E & m-government and smart city: a review of ICT strategies and plans in the United Arab Emirates

In general, a smart city definition is to describe a developed urban area that creates sustainable economic development and high quality of life by excelling in multiple keys: economy, mobility, environment, people, living, and Government.

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E & M-GOVERNMENT AND SMART CITY: A REVIEW OF ICT STRATEGIES AND PLANS IN

THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Nasser A Saif Almuraqab

Dubai Business School, University of Dubai, Dubai, UAE

Nasser.almuraqab@hotmail.com

ABSTRACT

In general, a smart city definition is to describe a developed urban area that creates sustainable economic development and high quality of life by excelling in multiple keys: economy, mobility, environment, people, living, and Government For public services, the law guarantees good governance by setting the standard for e-government implicitly including for local Government or a city Based on the arguments, this research tries to review the ICT strategies and plan in the context of E-government and smart cities, i.e Abu Dabi and Dubai, the states of UAE By examining government transparency, the output of the research can be used to measure the effectiveness of public information disclosure law and to determine the

condition of e-government in local Government in which as part of a smart city

Keywords: Smart city; Good governance; E-government; Effectiveness

Cite this Article: Nasser A Saif Almuraqab, E & M-Government and Smart City: A

Review of ICT Strategies and Plans in the United Arab Emirates, International Journal of Management (IJM), 11 (3), 2020, pp 43–54

http://www.iaeme.com/IJM/issues.asp?JType=IJM&VType=11&IType=3

1 INTRODUCTION

Today, the concepts of e-government and smart city are increasingly used to refer to one another and have started to converge despite the implementation of the e-government in ICT administrations under the umbrella of enhanced services The smart city concept nowadays builds on this as a way to foster innovation by collecting, processing, integrating and using data on a larger scale than ever before It supposedly leads to better-informed decision making and high-quality services but assumes far more complex partnerships with very diverse stakeholders, such as large and small companies, civil society, academia, individual citizens and so on (triple, quadruple, and quintuple helix models)

While many cities adopt the concept of “smart city” as a strategic priority that recognizes the growing importance of digital technologies (software as well as hardware), at the same time the phrase is used as a marketing concept to envision a city of the future While very popular, the smart city concept remains elusive It is often unclear to city administrations how

the idea should be interpreted (if there even is a “right” way to do so) and what it can mean in practice However, most seem to agree a smart city should focus on collaborating with diverse stakeholders, using technology as an enabler to achieve better and more efficient services to citizens

While the offer of e-government services has increased substantially in the last decade both in numbers and in complexity statistics on the demand side (i.e., the actual use), however, show less impressive results, in 2014, usage of e-government services increased to 46% of EU citizens Still, more than half dropped out after first use (United Nations, 2014) Hence, to develop and deliver e-government services that are useful, easy to use, accessible and trustworthy, “efforts to provide e-government need to go hand in hand with efforts to increase demand” (United Nations, 2014) Given the focus of both e-government and the smart city concept on service delivery and optimization of processes to achieve this, the terms have become increasingly intertwined

At 1997, World Forum on Smart Communities, it was estimated that some 50,000 cities and town around the World would embrace “smart” initiatives by the year 2000 (Albino Vito, 2015) Smart City emerges from the need for an urban concept that can provide a sustainable living for its citizen as increasing urban populations By 2050, the United Nation estimate 53% (fifty-three percent) of the population will live in urban ( Bosek, 2017) Main goal implementing smart city is to improve the quality of life of its citizens Another goal is to promote investment and create a sustainable urban environment (Collins, 2002), but practically smart city concept often associated with the use of technology The misleading conception of smart city implied to the objective of the local level or public official to utilize technology (Driss, 2009)

