The Abu Dhabi Government is set to participate for the 10th time in GITEX Technology Week, which will take place from 17th to 21st October 2021 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

31 government and academic entities will be part of the Abu Dhabi Government pavilion to showcase more than 100 innovative initiatives and projects in the field of digital transformation with the aim of creating a unique experience for all visitors through a unified platform for all government entities.

In line with its preparations for the event, the Department of Government Support – Abu Dhabi (DGS), represented by the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA), the government entity that leads the digital transformation of Abu Dhabi government, organized a virtual preparatory meeting with representatives from the participating government entities to coordinate efforts and finalise preparations, thus ensuring an effective participation that strengthens the position of Abu Dhabi as a leader in digital transformation in the region.

The meeting emphasised the importance of taking into account COVID-19 precautionary measures, including social distancing and the compulsory wearing of face masks, in order to safeguard the safety and health of visitors and exhibitors.

The Abu Dhabi Government’s participation in GITEX Technology Week 2021 comes as the UAE celebrates its 50th anniversary, where the nation will be celebrating its remarkable journey over the last 50 years and begins preparing for the next 50.

This participation comes under the supervision of the Higher Committee of Digital Government as part of its efforts to implement a governance framework across the Abu Dhabi Government and make a fundamental change in the concept of government services, moving towards a digital future.

Commenting on the participation, His Excellency Ali Rashid Al Ketbi, Chairman of the Department of Government Support – Abu Dhabi, said: “GITEX Technology Week 2021 is a unique opportunity to emphasize the readiness and development of Abu Dhabi’s digital infrastructure, shedding light on its digital capabilities and resources that support and enhance customer confidence, including citizens, residents, visitors and investors.”

Al Ketbi pointed out that Abu Dhabi’s advanced infrastructure and skilled and knowledgeable talents are the key pillars to enriching the quality of life of the community and establishing an inspiring environment to motivate its members to innovate and contribute to building the future.

The Abu Dhabi Government participation focuses on four key pillars: “Government Services”, providing a smooth and seamless experience designed to meet the needs of customers through digital channels and service centres; “Government Solutions”, promoting cooperation and supporting joint initiatives across various governmental entities and institutions to maximize the value of the initiatives’ outputs; “Data & Artificial Intelligence”, taking advantage of the safe and effective sharing of data in order to support the decision-making process and enhance government pro-activeness; and “Ecosystem Enablement”, driving socio-economic growth by accelerating integration with digital systems, applications, stakeholders, customers, and business partners.

His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Abdelhameed Al Askar, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, said: “This year, the Abu Dhabi Government celebrates its 10th participation in GITEX Technology Week 2021, one of the biggest technology events to showcase the latest innovations and technology. The event is an important platform to showcase more than 100 innovative initiatives and projects in the fields of Government Services, Government Solutions, Data and Artificial Intelligence, and Ecosystem Enablement, all of which have been carefully developed to further strengthen Abu Dhabi’s digital capabilities, enabling, supporting and delivering a digital government that is proactive, personalized, collaborative and secure.”

Al Askar added: “With our presence at GITEX Technology Week 2021, we further emphasise our support to innovations and adoption of the latest digital solutions and initiatives that can enhance the emirate’s position as one of the pioneers in government digital transformation.”

By participating at GITEX Technology Week 2021, the Abu Dhabi Government aims to bolster strategic public-private partnerships, explore new areas of collaboration, and leverage the capabilities of major technology companies to support the emirate’s digital agenda. It also seeks to offer a unique and innovative experience for the Pavilion visitors through a unified and innovative digital platform for all government entities and by showcasing a series of projects and digital services across many sectors.

The Abu Dhabi Government has also introduced the Abu Dhabi Government Virtual Pavilion Experience, which will give users the ability to make virtual visits to the Pavilion from anywhere in the world, viewing sessions and events taking place live with a dedicated technical support team to help solve any challenges they may encounter during their virtual visit. This is in addition to introducing the Virtual Assistant service to enable users to connect and interact with the 31 participating government entities as well as partners from the academic sector, and access details about events and activities taking place at the Pavilion.

Throughout GITEX Technology Week 2021, the Abu Dhabi Government Pavilion will host a series of special events, including the launch of innovative digital initiatives as well as the signing of Agreements and MoUs to strengthen strategic public-private partnerships, facilitate the digital transformation process and secure important investment opportunities for private sector companies.

The 31 participating government and academic entities gathering to showcase digital services and solutions and the latest technologies used to enhance government performance, are:

Abu Dhabi Police, Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, Department of Economic Development, Department of Municipalities and Transport, Department of Community Development, , Department of Education and Knowledge, Department of Health, Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, Department of Government Support, Abu Dhabi Housing Authority, Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority, Authority of Social Contribution - Ma'an, General Administration of Customs, Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, Social Care and Minors Affairs Foundation, Abu Dhabi Pension Fund, Abu Dhabi School of Government, Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, Abu Dhabi Global Market, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Emergencies, Crises and Disasters Management Centre, Statistics Center - Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Investment Office, Family Development Foundation, Khalifa University, and Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI).

The Abu Dhabi Government participation in this year’s edition of GITEX Technology Week complements its participation last year with 24 government and academic entities, in addition to global technology companies when the Pavilion attracted more than 10,000 visitors. In 2020, the Pavilion witnessed the signing of 12 Agreements and MoUs and showcased 88 innovative projects and initiatives in the field of digital transformation.