Over the past decade, digital technologies, data and AI have transformed businesses, industries and governments on a global scale, fundamentally reshaping the way we live and work.
The government of Abu Dhabi has not just kept pace with this technology-driven shift, but it has also consistently led the way and pushed the boundaries of what is possible in today’s digital-first economy.
As we look forward to what’s next, we are preparing to enter a new era of next-gen transformation. Underpinned by innovative AI capabilities, we will re-define how government interacts with people by putting the services they want and need in their hands – available and accessible all day, every day.
Our journey to this point began more than a decade ago, with the launch of e-government initiatives and the creation of foundational infrastructure such as ADNet – Abu Dhabi’s secure government network – which enabled secure data exchanges across government entities. Citizens, residents and businesses were empowered to engage with public services, whether for simple transactions like paying bills or renewing documents online, or more complex procedures such as obtaining building leases or permits.
At the same time, early investments in cyber security ensured that trust remained a cornerstone of our operations, as digital interactions began to grow exponentially. Between 2016 and 2019, the rise of the smart government era saw our services go mobile, allowing people to renew vehicle registrations, book appointments or apply for permits directly from their phones.
Imagine a government where AI doesn’t just respond to, but also anticipates, your every need
Then the game changed with Tamm, our unified platform that consolidates hundreds of government services into one interface, re-imagining how people connected with government. Today, we are building an AI-native government, where services are intelligent, predictive and seamlessly integrated into people’s daily lives.
At the Department of Government Enablement (DGE), we are shifting from a reactive to a proactive model by using AI to create a future where the services offered to every citizen, resident, community and business are as unique as their fingerprints.
Imagine a government where AI doesn’t just respond to, but also anticipates, your every need – where you get reminders to renew your vehicle registration, or book your healthcare appointments and check-ups before you think about them, and where housing and education services are automatically tailored to your evolving circumstances. This future is now.
There are three reasons that we are doing this.
First, we are deeply committed to enhancing quality of life for all. Second, we are co-creating an ecosystem where people meet with new opportunities to thrive, alongside our government partners. And third, we believe that a community that is deeply connected is a happy community.
Tamm has already transformed the way more than 2.5 million users access over 800 government services across the emirate, giving them back time and control over their daily lives.
But this is just the beginning. The potential impact of AI on public services is immense. As we scale AI-driven innovations across government, the quality, speed and personalisation of services will dramatically improve.
Our progress is driven by the bold Abu Dhabi Digital Strategy, which focuses on five key enablers: embedding AI across public services for real-time responsiveness; using data analytics for smarter decision-making; ensuring robust cyber security; designing user-centric services that are accessible and inclusive; and promoting sustainability through technology.
This forward-thinking strategy positions Abu Dhabi as a global leader in digital governance, setting a new standard for how governments can evolve to meet the changing and dynamic needs of their people.
What truly sets Abu Dhabi apart is our vision and our speed of execution. We are working closely with global partners and industry leaders such as G42, Microsoft, Oracle, ServiceNow and others, who recognise that the emirate is ahead of the curve. These partnerships underscore the fact that the pace of digital development in Abu Dhabi is not just tracking with global trends, but it is often also ahead of its time.
Abu Dhabi’s leadership in AI and digital innovation will take centre stage at this year's Gitex Global, which begins on Monday, where DGE and other Abu Dhabi government entities will present more than 80 forward-thinking projects and initiatives. The Abu Dhabi Pavilion will highlight five critical areas: services and experiences; data and insights; emerging technology; sustainable technology; and cyber security and digital trust.
At Gitex, we will unveil the next version of Tamm, showcasing the future of intelligent government services. These innovations will set the stage for a government that doesn’t just respond to the present but is constantly anticipating the future.
With the right partnerships, a shared vision and a commitment to excellence, Abu Dhabi will continue to be a global leader in digital innovation and public service excellence for years to come.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
The biog
Favourite book: You Are the Placebo – Making your mind matter, by Dr Joe Dispenza
Hobby: Running and watching Welsh rugby
Travel destination: Cyprus in the summer
Life goals: To be an aspirational and passionate University educator, enjoy life, be healthy and be the best dad possible.
Afro%20salons
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More on Quran memorisation:
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Blah
Started: 2018
Founder: Aliyah Al Abbar and Hend Al Marri
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and talent management
Initial investment: Dh20,000
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 40
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
