Dubai has undergone a transformation in the past few years that no other city in the Middle East or in the world has seen. From being a small town with a population of only 500,000 people, Dubai became one of the busiest global business hubs in the world which made the city the Silicon Valley of the Middle East. The best thing about Dubai’s transformation is that the officials of the country didn’t change the city and made it a big one only in terms of the number of buildings or the height of the skyscrapers but the city has digitally transformed in all its industries using cutting-edge technologies.
The city initiated its first step towards digital transformation in the year 1999 and then in 2000, Dubai officials launched its first digital project, an e-government system. Followed by the launching of Dubai e-government city, the officials launched many other digital projects such as Dubai digital city, Dubai Smart Government, and the Smart Dubai initiative. The officials of Dubai have successfully launched these projects and have been running them effectively. Today Dubai is one of the most digitally updated cities in the world that connect citizens of the city with everything that they need to live from healthcare to housing digitally which they can access with their fingertip.
Ruler Of Dubai On The City’s Digital Transformation
The ruler, vice-president, and prime minister of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum says that technology is a means to improve the lives of the citizens of the city and also describes it as playing a role of an enabler.
The Smart Dubai initiative was started with His Highness’s ambition of making Dubai the happiest city on earth. The Smart Dubai initiative includes many implementations such as IoT (internet of things), data analytics, blockchains, innovative 3-D printing, autonomous vehicles, and so on.Â
The Digital Transformation Of Dubai
Dubai aims to become a digitally innovative smart city by becoming resourceful for the citizens of the city. In 2021, the government of Dubai launched a 5-year strategy Smart Dubai 2021. The 2017 Smart Dubai strategy was successful and the 2021 plan will include new innovative strategies and transformations. The officials of Dubai say that every single digital project of the city primarily aims to improve the lives of the people of the city and give them sustainable resources.
The digital transformation of Dubai will change the economy of the city and the people residing in it. Digital innovations will reduce expenditures which will assist in achieving financial benefits, both in the public and private sectors. The digital innovations of Dubai will also provide you with vast opportunities for both citizens and expatriates.
The Smart Dubai 2021 5-year strategy has six strategic objectives that the government of the city aims to create in the coming years. They are:
Smart Liveable And Resilient City
This strategy of Smart Dubai 2021 aims to ensure that all people and organizations in the country are connected through ICT. This will enable the citizens of Dubai to easily access any service that they want. The government also aims to improve commitment and collaboration between various stakeholders to improve the urban experience of Dubai.Â
Globally Competitive Economy Powered By Disruptive Technologies
Dubai is a strong economic hub and also a famous tourist place. The 2021 Smart Dubai strategy intends to make the city a globally competitive economy that is powered by ICT technologies. This strategy gives an opportunity for private sectors to digitally transform their sectors and this will be a stepping stone to making Dubai, the smartest city in the world.
Interconnected Society With Easily Accessible Social Services
This strategy aims to make the lives of people residing in the city easier by interconnecting every resource in the city ranging from water to traffic lights. The Smart Dubai 2021 will incorporate technology into the social, cultural, healthcare, and education industries of the city which will improve the quality of life of the people in Dubai.
Smooth Transport Driven By Autonomous And Shared Mobility Solutions
In a busy city like Dubai, it is important that every digital innovation is used to enhance the transportation resources of the city. This strategy aims at smooth transport by introducing autonomous car technology for transportation and increasing the use of public transportation.
Clean Environment Enabled By Cutting-Edge ICT Innovations
This strategy of Smart Dubai 2021 focuses on ensuring the quality of the city’s resources such as water, electricity, air, and so on. The government plans to deploy ICT into these fields of Dubai’s economy to improve the efficiency of the resources.
Digital, Lean Connected Government
Smart Dubai 2021 plans to establish a digitally connected government that will enable people to connect with the public officials of the Dubai government without needing to physically appear in a place. This also intends to strengthen the connection between the public and the government.