A smart city can also define as a subtle performing city in a forward-looking way in the economy, people, governance, mobility, environment, living Keen combination of local government activities for its citizens also can be term as a smart city In general, the smart city refers to the search and identification of intelligent solutions which allow modern cities to enhance the quality of services provided to citizens ( Giffinger, 2007) Regarding information and technology, a smart city mainly based on information exchange that flows between its many separate subsystems and creating an ecosystem inside a sustainable framework for public services In legal perspective, vigour framework for ICT may enhance freedom of speech and create openness to access general information The colliding concept of smart cities and the legal concept are also reciprocal with the aim of the law itself to pursue prosperity by improving the quality of life In other words, the smart city also has similarity with good governance to optimize public services They are intertwining between legal concept and city concept Normatively, in legal concept, the smart city was defined as good governance, but in the ICT perspective more or less as an information sustainability exchange Regarding information and technology adoption in public services, the law on public information disclosure is a legal instrument for interpreting the smart city concept as a point

of view in juridical thinking

This paper will review the ICT in the context of e-government and smart city in Dubai, the state of UAE According to the law of public information disclosure, public information can enhance citizen participation taking part in the decision-making to monitor local Government managing their city, and the use of technology can acknowledge barriers (Elahi, 2009) The adoption of innovation, on the other hand, can create transparent and data openness, which is standing for indicator (Elahi, 2009) of smart governance from the six elements of a smart city (John, 2003)

2 SOCIOECONOMIC PROFILE OF UNITED ARAB EMERITUS

The United Arab Emirates, or the „UAE‟, is positioned on the Eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, in the southwest corner of the Arabian Gulf It is extremely well known for its heartfelt hospitality and iconic cultural heritage, and the Emirati people are welcoming and generous in their approach to visitors The UAE consists of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah Though small in size (somewhat more significant than Scotland), the UAE has become an essential performer

in international affairs In 1971, the late President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan unified these small, underdeveloped states into a federation the only one in the Arab World Through his visionary leadership, oil capital was used to develop the UAE into one of the World's most robust and positive economies The UAE‟s governmental strategy is embodied in UAE Vision

2021, which aims to make the United Arab Emirates, one of the best countries in the World

by the year 2021

The UAE‟s excellent record of economic prosperity going back decades has ensured continued growth in both Emirati and expatriate population numbers As affirmed by the National Bureau of Statistics, the population had reached 8,264,070 million by the end of

2010, more than double the 4.1 million residents recorded in the last national census undertaken in 2005 UAE citizens account for just under 1 million (947,997) of the total population, as compared to a non-national population of 7.3 million Males also outnumber women by around three to one, owing to the influx of working-age men Despite the substantial increase in population, among the highest such growths in the World, the UAE has managed to absorb the increased numbers without eroding the social fabric Compared with other countries in the region, the UAE‟s demographic trends have served to solidify the existing characteristics of stability, innovation and tolerance

The UAE Government is now formulating a population strategy that aims to define a satisfactory demographic mix between Emiratis and expatriates Under the code of sustainable development laid down by the UAE‟s founder, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the authorities provide policy guidance to ensure that the livelihoods of present and future generations are protected and that increases in the population do not imperil the delicate environmental balance

As part of this method, the Federal Demographic Council (FDC), created in 2010, has been actively working to rebalance the UAE‟s demographic structure while at the same time consolidating the loyalty of UAE citizens to their leadership and homeland The Council, chaired by HH Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan who is both the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, researches population matters with an emphasis on socially relevant developments and difficulties Its board members include the important ministries with the responsibility to address problems related to population, namely the Ministries of Labor, Economy, Foreign Affairs and Social Affairs The main tasks of the FDC are to review all demographic policies, work to develop robust plans and national creativities, and coordinate with related authorities, such as ministries, federal organizations, local sectors and agencies and research centres (UAE Yearbook, 2013)

Above all, the FDC is charged with establishing what proportion of the population should

be Emirati citizens by 2021 Much of the population growth reflects the economic dynamism

of the individual emirates Abu Dhabi announced a population of 2.5 million in 2013, compared with 1.96 million at the end of 2010 To put this in perspective, Abu Dhabi‟s population in 1975 was just 211,000

According to Abu Dhabi Statistics Bureau figures, the Emirates‟ population grew at an annual average of 7.7 per cent during the period 2005–2011, well above the 4 per cent growth rate recorded in 1995–2005 This growth is concentrated in the expatriate population, which

increased by an average of 8.8 per cent annually during the same period of 2005–2011, compared with 3.8 per cent in 1995–2005

