From E-Government to Good Governance and from Good Governance to Development... The Arab world in the global E-Government readiness report 2005 Arab E-government

eGovernment@large in the UAE

• 1.1 E-Government Vision
• 1.2 Strategic Objectives
• 1.3 E-Government Benefits for the UAE Federal Government
• 1.4 Measurement of Success

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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