Latest news with #DigitalGovernment
Zawya
4 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Saudi Arabia shuts 267 digital platforms to boost unified government services
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's Digital Government Authority (DGA) has announced the closure and integration of 267 digital platforms across various government sectors as part of ongoing efforts to enhance user experience and increase digital efficiency. The move reflects a broader commitment to improving the quality of government digital services and ensuring platform integration in line with Saudi Arabia's strategic digital transformation goals. According to a statement from the DGA, the closures come under a regulatory framework that includes new governance standards, the adoption of shared technical resources such as the National Single Sign-On system, e-payment gateways, and the Government Integration Channel. All platforms are also required to adhere to the unified design code known as the 'Platform Code,' enabling streamlined and effective digital services. The initiative is part of the 'Inclusive Government' program launched in 2022, which has reduced the number of government digital platforms from 817 to 550 as of the end of H1 2025. The program aims to optimize government resource usage and deliver more efficient and user-centered digital services, supporting the Kingdom's broader digital transformation and improving public satisfaction. The DGA emphasized the importance of collaboration among government entities in developing and managing domains and digital platforms. Central to the strategy is the national app "Tawakkalna," operated by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), which is being positioned as the primary gateway for accessing unified government services. The authority reaffirmed its commitment to building an integrated digital ecosystem that enhances the performance of digital platforms and elevates the Kingdom's position in global digital government indicators. © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Mid East Info
09-07-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
Transforming property management: How security technology enhances safety and efficiency
A financial advisor meeting with clients Firas Jadalla, Regional Director – Middle East, Turkey & Africa, Genetec Inc. According to Numbeo's 2025 Safety Index , the UAE was ranked the second safest country in the world, while Saudi Arabia placed 14th. With a strong regional emphasis on safety and security, demands on property managers continue to grow. From rising tenant expectations and evolving government regulations to increasing pressure to align with smart city initiatives, property managers across the Middle East face mounting complexity. At the heart of these challenges is the need for improved security—not just protecting physical assets, but also ensuring tenant safety, safeguarding data, and streamlining operations. Increasingly, unified security platforms are emerging as the preferred solution. For years, property security relied on a patchwork of disconnected systems: one for access control, another for surveillance, a third for alarms. This fragmentation created more problems than it solved. Operators had to juggle multiple interfaces, training was inefficient, and critical time was lost switching between platforms during incidents. Siloed systems also made it harder to investigate incidents. Video footage might not sync with access control logs, making it difficult to reconstruct what happened. In an environment where time is critical, whether responding to an emergency or providing evidence for legal purposes, this disconnection can become a major liability. The promise of unified security: A unified security platform combines core functions like video surveillance, access control, license plate recognition, and communications into a single, cohesive system. Everything works together through one interface, with centralized monitoring and streamlined operations. This unified approach offers several practical benefits. It ensures faster response times because security staff can instantly access video feeds, access logs, and alarms from one dashboard. Investigators can quickly correlate data across systems, simplifying evidence collection and reducing case resolution times. Staff only need to learn one system, making onboarding easier and reducing human error. With automation and integrated workflows, property managers can spend less time on manual tasks and more time focusing on tenants and strategy. Cloud-based and SaaS options: In the Gulf region, where governments are encouraging digital transformation through national strategies like UAE's Digital Government initiative and Saudi Vision 2030, cloud-based security solutions and SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) models are increasingly being adopted across commercial and residential developments. Security systems located on premises require upfront investments in servers, hardware, and IT support. Today's SaaS-based security offerings allow property managers to avoid massive capital expenditures. SaaS platforms provide continuous updates, built-in cybersecurity measures, and the flexibility to scale as property needs change. Avoiding proprietary system pitfalls: Open-platform solutions offer flexibility, allowing property managers to adopt best-in-class tools, support phased deployments, and scale over time without disruption. This is especially valuable for multi-site portfolios or budget-conscious teams, enabling gradual improvements aligned with strategic priorities. Open architecture also improves the adaptability of investments, making it easier to integrate emerging technologies like AI-based analytics, smart sensors, or cloud storage without replacing the entire system. Enhanced tenant satisfaction: Tenants expect more than just a place to live or work; they expect a safe, responsive environment. Unified security systems play a key role in meeting those expectations. For example, mobile access control lets tenants unlock doors with their phones, reducing the hassle of lost or stolen keycards. Visitor management systems streamline guest access without compromising security. Advanced surveillance and real-time monitoring contribute to a heightened sense of safety. All of these features can enhance tenant satisfaction and retention rates. Supporting regulatory compliance: Property managers must navigate a growing maze of regulations around privacy, accessibility, cybersecurity, and building safety. Unified security platforms help meet these challenges more efficiently. They can be configured to protect personal data, control access to sensitive areas, and maintain detailed audit logs. When built on open platforms, these systems also integrate with building automation and IoT devices, enabling real-time monitoring of HVAC, lighting, air quality, and other environmental factors. This not only simplifies compliance but also supports regional sustainability goals, such as the UAE's Net Zero 2050 initiative and Saudi Arabia's Green Initiative. Reducing risk and liability: In the UAE and Saudi Arabia, safety and security are national priorities that are reflected in smart city frameworks, strict building codes, and government-led digital initiatives. Unified security platforms help reduce security risks by offering real-time visibility, automated incident response, and centralized investigations. With enhanced situational awareness and auditability, managers are better equipped to maintain safety standards and reduce liability. Data-driven decision-making: Modern unified security platforms aren't just about security — they're also about insights. They enable remote management, a huge advantage when property managers might oversee multiple sites or work from different locations. Additionally, analytics can show patterns of building use, parking congestion, tenant foot traffic, and more. These insights can guide operational decisions, from staffing levels to building maintenance schedules. Data-driven property management isn't a future concept; it's happening now. Preparing properties for the future: The technology landscape is evolving rapidly. With a unified platform built on open architecture, property managers gain flexibility to adopt innovations as they emerge without overhauling their entire system. Whether integrating smart building tech, new forms of biometric access, or AI-based threat detection, a unified approach ensures that properties can adapt to future needs.