In 2012, again, according to the Dubai Statistics Centre, Dubai‟s population was estimated

at 2.1 million; this represents a 5 per cent increase annually Of the other Emirates, Sharjah has the largest community, determined by the National Bureau of Statistics in 2009 at 1.01 million; followed by Ajman with 250,000; Ra‟s al-Khaimah with 241,000; Fujairah with 152,000; and Umm al Qaiwain, the smallest, with 52,000 (UAE Yearbook, 2013)

On the back of rapid economic expansion and population growth, the UAE has pushed ahead with a large urban development plan that is aimed at creating sustainable cities This country has, at the same time, been building infrastructure that will attract tourism, trade and industry Construction slowed markedly as the global financial crisis hit the country in 2009 Still, there has been a strong sense of revival across the UAE starting again in 2012, and 2013

as a host of new projects were launched, some of which had been re-evaluated or delayed in the difficult post-crisis years Throughout the country, Government has pledged billions of dollars of new investment as part of the long-term commitment to ensure that development is planning-led and not demand-led These efforts have been guided by frameworks such as Abu Dhabi‟s Vision 2030 and the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015

At the same time, entities including Abu Dhabi‟s Urban Planning Council (UPC) and Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), Dubai‟s Urban Planning Committee and the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) led efforts to ensure that urban planning is undertaken in a sustainable manner The Federal Government also launched

a Dh5.7 billion investment programs in the smaller emirates in 2011 to modernize and expand existing infrastructure, especially power and water, thus removing bottlenecks to further growth The program was announced by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, after a tour of inspection by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed

Al Nahyan who is the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Further major investment has been announced subsequently

The UAE construction industry witnessed rapid growth in 2012 as a result of ongoing projects, as well as investment in new projects and strong government support The market was estimated at Dh375 billion in 2011, with an expected compound annual growth rate of around 9.5 per cent during 2012–2016 Along with upgrades to utilities infrastructure across the emirates, a number of mega-projects were launched in the leisure and hospitality segment Concerning infrastructure development, the UAE has continued to invest heavily in vital aspects of its infrastructure in recent years, with a number of new facilities unveiled and substantial budget allocations granted to power generation, ports, healthcare and education New roads and bridges are being constructed, and public transport systems are being installed Business Monitor International estimates that the UAE‟s governments, both federal and local, are investing Dh213 billion (US$58 billion) on roads and bridges alone This investment includes projects underway and those in the planning stage Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 was named in a list of the top 100 infrastructure projects worldwide, alongside a host of other projects from the UAE and the full Arabian Gulf These projects include KPMG‟s Infrastructure 100: World Cities Edition Profiled Vision 2030, Masdar City, Paris-Sorbonne University on Reem Island, and Yas-Island Waste Management Relatively unknown compared with the other major attractions on Yas-Island, the automated vacuum waste-management system consists of 43 inlet points and 5.3km of pipes that can suck 40 tons of waste every day from sites around the island (UAE Yearbook, 2013)

2.1 Telecommunications Infrastructure in UAE

Regarding the telecommunication and digital economy, fostering telecommunications is a major part of UAE‟s government strategy, based on the awareness that connectivity is a critical component of public infrastructure Today, telecommunications across all platforms in the UAE are fast and effective with fixed-line, Internet and mobile connectivity among the best in the World Indeed, in May 2013, the Vice President and Prime Minister, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, launched a two-year program intended to ensure that all services of Government will, in future, be accessible through mobile phones The UAE ranked third in the Arab World in the World Economic Forum‟s Network Readiness Index (NRI) for 2011–2016, and thirtieth among the 142 countries assessed The country has achieved the highest ranking for an Arab state in several measures, which include the number

of broadband internet subscribers and the impact of information and communications technology (ICT) on new services and products, and was tied for first place in the measure of mobile network coverage

