Dubai Paperless Strategy: Saving Resources, Environment and Time

Last Updated on November 8, 2023 by Ameer Hamza

The Dubai Paperless Strategy intends to create a paperless government structure that is properly integrated. The strategy will help establish an administration to design comprehensive plans and measures ensuring people’s success. Communities will be able to meet the needs of smart cities in the future. Further, the initiative will reduce the amount of paper used in Dubai government transactions by about one billion pieces every year.

Dubai is laying the groundwork for a future free of paper. The integrated model, which works among government agencies, is another significant step toward presenting Dubai as a smart city. The paperless structure will increase employee and citizen happiness while improving efficiency, resources, and the environment.

The Transitioning Process to Dubai Paperless Strategy

All 45 government departments in the emirate have turned paperless, and over 1,800 digital services cover 10,500 transactions essential to their functioning. Participants’ cooperation resulted in the automation of customer-facing operations and services, leading to a 336 million paper reduction. In addition, the method enabled the Dubai government to save about Dhs1.3 billion and 14 million man hours. In the transition away from paper, the Dubai government has built a legislative framework to manage digital operations and remove any cultural and traditional impediments. Eliminating 1 billion paper each year will increase Dubai’s savings that will be used in feeding 4 million children. The initiative can save 130,000 trees and 40 hours of productivity, giving individuals more time to pursue their personal goals.

Three Main Pillars Making Up the Strategy

The Dubai Paperless Strategy has been designed on the following three pillars.

1.   Smart Solutions as The First Pillar

The government will be completely paperless, with 100% of internal operations and customer services being digital. It indicates that the government will not issue or request papers of any kind. To enable paperless government operations, all technology criteria will be met.

2.   Legislation as The Second Pillar

The legal system will largely focus on regulating this approach. For all institutions, paperless transactions will be governed by appropriate legislation adjustments.

3.   The Paper-free Culture as The Third Pillar

Under the third pillar, all the barriers associated with individuals or institutions will be addressed to encourage a culture of paperless transactions.

Paperless Office Is Not Just a Trend; It’s A Reality

Adopting digitalization has become a popular subject in regional governments. As government institutions are involved in our lives, the digital transformation process carried out by government bodies is the best starting point for educating people and implementing change. Dubai International Financial Courts, Dubai Transport Authority, Dubai Health Authority, and Dubai Police are among the first to become paperless. A stamp has been granted to government bodies who have completely adopted this strategy as a mark of their transformation into digital, paperless organizations. The project honors organizations that stepped above and beyond in putting the plan into action, providing services through completely electronic channels.