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28 March 2024

Mohammed launches Dubai Smart City; smartphone to be key pivot

Published
By Wam

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, today launched a strategy to transform Dubai into a 'Smart City', in the presence of  Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and General Superviser of Dubai Smart City Project, and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.

The strategy features six key pillars and 100 initiatives on transport, communications, infrastructure, electricity, economic services, urban planning. Under the strategy, 1000 government services will go smart in the next three years.

Sheikh Mohammed affirmed: "Our country is today ushering in a new era for the improvement  and development of quality of life through this gigantic project which got underway through an unprecedented public-private partnership to make a new reality for all and change the concept of city which the human being lives in so as to live with him through his smart phone and who will be its key pivot."

"Our ambition is that this project touches the life of everyone in our country, or every mother in her house, or every employee in his work, or every investor in his project, or every child in his school, and doctor in his clinic. Our goal is to bring about happiness to all. May Allah help us in achieving this end," Sheikh Mohammed said.

The launch ceremony was attended by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Emirates Group, Sheikh Hasher bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Information Department, Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gargawi, Chairman of the Higher Committee for Dubai Smart City, and a number of senior officials.

On this occasion, Dubai Crown Prince and General Superviser of the project of transforming Dubai into a smart city Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: "His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum does not want to just develop the services, but he wants to change the way of life in Dubai. He did not set for us goals in customer satisfaction, but this time the goal is the happiness of man. "

He added: "His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid wants a smart city, smart economy, smart education and smart environment; he wants to make a different life, not for upcoming generations , but a different life now ."

The Dubai Crown Prince  praised the renewable vision of  Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, which seeks to create a new environment for the life of the people in the emirate.

5-D Control Room

He added that we will have a 5-D control room, the world's largest room which we will use to follow-up the process of transforming Dubai into a Smart City .. and will be also used to oversee the government projects and service indicators, roads, weather conditions and emergency situations, etc...

Sheikh Hamdan also mentioned that Dubai will have the largest open global laboratory for creative people and specialised companies to try all that is new in science and immediately apply it.

He went on to say, following the launch ceremony: "We promise all investors, residents , those interested and above all the UAE citizens, to experience broad changes over the coming period; we are part of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s team; we are competent to face the challenge he had set for us."

Sheikh Hamdan affirmed that Dubai visitors will have a different and unique tourist experience.

He praised the team working on this project, which inaugurates a new phase in the history of the UAE.

Addressing the team members, he said: "You are the people who are capable of meeting Mohammed bin Rashid’s trust; a head of us is journey  that is full of challenges, a national task that is full of many accomplishments, a community holds a lot of expectations and a leadership that is not satisfied with but the highest aspirations . "

Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi , Chairman of the Executive Office and Chairman of the  High  Committee for Dubai's transformation into a smart city said that that after the issuance of the high directions to start the project in October, the work team was formed and major government agencies in Dubai started to work as a team under the direct follow-up of Dubai Crown Prince to develop a full concept and a comprehensive plan to implement the project as soon as possible.

He added, in a speech, that "when the team began to work on this project, we found that the foundations were all ready. Sheikh Hamdan then told us : "It seems that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid had known before to where he wants to be up; everything is ready for this project and we only need to build on the already existed foundations, thank God . "

Al Gergawi affirmed that the next phase will include the creation of integration of systems in all institutions in terms technical and service-wise integration, and this will be the biggest challenge because it will also include integrated systems with the private sector.

He explained that the strategic plan is flexible according to the directives of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, even takes into account all the rapid and stunning technological developments in the world so we can absorb them and benefit from them directly .

Communication, integration, Cooperation

The strategic plan is based on three basic ideas:  communication,    integration and   cooperation. These ideas will enhance communication between the residents of the city and its institutions and facilities through easy access and information sharing of data about the city among themselves to keep them informed about government entities, schools, hospitals, roads and transport, sensor systems, buildings, energy and others. This can be achieved through "My window to Dubai" programme

The plan also includes development of smart and personal boards containing all information and data about the city of Dubai in one place to make it easy for individuals to communuicate with various institutions and facilities in Dubai. Dubai Electronic board will be allocated to decision makers which includes all the data and information that they may require to ensure that their decisions serve the public interest .

As part of the Dubai Smart strategy, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA)" will implement a comprehensive plan to ensure access to provide the smartest transportation system in the world through development of traffic systems , transportation , and creation of a " unified control center " for all means of transportation and traffic , as well as providing more than 200 services , using smartphones at the end of 2015 , in addition to RTA’s current services.

With regard to the energy sector , Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) intends to launch a number of initiatives including the development of " smart electrical grid " to encourage owners of houses and buildings in Dubai to use  solar energy and sell the surplus to the government through the network itself , as well as " smart meters " that contribute to rationalising the consumption of electricity and water , where the Authority aims to achieve more of well-being and comfort for clients with confirmation on sustainability approach , to make  Dubai the smartest in the field of the environment globally.

As part of the announced plan, the" Dubai Design District" will be transformed into the smartest spot in the world where companies can  provide smart solutions tailored to meet the needs of customers  and facilitate transactions such as licenses, visas, customs and other government services.

Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai intends to provide a package of solutions and applications that serve the retail trade in Dubai and its transformation into a " smart business ", by which to achieve control and monitor trends for buyers with emphasis on reducing the carbon footprint and paperwork, an affirmation of the Department’s undying keenness to achieve sustainable development and enhance business competitiveness according to the highest standards in place in line with the objectives of" Smart Dubai  "  initiative.

Dubai Municipality (DM) is working on the transformation of 450 e-services into smart services. It is also working on the implementation of smart parks and beaches projects that provide specific information on weather conditions, sea, temperatures and safety guidelines, as well as the launch of "I-Dubai", which provides information relating to the services of the municipality as well as the "Smart Address" and other initiatives and services the Dubai Municipality intends to transform into Smart models over the next two years.

The Dubai Police plan for 2014 includes implementation of a number of smart phone services that aim to reduce the burden on members of the public and ensure that none of them need to visit the police stations except in cases that requires personal presence.