The emirate of Sharjah is adapting to new challenges and opportunities with the rapid development of a thoroughly digital transformation strategy that aims to accelerate economic diversification and promote sustainability by leveraging the power of technology across the public sector.

Tasked with building an integrated government infrastructure in the emirate, the Sharjah Digital Office (SDO) has been at the forefront of revamping the traditional ways of operating across industries in line with the vision and under the directives of the emirate’s leadership.

SDO unveiled its strategy to enhance smart government performance and boost customer satisfaction with the recent launch of the Digital Sharjah app that offers a portfolio of 41 services across 7 broad categories including business, transportation, utilities, social services, general, real estate, and security in the first phase.

Speaking about SDO’s remit, Sheikh Saud bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Director of SDO, told the Emirates News Agency (WAM) that all government entities in the emirate are continuously accelerating their digital transformation efforts, under the directives and guidance of H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah. The Director emphasised that SDO is keen to facilitate the digitisation process of entities by raising awareness about the importance of going digital and ensuring the implementation of the transformation-related initiatives.

The SDO Director added that private sector services will be included in the smart platform to diversify and advance the quality of services offered to users, and to widen the scale of offerings to meet the most stringent demands of residents, citizens, visitors, as well as investors.

Sheikh Saud bin Sultan Al Qasimi stated that the office is working in cooperation with all government entities in Sharjah to integrate their services within the Digital Sharjah platform and its application in a time-bound manner. He noted that the platform was a vital step in the digital transformation process of the emirate as it delivers sustainable public services through a host of user-friendly operations that are constantly updated and upgraded.

The Director said that the main objective of the forward-looking Digital Sharjah platform is to improve the quality of life of Sharjah’s citizens and residents, which is partly measured by the ease of access to a gamut of public services. He noted that SDO seeks to facilitate this by offering the services on one unified platform - the Digital Sharjah application and website, which are easily accessible via smart devices.

Sheikh Saud bin Sultan Al Qasimi emphasised the importance of integrating vital private sector services for users on the Digital Sharjah platform, especially for companies and institutions that provide essential services for the public. He said the onboarding of the private sector is crucial to design mechanisms that support both public and customer demands. Digital Sharjah provides a unified and flexible platform for such service providers that allows them to leverage the latest smart solutions as well as keep pace with the latest socio-economic developments.

Strengthening trust between the public and the service providers is critical for creating value and delivering tangible benefits for users and will ultimately impact the substantive success of the services provided. The inclusion of private companies and institutions in the Digital Sharjah app not only deepens public trust but also streamlines service delivery and ensures the safety of financial transactions.

The Director called on all entities across various sectors including culture, arts, the creative industry, and nonprofits, to join the Digital Sharjah platform to unify and broaden the range of services provided to the public, adding that contributing to the digital transformation process in Sharjah is an obligation to fulfill the national transformation vision.

Sheikh Saud bin Sultan Al Qasimi said that the presence of an advanced digital infrastructure becomes a decisive factor for entrepreneurs and investors when starting a business as it can facilitate and stimulate growth of businesses locally as well as internationally. He added that Sharjah’s digital transformation journey will lead to the inclusive development of the emirate and lay the foundation for a competitive future across sectors.

The Director said SDO’s smart governance efforts align with the goals of all institutions and sectors in the emirate to boost Sharjah’s status as a preferred destination for living, working, studying, and for investment and tourism.

Digital Sharjah enables visitors to avail services using Digital Identity (UAE PASS), and offers 41 services from 11 entities, as well as 6 payment methods (Tahseel, credit card, bank transfer, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay).

The app services cover key sectors, namely business, transportation, utilities, social services, general, real estate and security.