The country‟s reputation for advanced telecom infrastructure and services was underlined when it hosted the landmark World Conference on International Telecommunications, organized by the UN‟s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 2016 The UAE is served by two providers of fixed, mobile and Internet services The country‟s first operator, Etisalat, began offering telecom services in 1976, taking over from foreign-owned companies; the second entrant, du, commenced operations in 2006 The UAE Government is the largest shareholder in both operators The telecom sector is regulated by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), which was established as an independent regulator in 2003 The UAE has a mobile penetration rate of 168 per cent, one of the highest in the World A TRA survey conducted in October 2012 found that nearly one-third of the population of the UAE had more than one mobile account The two operators had a combined total of 19.6 million active mobile subscriptions at the end of 2017, a year-on-year increase of 17.5 per cent Prepaid subscriptions account for 84.4 per cent of total subscriptions Faced with a growing number of unregistered prepaid SIM cards in the country, the TRA launched its “My Number,

My Identity” campaign in 2012 This operation was carried out in conjunction with both operators, obliging all prepaid mobile users in the UAE to register their SIM cards Mobile data are an increasing priority for Etisalat They are primarily given the increased popularity

of smartphones and social networking sites in the country, which has led to a surge in usage Around 45 per cent of mobile users in the UAE access the Internet on their handsets, the TRA survey noted USBs data bundles account for 36 per cent of devices used to access the Internet, with Apple‟s iPhone accounting for 22 per cent and Samsung packages reached 21 per cent, and Blackberry packages score 16 percent Both operators have launched 4G mobile services at the end of 2011; the further expansion of their networks is set to offer such high-speed services as a priority in the years to come The country‟s more established residential and business communities are typically served exclusively by Etisalat At the same time, du generally is the exclusive fixed-line and broadband carrier available to residential and business subscribers in newer developments Total fixed-line subscriptions in the country reached almost 2.3 million in October 2017, an annual increase of 7.8 per cent, according to the TRA Broadband subscriptions increased by 9.8 per cent during that year to 1,339,184 with broadband penetration ending the year up 11.6 per cent The Government introduced a new Internet Law in 2012, clarifying a range of non-permissible online activities including the transmission, publication or promotion of pornographic material, gambling activities, cyber fraud, insulting religion and inciting conspiracy By TRA regulations on content, both operators filter websites not in compliance with UAE laws through proxy servers (UAE Yearbook, 2013)

International Monetary Fund (IMF) reports have pointed out the strength and flexibility of the UAE economy and its ability to cope with the decline in the price of oil worldwide, declining oil returns and the slowing of the growth of the world economy It is credited to the economic and financial strategies adopted by the Government to encourage the economy‟s capacity to maintain financial and monetary stability, withstand pressure, and drive maintainable growth forward This depends on:

 Finding other income sources from among non-oil economic sectors,

 Reducing dependency on oil revenues,

 Imposing other fees,

 Raising charges for water and electricity,

 Rationalizing commercial spending,

 Delaying or dropping spending on specific projects that are not considered a priority,

 Reducing fuel support,

 Continuing to promote investment spending, especially on colossal material and social infrastructure projects and Expo 2020 preparation investments,

 Expanding the metro, airports, railways, and other means of transport by land, sea and air,

 Growing tourism and real estate enterprises, and

 Expanding energy facilities depending on the vast financial reserves accumulated within the country

UAE Vision 2021 is meant to achieve a knowledge-based economy of research and innovation and to prepare for the post-oil age “Celebrating the last barrel of oil, as my brother Mohammed bin Zayed has said, we will build a sustainable economy for future generations," said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum The Government has announced the

“Supreme Policy for Science, Technology and Innovation,” which includes 100 initiatives in these primary domains:

 Health

 Education

 Energy

 Transport

 Water and technology

With allocated investments valued at 300 billion dirhams Furthermore, the country is on the way to increase spending on academic and scientific research by three times until 2021

2.2 ICT Sector of UAE

In recent years, smart mobile phones have entered the market and have begun replacing computer devices in some areas The Government of the UAE is rapidly focusing its strategy

on adjusting to this technology For the next stage of government strategies, there has been a significant leap from being E-governments serving citizens from web pages over the Internet

to serving users from mobile devices Therefore m-government is an integral part of e-government

