Dubai is no stranger to electronic convenience. Smartphone applications exist for almost any service and Dubai Government departments are leading the charge with plans for all transactions to be paperless by 2021.
On Saturday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid shared a video on Twitter showing just how far smart services have come.
كنت شاهداً على زواج غير اعتيادي لعريس وعروس من فريق عملي ... pic.twitter.com/w2J3q4OdLH
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) September 9, 2017
In it the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai witnesses an “extraordinary marriage” between two members of his team.
The groom, Omar Sultan AlOlama, sits in a booth at the Service 1 centre in Emirates Towers surrounded by Sheikh Mohammed, Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed, Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, and other witnesses.
The groom sits before a screen where a lawyer from Dubai Courts has him recite the words necessary to wed his bride, Amal bin Shabib. Mr AlOlama signs the contract and receives the notarised marriage license via a roaming robot and just like that - he is the first to be married at the centre, which launched on Saturday.
The service package is called "Mabrook Ma Dabart", which translates to 'congratulations on your marriage,' and allows customers to complete marriage contracts according to Islamic Sharia and legal procedures. Emirati couples can also apply for a housing loan request or apply to be included in a mass wedding.
It is one of a number of Smart Government services offered at the new Service 1 center, which consolidates and provides 14 government services to customers with the help of a single employee using artificial intelligence technology developed by IBM Watson and Cognit Mubadala.
“We want the customer to perceive a different feel or environment in service centres: one that is welcoming, relaxing, flexible and uses advanced techniques,” said Sheikh Mohammed.
“The center will also be a laboratory to test suggestions made by the public. It includes a platform to bring the public together with the government to discuss these ideas on a daily basis,” he said.
These suggestions can be submitted in the ‘instant communication corner’, which allows customers to file audio-visual recorded recommendations to the Government.
Other customer queries can be addressed in Arabic and English through a giant smart touch screen that is the largest in the Middle East, reported state news agency Wam.
Some 100 services are currently on offer at Service 1 by the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Emirates Identity and Nationality Authority, Dubai Courts, Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.
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A second phase of services is expected to be rolled out at Service 1 soon.
The Mabrook Ma Yak service – which translates to ‘congratulations on your newborn’ – includes services linked to registering the birth, applying for an Emirati passport, and Emirati family book and an ID card. The service is available for both citizens and residents who can apply for a residency visa and Emirates ID upon the birth of their child.
Four services are offered under Al Tawdeef facility - which translates to ‘employment’. They target companies in the private sector across the country that employ less than 50 staff members. Eligible companies can finalise employment procedures during a single visit to the centre by providing all documents and paying all fees in one go.
“The center will be followed by more centers, and strides followed by more strides, and creativity will bring creations. We will not stop, because our goal is the best in the world in government services by 2020,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
