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Governments need to build necessary foundations to exchange non-sensitive public data
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Develop interoperable digital platforms and a broad range of technological capabilities
Governments in the Middle East need to intensify efforts to digitize services, said a study by the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority and Strategy&.
Hani Zain, partner Middle East chapter of Strategy&, a strategy consulting business unit of PricewaterhouseCoopers, said that a recent survey in one GCC country revealed that around 30% of customers are dissatisfied with the complexity of official websites and the amount of information they have to provide.
According to the study, ‘Building the Future of Public Sector Digital Services’, customers need personalized service with minimal interactions, which forces public and private service providers to digitally transform their business models.
These entities must aim for an “invisible government” that enables seamless services. For example, private companies would receive clearances and approvals without filing a request, it said. To provide such a service, government entities should know their customers and facilitate data exchange among them.
“Invisible government customer service will make constituents’ lives easier and allow these entities to operate more efficiently,” Zain added.
About 90 percent of government transactions in Abu Dhabi are conducted through digital channels, customers are asking for more, according to a study by the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority and Strategy&.
Aisha Al Marzooqi, executive director of the Government Services Sector at the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, said the government has established TAMM, a one-stop for all services.
The TAMM is built on an entire system of digital capabilities with over 600 digital services. Approximately 90 percent of total government transactions in Abu Dhabi are now conducted through digital channels, she said.
The Middle East is moving towards invisible government services. In Abu Dhabi, automatic exemptions and actions are becoming more common when customers change status or request certain services. For example, a person diagnosed with a certain disability at a medical facility is proactively registered to benefit from a range of government services and privileges. This enables the government to better reach such people and reduce application burden and waiting times.