Web Release
09-07-2025
- Business
- Web Release
Transforming property management: How security technology enhances safety and efficiency
According to Numbeo's 2025 Safety Index, the UAE was ranked the second safest country in the world, while Saudi Arabia placed 14th. With a strong regional emphasis on safety and security, demands on property managers continue to grow. From rising tenant expectations and evolving government regulations to increasing pressure to align with smart city initiatives, property managers across the Middle East face mounting complexity. At the heart of these challenges is the need for improved security—not just protecting physical assets, but also ensuring tenant safety, safeguarding data, and streamlining operations. Increasingly, unified security platforms are emerging as the preferred solution. For years, property security relied on a patchwork of disconnected systems: one for access control, another for surveillance, a third for alarms. This fragmentation created more problems than it solved. Operators had to juggle multiple interfaces, training was inefficient, and critical time was lost switching between platforms during incidents. Siloed systems also made it harder to investigate incidents. Video footage might not sync with access control logs, making it difficult to reconstruct what happened. In an environment where time is critical, whether responding to an emergency or providing evidence for legal purposes, this disconnection can become a major liability. The promise of unified security A unified security platform combines core functions like video surveillance, access control, license plate recognition, and communications into a single, cohesive system. Everything works together through one interface, with centralized monitoring and streamlined operations. This unified approach offers several practical benefits. It ensures faster response times because security staff can instantly access video feeds, access logs, and alarms from one dashboard. Investigators can quickly correlate data across systems, simplifying evidence collection and reducing case resolution times. Staff only need to learn one system, making onboarding easier and reducing human error. With automation and integrated workflows, property managers can spend less time on manual tasks and more time focusing on tenants and strategy. Cloud-based and SaaS options In the Gulf region, where governments are encouraging digital transformation through national strategies like UAE's Digital Government initiative and Saudi Vision 2030, cloud-based security solutions and SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) models are increasingly being adopted across commercial and residential developments. Security systems located on premises require upfront investments in servers, hardware, and IT support. Today's SaaS-based security offerings allow property managers to avoid massive capital expenditures. SaaS platforms provide continuous updates, built-in cybersecurity measures, and the flexibility to scale as property needs change. Avoiding proprietary system pitfalls Open-platform solutions offer flexibility, allowing property managers to adopt best-in-class tools, support phased deployments, and scale over time without disruption. This is especially valuable for multi-site portfolios or budget-conscious teams, enabling gradual improvements aligned with strategic priorities. Open architecture also improves the adaptability of investments, making it easier to integrate emerging technologies like AI-based analytics, smart sensors, or cloud storage without replacing the entire system. Enhanced tenant satisfaction Tenants expect more than just a place to live or work; they expect a safe, responsive environment. Unified security systems play a key role in meeting those expectations. For example, mobile access control lets tenants unlock doors with their phones, reducing the hassle of lost or stolen keycards. Visitor management systems streamline guest access without compromising security. Advanced surveillance and real-time monitoring contribute to a heightened sense of safety. All of these features can enhance tenant satisfaction and retention rates. Supporting regulatory compliance Property managers must navigate a growing maze of regulations around privacy, accessibility, cybersecurity, and building safety. Unified security platforms help meet these challenges more efficiently. They can be configured to protect personal data, control access to sensitive areas, and maintain detailed audit logs. When built on open platforms, these systems also integrate with building automation and IoT devices, enabling real-time monitoring of HVAC, lighting, air quality, and other environmental factors. This not only simplifies compliance but also supports regional sustainability goals, such as the UAE's Net Zero 2050 initiative and Saudi Arabia's Green Initiative. Reducing risk and liability In the UAE and Saudi Arabia, safety and security are national priorities that are reflected in smart city frameworks, strict building codes, and government-led digital initiatives. Unified security platforms help reduce security risks by offering real-time visibility, automated incident response, and centralized investigations. With enhanced situational awareness and auditability, managers are better equipped to maintain safety standards and reduce liability. Data-driven decision-making Modern unified security platforms aren't just about security — they're also about insights. They enable remote management, a huge advantage when property managers might oversee multiple sites or work from different locations. Additionally, analytics can show patterns of building use, parking congestion, tenant foot traffic, and more. These insights can guide operational decisions, from staffing levels to building maintenance schedules. Data-driven property management isn't a future concept; it's happening now. Preparing properties for the future The technology landscape is evolving rapidly. With a unified platform built on open architecture, property managers gain flexibility to adopt innovations as they emerge without overhauling their entire system. Whether integrating smart building tech, new forms of biometric access, or AI-based threat detection, a unified approach ensures that properties can adapt to future needs.