M-government can be defined as the strategy of exploitation of all resources, kinds of services, applications, wireless mobile technologies and devices in providing benefits to the users of e-government The Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA) report mentioned that UAE ICT development is considered the fastest-growing sector

internationally, moving from 45th place to 38th in 2016 The UAE today is second to Bahrain

in terms of mobile services readiness The TRA confirmed that more than 85% of the UAE population use mobile services and access the Internet from their smart devices In 2016, mobile Internet subscribers were growing by 67% (from 13,346,677 by October 2012 to 19,689,914 October 2017) in the TRA report UAE Vision 2021 concerns the services that users want to get and the means of providing them as accessible services that exceed their expectations through mobile phones (UAE Yearbook, 2013) Speaking about the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA) reports, the study would like to share the latest figures which reflect the continued growth of mobile phone and broadband subscribers, which increases every month Below are the latest figures as per the TRA report published in

2016

Table 1 UAE: latest ICT indicators

Source: Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA.gov.ae)

As can be seen from the Table above, active mobile subscription numbers are increasing,

as well as broadband subscribers These indicators reflect the high penetration of smartphones and mobile internet users For this reason, countries like the UAE are adapting their vision to provide needed services to end-users for their ongoing benefit

2.3 National Consultative Council and the Judicial System in UAE

With the Executive Council on behalf of the executive branch in Abu Dhabi, the National Consultative Council (NCC) works as a judicial body that is part of the Abu Dhabi Government‟s public legal authority The aim of the establishment of NCC by Law No (2) of

1971 was to keep the traditional elements of Shura (consultation) alive in the modern managerial structure of the emirate

The Executive Council is required to submit draft laws to the NCC for discussion Then, the draft laws are discussed with the Ruler of Abu Dhabi With his signature, they are issued

as laws Between sessions, laws can be issued without passing through the NCC discussion process The NCC must be well-versed in these laws by the first meeting after the vacation Also, the NCC can address questions to the Executive Council Chairman or one of its members and receives citizens‟ complaints, suggestions, or requests The NCC is comprised

of 60 members who are selected from among the emirate of Abu Dhabi‟s main tribes and families

In line with the UAE constitution, Abu Dhabi made use of the emirates‟ right to maintain

a local judicial system and set up the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) on June 15,

2007 Abu Dhabi‟s court system has three phases of adjudication and recently gained further independence with the issuance of Law No (23) of 2006, which constrained the influence of executive bodies on the jurisdiction

3 ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT SERVICES IN THE UAE

3.1 Abu Dhabi e-Government

The Abu Dhabi e-government Gateway, Abu Dhabi.ae, is the official website of Abu Dhabi Government and is operated by Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre (ADSIC)

ADSIC was established in October 2005 in line with the vision of HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and the directives of HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces ADSIC's mandate is to develop and improve government services, transforming creativity to execute an up-to-date, efficient and citizen-centric e-government service platform

In February 2007, ADSIC launched its flagship initiative, Abu Dhabi, as a comprehensive e-government doorway offering services of the Abu Dhabi Government in a suitable and user-friendly manner

On September 2008, the Gateway was successfully re-launched as a transactional platform with the contribution of several select Abu Dhabi Government Entities (ADGEs) to tap the Gateway‟s full capacities and further improve its helpfulness to targeted customer groups (individuals, businesses, ADGEs and employees)

Abudhabi.ae delivers a consolidated electronic gateway for Emirate-wide information circulation between the Abu Dhabi Government and its citizens Furthermore, the platform provides citizens, residents, visitors and businesses with a single point of access to over 1,000 services, many of which are already available as online services, in addition to over 260 general information pages and 98 pages devoted to specific departments

The Gateway also offers personalization features through My Abu Dhabi, which simplifies greater access to secure and safe government e-Services professionally (Abudhabi.ae, 2016)

3.2 Abu Dhabi Mobile Applications

As per the Abu Dhabi electronic gate official website, there are over 50 mobile applications for many services (AbuDhabi.ae) This electronic gate provides a variety of services to citizens (e.g Citizenship and Residency, Work and Employment, Family, Health, Education, Housing and Property, Vehicles and Transport, etc.)

