Business & Money | Saturday 3 September, 2016 12:30 pm |

Sharjah Department of eGovernment organised its first workshop gathering discussing major highlights and stand designs in preparation for Sharjah’s participation at the “GITEX Technology Week 2016”. As the Sharjah Government prepares itself to participate under the slogan ‘Sustainability and Digital Innovation,’ the event brought together 33 local government departments and bodies to discuss their involvement at the region’s largest technology exhibition, which takes place October 16-20 at Dubai World Trade Centre.

Headed by Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of DeG, the workshop saw the participation of HE Khalid Jassim Al Midfa, Director General of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) and multiple representatives from 33 local government departments and authorities.

The 33 local government entities, which are participating at the GITEX Technology Week under the umbrella of the Government of Sharjah, included the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and Sharjah’s Social Services Department, Department of Culture and Information, Housing Department, Department of Islamic Affairs, Department of Planning and Survey, Economic Development Department, Finance Department, Real Estate Registration Department, Hamriyah Free Zone, Dibba Al Hisn Municipality and Khorfakkan Municipality, as well as numerous other Sharjah government entities and authorities.

"We organised this workshop to ensure efficient integration between all Sharjah government departments participating at GITEX 2016. A key component of the meeting was an overview of the services displayed by government agencies for visitors and ICT experts to establish the best possible ways to bring them to the attention of interested visitors to Sharjah’s pavilion at GITEX," said Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of DeG.

During the workshop the representatives reviewed the ways to promote the participation of Sharjah government agencies in a manner that lives up to the emirate's prestigious stature. The event touched on the new digital services that will be revealed and promoted by each department at the exhibition as part of the shift towards smart government in Sharjah. 

As organisers of the Sharjah Government pavilion at GITEX 2016, DeG utilised the workshop to reveal the design of the pavilion and its natural elements, which is all inspired by Al Noor Island - a leading leisure destination in Sharjah and one that showcases the emirate's approach towards sustainability. An interactive digital game ‘Sharjah Land’ had an exclusive unveil - the first game of its kind to be introduced by a government body in the UAE. The game involves four superheroes who accompany young players on a tour of Sharjah to highlight the importance of sustainability, growth and the community.

“Thanks to the vision and directives of our wise leader, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the emirate has been able to achieve excellence in the field of digital and smart government services. DeG organised this important workshop to inform local departments about the plans and activities to be implemented at the Government of Sharjah’s pavilion during GITEX. This vital awareness activity comes under our remit to implement unified digital and smart services throughout the Emirate of Sharjah,” added Al Qasimi.

The Government of Sharjah will be participating at GITEX 2016 with a pavilion that encompasses 33 local bodies, with DeG tasked with organising the pavilion and representing the emirate at the event. The department is also responsible for providing the necessary requirements and digital services that allow Sharjah government departments to smoothly showcase their latest initiatives throughout the exhibition.

GITEX Technology Week, which has been running for 32 years, will see the participation of 4,200 exhibitors and more than 22,000 senior executives from 144 countries. The five-day event is expected to draw more than 146,000 visitors and offers an unrivalled platform for leading global brands to launch their latest ICT innovations and products to the Middle East, one of the fastest emerging investment-ready ICT markets. It is anticipated that more than 1,000 media representatives from across the globe will attend to cover the exhibition.