Page 52 - SAMENA Trends - April 2020

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

now prefer making payments through can serve as a solution,” he remarked. opportunity and adopt digital payments by
debit or credit cards rather in cash,” he Telenor Microfinance Bank’s President and opening a mobile wallet account.” An influx
said. “This has also augmented cashless CEO Mudassar Aqil encouraged the public of online shopping companies in Pakistani
transactions at all stores and online orders to adopt digital finance during the current market will appear soon. If so, this will
increased in March,” he said. “During this crisis. “Digital payments are not only a help to reduce prices for the benefit of
period of uncertainty, we have witnessed a great alternative to cash, but they also consumers and further prevent the spread
shift in customer behavior with demand for provide new opportunities to users such of coronavirus.
essential products growing rapidly, which as digital credit, insurance and savings,”
is a strong indication that e-commerce he said. “It’s time to turn this hardship into

4 Million Visits to UAE Government Portal during Q1 2020

The Telecommunications Regulatory has evolved to include e-participation, services). This platform allows customers
Authority (TRA) announced that the supporting the UN Online Service Index to access services around the clock
number of visitors to the official portal of (OSI), which is one of the indicators of without the need to physically visit
the UAE government (U.AE) exceeded 2.9 our country's national agenda. In light of service centers or leave home, thereby
million visitors during the first quarter of UAE’s international standing, the portal serving government decisions to alleviate
2020, an increase of 56.63% from the first has become a reference for those wishing crowding and congestion while ensuring
quarter of 2019. There were 4 million visits to learn information about the UAE from safety and health of the Emirati community.
to the portal in the first quarter of this year, all over the world.” This increase in the This significant spike in the number of
while the number of new users reached number of portal visitors comes as a users of the Official UAE Portal came less
2.58 million. These results reflect, in part, result of measures taken by the portal than a year after the UAE government
the tremendous efforts by the portal team team in keeping with the precautionary launched a new domain name for its
in content and service development. They government efforts to combat Coronavirus, official portal making it be the world's first
also reflect the change in user behavior as where the portal has incorporated a special single-letter government domain (U), with
a result of current circumstances where section on Coronavirus in line with the the aim of facilitating public access to
online activities witness a significant directives of the UAE government aimed at information, services, projects, strategies
increase such as working remotely, promoting awareness about this disease and laws in the country. The Official Portal
distance learning, browsing, searching for and working to curb its spread. The section of the UAE Government consists of four
information on websites and accessing includes information on Coronavirus, main sections, covering information and
government services remotely through the the government's efforts to contain the services, UAE, e-participation and media.
official portal, which provides many prompt virus, anti-Coronavirus legislation, the The information and services section
government services accessible around national sterilization program, FAQ and covers many topics such as employment,
the clock. Commenting on this milestone, many other pages providing visitors investment, tourism, infrastructure and
Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, TRA Director with sufficient and reliable information visa systems, as well as a full list of all
General, said: "These figures reflect UAE’s about this pandemic and ways to protect government services in the country. The
electronic presence in the era of digital against it. The portal’s role in limiting second section covers the history of the
transformation, as the portal represents the spread of Coronavirus has also been UAE in its various eras, and covers UAE's
the official address of the UAE in the strengthened by launching the services plans and strategies for shaping the future
world wide web, and is visited by all who platform, through which all online services and achieving overall development. This
are interested in accessing information, of UAE’s federal government entities can section also addresses UAE's efforts to
services, projects, policies and laws in the be accessed around the clock on a single achieve the Sustainable Development
United Arab Emirates. Today, the portal is a platform be it through PC, mobile or any Goals set by the United Nations. In the
reliable information source for all residents other smart device, where approximately e-participation section, there are many
of the country. With the announcement 34 government entities provide their online channels of communication with the UAE
of launching the m-Government by the services through the services platform: government, including advisory platforms,
wise leadership, the role of the portal (Https://u.ae/services).https://u.ae/ instant chat and others.

52 APRIL 2020