The Smart Dubai Office has announced the roll out of the first city-wide effort to implement blockchain technology in city services in collaboration with IBM and ConsenSys.
This effort is a key execution of the Dubai Blockchain Strategy 2020 announced in October 2016 by the Dubai Future Foundation and the Smart Dubai Office, and is the first of its kind in the world.
“Today’s announcement marks an important step forward in our commitment to delivering Dubai’s Blockchain Strategy announced late last year by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai,” said H.E Dr.Aisha Bin BIshr, Director General, Smart Dubai Office. “Collaborating with IBM as lead strategic partner, and ConsenSys as city advisor, will help expedite this process, attaining Smart Dubai’s overall vision of making every-day experiences more safe, seamless, efficient and impactful for all residents and visitors of the city.”
Over the coming months, Smart Dubai will conduct workshops with key Government, semi-Government and private organisations in Dubai to identify and prioritise the services that can be most enhanced by the application of blockchain technology. Moreover, a shared Blockchain as a Service (BaaS) Platform will be built for Dubai Government entities to use for implementing their blockchain pilots and projects.
“We truly believe that we cannot do this alone, and we need to work closely with partners in both the public and private sector to deliver on this promise to make Dubai fully powered by blockchain,” said HE Wesam Lootah, CEO of Smart Dubai Government Establishment. “This collaborative effort is crucial to ensuring that the city as a whole is moving in the same direction, taking advantage of synergies, and avoiding duplication of efforts and costs.”
He added, “Our roadmap will start immediately to start identifying any opportunities in an industry where blockchain makes sense.”
“Dubai is at the forefront of adopting this transformative technology and our collaboration today demonstrates the government’s confidence that blockchain solutions will transform government service delivery,” said Takreem El-Tohamy, General Manager, IBM Middle East & Africa. “IBM believes that blockchain will do for transactions what the internet did for information.”
Joseph Lubin, CEO & Founder, ConsenSys, said “In analysing, selecting and offering government services on interoperable blockchains, Smart Dubai will dramatically reduce wasted time, effort and resources, and accelerate commerce locally by greatly reducing friction at the interface of business and government and in citizen services and will therefore serve as a model for the world’s civic governance. ConsenSys is honored to serve as city advisor to put government services in Dubai on a more fluid, effective and transparent blockchain foundation.”
