Recent statistics of Dubai smart government showed that the amounts collected through the electronic payment system ePay from the first of January till the end of April 2016 amounted to AED 3,625 billion, with an increase of 37.2% compared to the same period last year, where the collected amount was AED 2,640 billion, while the transactions concerning the service increased in the same period from 2,131 to about 2,499, hence increasing by 17%.
According to official data that Albayan Economy obtained a copy of, the total amounts collected via smart phone service mPay has also increased since the beginning of January till the end of last April to reach AED 160 billion, increasing 100% than the amounts collected during the same period of last year, where the amounts collected were AED 79,916 billion. Also, the number of transactions of the service increased during the same period from 176,366 to 345,669, hence increasing 96%.
Dr. Aisha Bin Bishr, Director General of the Dubai Smart Office, in a special statement to Albayan Economy, stressed the importance of the private sector in the Smart City initiative, through the role it plays in unifying the experience of both residents and visitors of Dubai, opening new horizons of innovation. She pointed out that the Smart City initiative is going according to the plans and strategies developed to this end, seeking to establish and consolidate Dubai as the smartest city on earth by 2017.
Bin Bishr stated that the ambition of Smart Dubai initiative is to make Dubai the happiest city on earth at all levels and in all walks of life in Dubai. The initiative targets the happiness rate to reach 95% in Dubai by year 2021. This target can never be reached unless Dubai residents feel happy with every detail in their lives, hence it is so important that such an individual senses their presence in a unique, smart city while making their procedures and dealings, so that they won't have to introduce themselves each time or at every entity they deal with, instead, their data is given once with a high quality, hence they would be recognized in all entities.
Dubai Data
Concerning Dubai Data initiative, Bin Bishr stated that one of the roles of this initiative is to consolidate the necessary legislative environment within the framework of Dubai smart development strategy, aiming to transform the city into the smartest city worldwide. "This data is to be classified into open, common, confidential and other in a way to maintain information and data security of individuals and organizations, in addition to making use of analyzing it and utilizing the analysis results in constant development and update. Open and common data are considered the most comprehensive and ambitious all over the world because everyone will harvest its fruits; decision-makers, employers, Dubai residents and visitors", she added.
Under the supervision and directions of Dubai Data Institution, data and information of the New Coin that will be circulated in Dubai will be shared with citizens, residents, business institutions and government entities, so that science and knowledge align with economy and finance, to facilitate exchange of values, developing new, innovative ways to live, learn and establish businesses in Emirates.
Dubai Data initiative is affiliated with Dubai Data Institution according to the Initiative Law issued in Dubai in 2015. This is the only initiative that covers all data of Dubai city, which directs and regulates the process of publishing, exchanging data and making it available between the public and private sectors.
Dubai Data initiative aims at improving the economy horizon in Dubai and enabling members of the community, through making data available and providing job opportunities, hence contributing raise the standard of living for all concerned parties, including government entities, private sector establishments, business sector, citizens, residents and visitors.
"Dubai Data Initiative is not focused only on collecting a large amount of data, but it looks for the best ways to realize optimization of data and enabling all those who are concerned with data, which in turn contributes to creating outstanding economic opportunities and enhancing the prosperity of individuals and the community", stated Bin Bishr.
Concerning the importance of data in enhancing the economy of nations, Bin Bishr stated that on city level, data proved to have a strong economic impact. Reports show that cities that approved the policies of open data in the government sector scored an increase in its GDP by approx.. 1%.
However, Dubai Data initiative promises more positive impacts, since its objectives is not limited to making government sector data only available, but it goes farther than that to support the publishing and exchange of data between public and private sectors.
Index
As regards Dubai Smart Index, Bin Bishr advised that its goal is to shed light on future opportunities, especially that the city is preparing to receive 50 million visitors in 2020. She pointed out that the index was developed in collaboration with the Telecommunications Union and DSC to evaluate and measure how Dubai services and utilities can contribute to realizing Smart Dubai Vision.
Bin Bishrr stated that the Happiness Index Initiative is one of the unique experiments all over the world in measuring happy experiences in different parts of the city, in both the private and public sector companies.
She stated that the number of entities participating in the index is 40 government and private entities and the number of centers applying the service is 155, while the websites that apply the happiness index are 83 websites and 338 electronic service. Also, 2.22 million votes are participating.
Happiness index measures the public real-time impression and satisfaction with services presented to them, through more than 542 points in 38 government entities. One of the results of the index was that the happiest hour for the public in Dubai is 10 am every Tuesday, and the data is currently being analyzed to find out the reasons for that.
Bin Bishr added that the Happiness Index was applied with Emirates National Bank of Dubai as the first private sector entity. Application to the private sector will continue in stages according to the preparedness of the entity, as an electronic website was provided that help the willing parties to apply the happiness index to the speed of execution and Smart Dubai Government Foundation gives technical support to these entities.