Zawya
23-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
‘UAE Verify' platform issues nearly 22mln certified documents
ABU DHABI - The UAE Verify platform, affiliated with the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), has issued over 21.789 million certified digital documents since its launch in mid-January 2022. TDRA introduced the UAE Verify platform to enable government and private entities to verify the authenticity of digital documents issued by government authorities on an immediate basis and without the need for original hard copy or true copy. The platform continues to play a vital role in advancing the UAE's comprehensive digital transformation. It now supports verification for 55 types of digital documents, issued by 22 federal and local government entities. UAE Verify employs blockchain technology, a shared, immutable real-time ledger used to record financial transactions, contracts and various types of documents. This technology helps regulate data and digital documents, verify authenticity, facilitate information sharing and ensure privacy protection. The platform enables users to convert their documents into authenticated digital versions with high levels of privacy and security.
Zawya
08-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
UAE ranks 10th globally in Open Data Inventory report
The UAE ranked 10th globally in the 2024/2025 Open Data Inventory (ODIN) report, issued by the Open Data Watch (ODW), surpassing major countries such as Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, and the United States. This marks a new milestone for the country, reinforcing its global leadership in adopting digital government concepts and open data. The ODIN report, published biennially by the Open Data Watch, assesses the openness and comprehensiveness of data published on the websites of national statistical offices in 197 countries. It covers vital sectors, including economic, financial, social, and environmental statistics, making it one of the world's leading specialized reports. The report's ranking is based on 64 indicators that measure the availability of statistical data provided by countries through official open data platforms and assess whether they meet the international standards of openness. This includes criteria such as machine-readable data, unrestricted data downloads, metadata availability, and comprehensive geographic coverage. The UAE secured first place globally in several indicators, including monetary and banking statistics, food security and nutrition, and the prices and inflation index, where it advanced by 45 ranks. It also ranked second globally in the global trade index and educational outcomes index, with a leap of 54 ranks, alongside other indicators such as environment, health, and gender balance. Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, Director-General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), highlighted that this achievement reflects the UAE's commitment to a forward-looking vision where digital policies are integrated with comprehensive development efforts. He noted that the UAE has established itself as a global platform for data-driven decision-making and a leader in comprehensive digital transformation in the region and worldwide. 'This achievement demonstrates the UAE's enabling role in enhancing the country's digital readiness by developing legislative and regulatory frameworks, supporting national open data policies, and providing a strong digital infrastructure, ensuring integration between government entities and positioning the UAE as a global reference in adopting digital government concepts, transparency, and data-driven innovation,' Al Mesmar said. Hanan Ahli, Managing Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC), emphasised that the UAE's advancement in the 2024/2025 ODIN report represents a pioneering model of a future government based on transparency, openness, and the strategic use of data to drive comprehensive development. She noted that this achievement reflects the UAE's forward-thinking vision and continuous investment in building a resilient and advanced statistical system based on digital readiness. It supports the country's global competitiveness and its main objectives in achieving integration between entities, supporting future planning in various vital sectors, developing policies, promoting community participation, and positioning the UAE as a global leader in adopting digital government and open data concepts. Open data refers to a collection of freely available data and statistics that can be used, reused, distributed, or shared by any individual or organization without restrictions. Governments around the world make these datasets accessible to everyone online. In the current edition of the ODIN report, the UAE achieved 92 points in the data openness component and 74 points in data coverage, with an overall score of 84 points.
