IBM has been selected by the Sharjah Directorate of Information and e-Government to implement an electronic government portal.
According to the company, the new services portal will enable Sharjah’s citizens, businesses, and government bodies to interact with government agencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The portal will also offer rich informational content to individuals (citizens, expats, and visitors) and businesses operating within the emirate of Sharjah regarding the activities, service offerings, and major events of the various Sharjah Government departments.
With the new solution, multiple user categories including individuals as well as large and small enterprise owners and Government bodies will be able to benefit from the use of online e-Services available on the portal. The solution will be built on IBM WebSphere Portal Software and IBM pSeries Hardware, as well as IBM storage solutions.
IBM consultants will implement the project working with a team from the Sharjah department of Information and e-Government. IBM will draw on the innovative technology and expertise employed in many other e-government implementations both in the Middle East and internationally.
The programme is part of a growing trend by governments to use technology to re-orient their structures to better serve citizens. By consolidating information, providing more effective on-line resources, governments are improving information sharing and collaboration across regions for the benefit of both citizens and government.
“The Sharjah leadership recognises the importance of constant development, especially in the field of technology, in order to benefit our citizens”, said Sheikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Al Qassimi, executive director of sharjah directorate of information and e-Government, “We have always recognised the benefits of drawing on the expertise and innovation of companies like IBM in order to draw on the latest technology to achieve our goals for growth.”
The third largest emirate in the UAE, Sharjah is home to nearly one million people and is also known as the region’s cultural capital. The project is part of the government’s strategy to enhance the efficiency and the quality of the services offered to citizens.
“We aim to provide a secure and integrated electronic information gateway in the emirate of Sharjah to offer e-services to individuals, companies and other governmental agencies.” said engineer Ohoud Ali Shehail, director of e-Government.
“This project is significant because of what it will deliver to the people of Sharjah, simplifying their dealings with government agencies and increasing overall efficiency,” said Amr Refaat, GM, IBM, Middle East. “This is among the best use of technology, and it underscores IBM’s commitment to support the Sharjah government in further realising its vision of a smarter government.”
The government of Sharjah joins more than 600 organisations worldwide that IBM has worked with to help make the smarter planet vision a reality.
The agreement was signed in the second quarter of 2011.