3.3 Abu Dhabi Government\

The Ruler of Abu Dhabi Emirate is His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan He is supported by the Executive Council, which is the governing body of Abu Dhabi (the capital) The Executive Council is chaired by His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Abu Dhabi‟s Crown Prince) The Council supervises the government departments which are comparable to ministries and have specified guidelines They manage several areas

of activities ranging from economic development, environment, health, food control, education, culture and heritage, and others The Executive Council (EC) screens the development of government-sponsored events, the advance progress of services and the development of governmental performance in Abu Dhabi (AbuDhabi.ae)

The members of the EC are chairmen of Abu Dhabi's government sectors, in addition to appointed members by the Ruler of the Abu Dhabi emirate “The government departments were formed in line with Article 116 of the constitution”

The role of the Executive Council is essential to Abu Dhabi‟s governmental structure It comprises the General Secretariat of the Executive Council (GSEC), the Executive Affairs Authority (EAA), and the Executive Committee and the subcommittees The GSEC is an administrative body trusted to propose public policies and strategies to be decided on by the Executive Council In contrast, the EAA delivers strategic policy guidance to the Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council The Executive Committee is authorized to decide on projects submitted to the Executive Council The Subcommittees include the following: Economic Development Subcommittee, Social Development Subcommittee and Infrastructure and Environment Subcommittee

4 DUBAI M-GOVERNMENT: THE SMART CITY

Nowadays, government sectors aim to provide citizens with more accessible, accurate, real-time and high-quality services and information Sheik Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-Chair of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated a project to turn Dubai into a ' smart city, ' which connects state and public services through the use of intelligent devices that are freely accessible through high-speed wireless Internet access

“I want UAE Government services to be delivered to the public through mobile phones,”

HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum stated He directed all government services

to create mobile services within two years, and a great deal has been spent to achieve his objective Dubai Smart Government is an innovative initiative that provides a wide array of online services for both business and personal requirements

Sheikh Mohammed affirmed his move towards smart Government on March 22, 2013 Later that year, in May, he formally promulgated a new “vision for the future” following a meeting with government officials The project, “m-government”, followed an earlier e-government initiative announced in 2000 to bring all e-government services online

“The Government of the future works 24/7 and 365 days a year A successful government

is one that goes to the people and does not wait for them to come to it,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted at the time

Dubai Smart Government department (DSG) offers services to government entities and employees through its corporate website and many smart mobile applications DSG‟s mission

is to formulate and implement policies and initiatives for innovative and smart ICT usage contributing to economic welfare, social progress, and global competitiveness of Dubai (Dubai Smart Government – official website, 2016)

DSG values:

1.Customer focus

2 Innovation and creativity

3 Collaborative spirit

4 Pro-activeness and commitment

5 A great place to work

4.1 Dubai Smart Government Mobile Applications

Several mobile applications are offered, such as Dubai Now and m Pay Applications are also provided for other service sectors like Healthcare, Security and Justice, Education, Media and Social development, Travel, Environment and Infrastructure, Business and Consumer, and finally Tourism and Events (Government of Dubai, official website, 2016)

In June 2014, during the smart cities forum, decision-makers, experts and specialists agreed that the smart city, in general, revolves around people more than anything else: “We measure the smartness of a city by what it offers to residents and visitors…” asserted Ahmad Bin Byat It is essential to understand Dubai‟s people‟s acceptance of these mobile services

to appreciate the substantial governmental investments in Dubai‟s smart city project

Also, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum made extra efforts to encourage the government sectors in terms of the best mobile government application: UAE Government announced the launch of “Best m-Government Service Award” its first edition was on February 2014 It comes in line with His Highness‟s Smart Government vision of making Government available and accessible to the public 24/7 and 365 days a year

The Award aims to motivate government entities to provide innovative solutions in the field of smartphone applications, mobile web SMS and smart wearable technology It honours UAE governments, federal and local, as well as governments throughout the Arab region and the World A special award will also be allocated for students enrolled in universities in the UAE to stimulate innovation and creativity in addition to engaging in providing public service solutions

However, in May 2015, the newspaper Khaleej Times Debusmann (Figure 2), (2015) reported that 65% of Dubai government service users never used m-government applications, while 96% of them do have smartphones Furthermore, it was also reported that 71% had installed fewer than ten apps, which is an indicator that a problem exists in the adoption of services offered by mobile-government (Khaleej Times, May 25, 2015) These facts point toward an urgent need for research dedicated to finding out what the main factors are which influence end-users‟ behaviour concerning the use or acceptance of mobile government services