Dubai’s government services are now almost completely digitised, and most transactions are paperless as it continues to progress in its digital strategy.

After introducing a series of initiatives and technologies to shift from paper-based processes and become one of the principal digital cities in the world, Dubai has reached a 99.5% digitisation rate in relation to government services.

New data published on Wednesday shows digital transactions make up 88.7% of total government service transactions, Zawya reports.

Dubai’s digitisation endeavours got underway in 2000 when it implemented an e-government initiative. Then, in 2013, Dubai introduced the Smart Government initiative, which aimed to phase out paper transactions by the end of 2021.

Furthermore, in 2022, the UAE government launched the UAE Digital Economy Strategy, which aims to double the GDP contribution of the digital economy, the report goes on to add.

As it stands now, Dubai is on course to “usher in an advanced digital future and raise its status as a global exemplar for digital governance”, in line with the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, said Director General of Digital Dubai, Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori.

“We aim to expand the digital economy by an exponential 200%, improve the quality of the digital experience by a minimum of 90%, raise Dubai’s ranking in the United Nations’ Local Online Service Index (LOSI), and proactively create 50 integrated digital city experiences that are seamless, interconnected and high impact,” Al Mansoori commented.

Last year, Dubai was ranked in a global fifth place and first place in the Arab World within the UN’s Local Online Service Index.