United Arab Emirates to Develop Unified Digital Identity

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), in partnership with Smart Dubai, is attempting to develop a unified digital identify system in the United Arab Emirates.

As part of the GITEX Technology Week 2017, the TRA and Smart Dubai have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a unified digital identity system in the UAE. According to Gulf Today, the agreement’s main focus is to enhance the cooperation between the federal and local governments to “launch and implement unified projects at the national level that contribute to achieving the goals of UAE Centennial 2071, UAE Vision 2021, and sustainable development.”

Over the course of the project, the organizations will focus on creating a federal, named “SmartPass”, digital identity service for the UAE Federal Government, which will integrate the local, “Dubai ID”, service into a single system. This will allow the users to gain access to both federal and local government services. To access the service, a user has to log in once, which he or she could do from any location. Once logged in, the transactions will automatically start processing digitally.

The Digital ID project is part of the TRA’s business facilitation initiative and also a part of the joint national initiatives. Furthermore, the Digital ID project will also support Smart Dubai’s strategies, including forming a “Paperless government” and the implementation of blockchain technology to the government bodies.

“We are pleased with this joint project with Smart Dubai, which is an important milestone in the efforts of integration and interconnection between local and federal government entities, within a comprehensive national framework to ensure the provision of a unified government service channel for the customers,” Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, TRA Director-General, said in a statement.

According to Dr. Aisha bin Bishr, the Director-General of the Smart Dubai Office, the project’s main focus is to unify the government’s work in a single system at both federal and local levels, and to open new “horizons for an integrated and interconnected digital generation on the national level.”

“This would contribute to achieving the UAE Vision 2021, aiming to develop the government services to meet the future requirements, and provide a high-quality life for citizens, residents, and visitors of the UAE,” Dr. Aisha bin Bishr said.

CoinJournal reported a few days ago that the Dubai Land Department (DLD) have announced an initiative where blockchain technology would be adopted for the management and registration of property.In the long term, one of the objectives of the project is to integrate blockchain technology for the storage of all Dubai government documents by 2020.

The Dubai Blockchain Strategy was launched in October 2016 by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, crown prince of Dubai, in collaboration with Smart Dubai, Emirates Real Estate Solutions (ERES), the technical arm of the Dubai Land Department, the Emirates Identity Authority, the Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA), the Emirates NBD (one of the largest banking groups in the Middle East), and the wasl Asset Management Group (one of the largest real estate developers in Dubai).

The smart and secure database, powered by blockchain technology, developed as part of the strategy will record all real estate contracts and lease registrations. It will then link this information with the DEWA, the telecommunications system, and other related property bills.