Tag Archives: technology
Now get Dubai Customs on your smartphones
Now get Dubai Customs on your smartphones Staff Reporter / 3 October 2013 With the services sector being a key competitive advantage that draws investors and traders to Dubai, Dubai Customs has upgraded into a “smart” department to hone the edge. Now Dubai Customs services are available through mobile phones 24/7, a leap from its earlier e-services. This is part of the initiatives to support the UAE’s bid to host Expo 2020. Ahmed Butti Ahmed, Executive Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation and Director General of Dubai Customs, made the announcement at a Press conference on Wednesday, saying the transformation was in accordance with the integrated vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The vision is of a “Smart Government” that “is readily accessible to people and does not burden the user, one that works 24/7 and 365 days a year and provides its services through mobile phones”. Dubai Customs’ integrated system will allow clients to submit their requests through mobile phones and ensure that the requested services are processed on reception. The department sends emails to clients immediately, telling them when the work will be done. It helps businesses become cost-effective since the process takes less time and effort. It also eliminates the need for human resources to follow up on the implementation. Butti said the smart government services started with a 100-day plan that took into account the high competitiveness of the UAE, along with its regional and international economic role. Now clients using smartphones can get 19 main services with a variety of sub services. “This procedure saves time as we reach clients rather than be reached by them, and we provide our services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” Butti said. “The customer service centres of Dubai Customs are now located on clients’ smartphones.” Smart services also help eliminate the use of paper documents and save the original documents needed for administrative procedures. This has been one of the main goals in employing the latest IT applications. Dubai Customs was the first government department in Dubai to provide all its services electronically in 2009. Jumaa’ Al Ghaith, Executive Director of Customs Development division, said the smart system ensures that managers and directors at different managerial levels supervise the timely implementation and delivery of services. A committee oversees the development and improvement of the services of the smart government. It comprises all concerned divisions and departments in Dubai Customs. The plan is to encourage customers to switch to smart services so that they save time and effort, along with lessening the need for human resources to follow up on customs transactions. These benefits, in turn, result in reduced business costs and higher revenue. news@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Call to address abuse of war victims
Call to address abuse of war victims (Wam) / 29 September 2013 Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of Development and International Co-operation underscored that the UAE is playing an effective role globally in the field of protecting the rights of individuals and ensuring their dignity, particularly its strong support for the international issues related to sexual violence, suffered by victims of the armed conflicts in various spots in the world. On the sidelines of the 68th United Nations General Assembly, New York, Shaikha Lubna discussed with Zainab Hawa Bangura, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence Conflict, the importance of continuing the international efforts in this regard. They also discussed a number of international humanitarian issues, especially the increase of sexual abuse crimes during wars and armed conflicts, the tragedies witnessed by refugees and the importance of addressing them effectively through the partnership among all various sides. They also reviewed the UAE’s effective contributions in alleviating the suffering of the affected people in various parts worldwide. Shaikha Lubna also met with Alan Duncan, the UK’s Minister of State for International Development and discussed with him the latest developments in the humanitarian issues and the two countries’ contributions in alleviating their repercussions, particularly in Syria, Somalia and Yemen. They also agreed on the importance of continuing the joint efforts and building on the previous strong partnership channels for the sake of increasing their contributions in the developmental, relief and humanitarian aspects. Shaikha Lubna also met with Anthony Lake, Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef). During the meeting, they discussed ways to respond to the challenges of the Syrian crises and its results on the Syrian people, specially children and the need to secure protection for them. On his part, Anthony Lake hailed the UAE’s unique efforts in the fields of securing living conditions and educational services for the Syrian children through establishing the UAE-funded camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan. Continue reading
Khalifa orders aid as quake rattles Pak regions again
Khalifa orders aid as quake rattles Pak regions again (Wam, AFP) / 29 September 2013 The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has directed emergency items such as food and medical aid be delivered to the earthquake stricken regions of Pakistan, after an earthquake left more than 500 dead. Thousands remain wounded — many without access to aid — since last week’s quake at 7.8 Richter Scale. The directive was followed up by General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the UAE Red Crescent Authority, to ensure emergency assistance is provided to people affected. The RCA office in Pakistan is currently engaged in providing tents blankets, food and medical items to the victims of the earthquake. Meanwhile, a powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit southwest Pakistan on Saturday, killing at least 22 people in a region already devastated by a tremor which left more than 300 people dead this week, local officials said. “The death toll is increasing. Rescue workers have so far recovered 22 dead bodies,” Hari Fal, the top government official in Khuzdar town said, adding that more than 50 people have been wounded. Officials fear the toll in Saturday’s quake in Awaran, the poorest district in the southwest province of Balochistan, could still rise further. The new quake struck the remote district at a depth of 14km at 12.34pm according to the US Geological Survey. Continue reading
