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DUBAI/WAM
Dubai has launched the Shared Digital Channels Initiative in collaboration with various government entities, marking a transformative step towards a unified, user-centric digital government model.
The initiative aims to simplify access to services for residents, businesses and visitors through seamless, integrated platforms.
The launch took place in the presence of Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti, Secretary-General of The Executive Council of Dubai, and Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director-General of Digital Dubai.
This milestone follows the approval of the initiative by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, in February 2025.
The initiative envisions the provision of government services through seven specialised and unified platforms: Dubai Now for individuals, Invest in Dubai for businesses, Visit Dubai for tourism, alongside four sector-specific platforms covering transportation, justice, construction, and trade.
Digital Dubai is leading this initiative in line with its mandate to oversee Shared Digital Channels. The initiative supports the city’s strategy to digitalise life and strengthen Dubai’s position among the world’s top three cities in digital, human-centred service delivery, and contributes to achieving the goals of the 360 Services Policy by transforming service delivery channels into 100 percent unified and integrated platforms.
On this occasion, Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti, Secretary General of The Executive Council of Dubai, affirmed that the government work system—guided by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the directives of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council—places the customer at the heart of comprehensive and continuous development. This is achieved through the design of proactive service experiences that anticipate future needs and meet evolving expectations, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global leader in government services.
He added, “The ‘Shared Digital Channels’ initiative, approved by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed earlier this year, reflects Dubai Government’s commitment to delivering a seamless, integrated digital experience through dedicated, round-the-clock platforms—cementing the emirate’s status as a global hub for technology and innovation in service of people and in attracting high-quality investments.”
Commenting on the initiative, Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), stated, “Digital channels have become the primary means through which customers access a wide array of government services and process their transactions. This underscores the critical importance of developing shared digital platforms and advancing integration among government entities. Customers increasingly perceive the government as a single, connected entity capable of fulfilling their needs through one or a small number of unified platforms, without the need to navigate multiple channels and service windows.”
He added, “The Shared Mobility Channel, Dubai’s Unified Gateway for City-Wide Mobility Services, ensures seamless access to all modes of transport, whether public or private. Mobility services remain a cornerstone of government offerings with public transport, shared mobility, and taxis serving 747.1 million riders in 2024. The city is home to 2.5 million registered vehicles, while nol cards have surpassed 39 million in circulation. The new platform enhances the customer experience by providing streamlined access to both government and private sector services through a single, intuitive interface that supports integration and leverages emerging technologies.”
Helal Saeed Almarri, Director-General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, said, “Dubai’s digital transformation reflects the foresight of our leadership and the clarity of vision that has consistently placed our city ahead of global trends. This journey is not only about adopting technology—it is about creating time, building trust, and unlocking opportunity at every level of society and the economy.
“The launch of the Shared Digital Channels Initiative marks a strategic leap forward—ensuring that government services are not only world-class in functionality, but seamlessly integrated into daily life, fully aligned with the leadership’s ambition for a digital- first, human-centred future”.
“As we advance the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, our focus remains on creating systems that are intuitive, scalable, and responsive—designed to enable businesses to grow faster, residents to enjoy greater convenience, and talent to thrive in an environment defined by innovation. This is how we reinforce Dubai’s position as the global epicentre of opportunity, and the best place in the world to live, work, and build the future.”
Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director-General of Digital Dubai, commented, “Digital channels have consistently been a key driver of our success in recent years, an achievement made possible by the collective efforts of all stakeholders. Inspired by our leadership, we believe that every success should serve as a stepping stone towards even greater progress. Today, we are called to innovate and introduce initiatives that drive a transformative leap in Shared Digital Channels, reinforcing the vision of a fully integrated digital lifestyle. By harnessing cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, we can deliver services and digital city experiences that are proactive, predictive, and seamlessly integrated.”
Al Mansoori added, “We are currently advancing the development of Shared Digital Channels guided by a well-defined roadmap, to enhance their impact in simplifying people’s lives and driving the digital economy. Our goal is to capitalise on the technologies, ideas, and accumulated expertise at our disposal, while creating new solutions and initiatives that position the shared digital ecosystem as a flagship initiative of the next phase of transformation. This will simplify people’s lives and propel the digital economy forward in support of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. I am confident that what lies ahead will exceed all that has come before, driven by the enduring spirit of collaboration and unity that has always defined our journey—and will continue to guide us into the future.”
Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, Acting Director-General of Dubai Municipality, highlighted the importance of shared digital channels in building a comprehensive digital ecosystem. He stated, “Today, Dubai — guided by the vision of its leadership and the collaboration of its institutions — presents to the world a model of future cities that inspire and delight both residents and visitors, offering an attractive environment for living, working, and investing. Shared digital channels play a vital role in this context, facilitating access to services in a coordinated and seamless manner through integrated data exchange within an interconnected government framework. We are confident that enhancing this experience will mark a significant shift in service delivery across Dubai, capitalising on advanced digital technologies and the extensive expertise of Dubai’s skilled workforce in various sectors.”
Prof. Saif Ghanem Al Suwaidi, Director-General of Dubai Courts, affirmed that the shared digital channels add a vital dimension to the quality of life in Dubai. He stated, “The ease of access to services is a key criterion for modern and future cities. Dubai, which has long excelled in this area through its pioneering journey, is now advancing to a new and advanced phase through this initiative. This step is a clear expression of the leadership’s vision and proactive efforts to anticipate and shape the future in a manner that serves people across all sectors — with justice and judiciary at the forefront, benefiting from cross-sectoral integration within a unified and comprehensive government system.”
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DP World, stated, “Unifying service and digital experience channels is essential to accelerating economic activity in Dubai. It streamlines processes, saves time and resources, and drives greater efficiency and productivity across sectors. At a broader level, this milestone enhances Dubai’s attractiveness to investors by providing a robust and supportive ecosystem for economic and commercial growth. Developing the Shared Digital Channels Initiative is a key priority, and we are fully committed to contributing meaningfully, in line with our role in enabling and facilitating trade and commerce across Dubai.”
He added, “The unified logistics and trade channel marks a significant advancement in strengthening Dubai’s competitiveness in the cross-border trade and logistics sectors. This can be accomplished through collaboration between government agencies and private sector companies and establishing a comprehensive digital ecosystem that covers every stage of commercial and logistical operations within a unified framework. This initiative supports the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to increase the emirate’s external trade volume over the next decade to AED25.6 trillion, while reinforcing Dubai’s position as one of the world’s top five logistics hubs.”
Approved by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan, the initiative represents a significant milestone towards building a future-ready digital ecosystem for the city — one that improves quality of life, attracts global enterprises, and fosters innovation in service delivery—creating smarter, more seamless digital experiences that simplify life for individuals and businesses alike.
The initiative aims to deliver personalised, proactive services by creating a unified digital customer profile across platforms. It aims to streamline user journeys through process optimisation, offering seamless and interactive experiences. It focuses on integrating public and private sector services, ensuring full interoperability across digital channels, while maintaining the highest standards of cybersecurity and data governance.
The Shared Digital Channels Initiative is envisioned to set a new benchmark in customer experience—offering high-quality, accessible, and frictionless digital services powered by advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence. This initiative supports the development of an exceptional digital service ecosystem, making it easier for all user segments to access a wide range of services. Ultimately, all services provided by the Government of Dubai will be delivered through these seven unified channels—eliminating the need to navigate multiple platforms or providers.
Other key objectives include enhancing operational efficiency, promoting sustainability by optimising resource usage, eliminating redundancy, and leveraging data-driven insights to anticipate trends, address issues proactively, and streamline service delivery.