In a session headed by TDRA

• Eng. Majed Sultan Al Mesmar: “The UAE showed an early interest in the ICT sector, and was a pioneer in implementing major digital infrastructure projects in preparation for digital transformations.”

Geneva , 15 March 2023

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2023, held in Geneva, had a special session that addressed the UAE’s experience, titled "The UAE's Digital Journey: From Digital Identity to City SuperApps and Beyond". H.E. Eng. Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, Director General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), and a number of the UAE delegation members participated in the session. Among the most prominent participants in the session was H.E. the Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union, Ms. Doreen Bogdan-Martin.

H.E. Eng. Majed Sultan Al Mesmar said in his welcoming speech that the journey of telecommunications and digital transformation in the UAE summarizes the overall journey of the country, as joining the ITU was one of the first decisions taken by the UAE Federal Government, a few months after the country’s foundation. He added: “Since that time, the extent of the UAE’s interest in the ICT sector has become clear in shaping the future, and this interest has been culminated in a number of subsequent strategic projects, including the establishment of a comprehensive optical fiber infrastructure, the establishment of the first e-government in the region, and achieving leading positions in many relevant global indicators.” 

The session shed light on a number of digital projects for both the federal and local governments, including FedNet, UAE Pass, and the digital verification platform (UAE Verify), in addition to "Tamm" application by Abu Dhabi Government and "Dubai Now" application by Dubai Digital. Projects in the field of cybersecurity were also discussed, such as the "Cyber Security Pulse" initiative by the Cyber Security Council.

The UAE workshop highlighted TDRA’s role as an enabler of digital transformation at the federal level, including the development of core services such as UAE Pass, FedNet, and the digital verification platform (UAE Verify). UAE Pass is a comprehensive national initiative launched by TDRA in partnership with Abu Dhabi Digital Authority and Digital Dubai. It aims to provide quick and easy access to government and non-government services by various segments of customers around the clock. The number of beneficiaries of UAE Pass application has exceeded 5 million people.

WSIS Forum is one of the main activities of WSIS, and it is held annually to follow up the countries’ efforts in implementing the Action Lines and Sustainable Development Goals.