the maintenance of their own information. e-Government’s portal in Qatar also excelled in providing all users with a simple, easy-to-use site that provides total services and information.
The prize was received by Dr. Ahmed Al Mohannadi, Director of e-Government in Qatar during an honoring ceremony held last night in Dubai.
The Middle East Information Technology Awards was conceived in 1995 to recognize and promote qualitative Technological and Entrepreneurial forays within the information Technology industry of the region.
IMPLEMENTING THE E-GOVERNMENT STRATEGY
To implement the E-Government strategy, the Department is employing an E-Government maturity model7 to baseline current capabilities and to develop action plans for reaching higher levels of customer awareness and organizational capability. The four levels of the maturity model are defined below:
- Level 1: Creating E-Government Awareness. At this level, the organization is beginning to think about E-Government and may have a few notable E-Government initiatives under way. However, the overall E-Government infrastructure has not been established and a comprehensive, integrated approach to E- Government has not been defined and implemented.
- Level 2: Building the E-Government Foundation. At Level 2, organizations have initiated concerted efforts to establish a framework for identifying and managing E- Government projects. Evidence of a systematic approach to E-Government is readily ascertainable. Strategies, plans, management structures, and knowledge of customer requirements indicate progress beyond Level 1.
- Level 3: Managing to the E-Government Vision. At Level 3, organizations have a clearly defined E-Government vision and are actively managing toward that vision. The organization can demonstrate compliance with at least Stage 3 of the General Accounting Office (GAO) Information Technology Investment Management (ITIM) maturity model and the appropriate level of the Federal IT Security Assessment Framework. The organization can verify progress in implementing its E- Government workforce plan. The organization also has identified a target architecture and is successfully implementing its migration plan toward the target.
- Level 4: Providing Sustained Delivery of Digital Services. At Level 4 of the E- Government maturity model, the organization is operating at the highest levels of the GAO ITIM framework and the CIO Council Federal IT Security Assessment Framework. The organization has a fully implemented CRM plan and can demonstrate the ability to meet excellent customer service performance criteria consistently. In addition, the agency has automated its enterprise architecture and is able to adapt quickly to changes in strategy or technology.
E-GOVERNMENT MATURITY PERFORMANCE
The Department will conduct annual assessments of its E-Government maturity based on criteria developed for each component (that is, CRM, organizational capability, etc.) at each level of the maturity model. These assessments will incorporate the results of other scoring processes and will provide the input necessary to develop integrated action plans that address logical sequencing of activities and critical process dependencies inherent in the maturity model.
7 Booz Allen hamilton, E-Government Maturity Model: From Assessment to Action, April 2001
