Smart Dubai launches new national digital identity

Smart Dubai, in partnership with the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA), has inaugurated UAEPASS, a national digital identity and signature solution for all citizens, residents and visitors.

UAEPASS allows the user to access services for both local and federal government entities, in addition to other service providers.

The solution introduces mobile-based authentication to users who can simply validate their identity using their smartphone. It also allows users to digitally sign and validate documents, in order to minimise their visits to service centres to sign important and time-sensitive documents.

UAEPASS addresses the need to unify login credentials to access different federal and local online services. Moreover, the solution aims to improve user experience by simplifying the digital identity registration and authentication processes to be convenient and intuitive for the user.

The new initiative is in collaboration with Abu Dhabi’s Smart Solutions & Services Authority and the Dubai Electronic Security Centre (DESC) as a strategic partner providing the underlying Digital Certificates contributing to safeguarding UAEPASS, as well as DarkMatter Group.

The launch took place at a press conference held today (October 16) at Smart Dubai’s pavilion during Gitex Technology Week 2018, taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from October 14-18.

Dr Aisha Bint Butti Bin Bishr, director general of Smart Dubai, attended the press conference, along with Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, director general of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA); Dr Rauda Saeed Al Saadi, director general of Abu Dhabi’s Smart Solutions & Services Authority; and Faisal Al Bannai, founder and managing director of DarkMatter Group.

Dr Bin Bishr said: “Eliminating paper transactions has been a leading objective for our strategies and initiatives at Smart Dubai. From Blockchain-powered systems to the Dubai Paperless Strategy to the 'Week Without Service Centres' initiative, it is our unwavering conviction that the future is paperless, and seamless digital and electronic services are a hallmark of all successful smart cities.”

“A secure and universal digital identity is essential for implementing ongoing smart transformation initiatives,” Dr Bin Bishr said. “UAEPASS not only helps centralise users’ logins and credentials, which eliminates the hassle of creating and remembering a multitude of usernames and passwords, but it also improves security and confidentiality when conducting online transactions. This effectively removes one of the biggest hurdles to large-scale automation and digitisation and drives forward our plans to transform Dubai into a leading smart city, all the while making people’s lives easier and happier,” she added.

Al Mansoori said: "The launch of the UAEPASS service is a special moment for us, as it exemplifies our efforts in line with the directives of our great leaders to make the UAE the most digitally advanced nation of the world.”

To register for UAEPASS, users can download the application from iOS and Android app stores and sign up in three steps: Scan their Emirates ID card, verify their mobile number and email address, and set their UAEPASS pin. Existing DubaiID and SmartPass users can migrate their existing account easily through the app. To complete the verification process and obtain digital signing capabilities, users can visit the nearest UAEPASS kiosk. - TradeArabia News Service