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The information infrastructure supporting
Dubai's social, economic and government activities is on par with the
world's leading cities according to a recent study. The emirate was ranked by Rutgers University (State University of New Jersey) 18th among the top 20 cities
in terms of digital governance, first among its Arab peers that were included in the study.
The figures, published in the third volume of a Madar Research Special Report on
'Dubai Knowledge Economy 2003-2008', says that the Internet penetration rate in
Dubai, which stands at 39 per cent, is slightly lower than those found in most advanced economies, but is relatively higher in comparison with general Internet usage in
the developing countries.
Commenting on the study, Brigadier Saeed bin Belailah, Director, Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department
(DNRD) said, "The recognition earned by Dubai in the regional and international front is clear evidence that the collaborated efforts exerted by the different government departments in Dubai are reaping fruit. We are glad
to know that we are moving on par with the highly advanced countries as far as technology is concerned. This fact reflects the far-sighted e-vision of H.H. Sheikh
Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence
Minister."
"Information technology has been universally recognized as the key
foundation to increasing economic performance and bringing significant improvement in peoples lives. At DNRD, we are poised to face the challenge of establishing
an e-Society in Dubai," added Brig. bin Belailah. "In spite of all the significant achievements we have reached, DNRD continuously works on equipping its staff with the
latest international practices and adopting state-of-the-art IT systems that increase speed and efficiency and enhance the
economy."
According to the study,
Dubai's key information and communication technology (ICT) indicators, particularly its mobile phone density and internet penetration are also
comparable to those of key cities in the most developed countries.
Dubai's mobile phone density, pegged at 90 per cent, is higher than the average mobile phone density in Western Europe which varies between 80 and 82 per cent.
The recent Madar study also anticipates that the 20 per cent PC penetration rate in Dubai will increase as younger users, particularly university students, increasingly
become dependant on PCs. Business expansion, as evidenced by the massive construction activities across the emirate and the influx of new business ventures, is
also expected to contribute to the growth of PC use in Dubai.
"The fact that mobile phone penetration in Dubai far outweighs fixed line penetration is a reflection to the endeavour of the emirate to deploy the most recent
technologies. We are committed to increase the IT spending per capita in Dubai, which is estimated to be $450 in 2003 in order to utilise the international advancements
in the IT industry to further develop the growth of the emirate and improve the quality of life of its citizens and
residents," added Brig. bin Belailah.
On the other hand, the study concludes that
Dubai's IT spending is only 2.7 per cent- a percentage far below developed country IT spending averages, which range
between 5-12 per cent. "As per H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid's directives, we aim to accomplish
Dubai's vision of creating a knowledge-based economy. In spite of all our remarkable progress, we firmly believe that there is still a long way to go in harnessing the power of Information Technology to sustain and develop a more
successful society," concluded Brig. bin Belailah.
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