(WAM) — The Ministry of Community Development has signed a memorandum of understanding and an agreement to strengthen e-connectivity with various entities that related to the data and procedures of social security in order to ensure the facilitation and acceleration of social assistance services, and achieve a proactive vision to its beneficiaries. This comes as part of the ministry’s efforts to create a highly efficient system for linking social security data across the UAE.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) related to the e-connection social security project between the Ministry of Community Development, the Higher Committee of Digital Transformation at the Government of Sharjah, and the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) (FCSA), was signed by Sheikh Fahim Al Qassimi, Director of Government Relations Department at Sharjah and Chairman of the Higher Committee of Digital Transformation at Sharjah Government, Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), Nasser Ismail, Assistant Undersecretary for Social Welfare at the Ministry of Community Development.

The other e-connection agreement was signed by Moza Al Akraf Al Swaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Community Development, Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), and Ahmad Abdul Karim Julfar, Director General of Community Development Authority (CDA).

Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah’s Department of Government Relations (DGR), and Chairman of the Higher Committee of Digital Transformation of Sharjah, said: “The MoU between the Ministry of Community Development (MOCD), Higher Committee of Digital Transformation of Sharjah and the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) (FCSA), aims to achieve the objectives of the digital transformation process which seeks to enhance public services and elevate the quality of life and well-being of individuals through sharing data and information with relevant entities. The database will serve as a solid foundation for collaboration and joint efforts between local and federal entities.”

“Digital mechanisms and information technology have progressed significantly and now offer invaluable opportunities to institutions and entities in the government and private sectors to scale up their efficiency by reducing time, effort and cost, while enhancing the quality of their services through rapid and effective communication with the audience, and responding promptly to their needs.” Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi noted.

“I would like to thank the MOCD and FCSA for their cooperation which will ensure the successful implementation of these important initiatives in the UAE. I would also like to thank Sharjah’s Department of eGovernment (DeG) and Department of Statistics and Community Development (DSCD) for supporting the Higher Committee of Digital Transformation of Sharjah in this effort. This MoU is a vital step forward in our ongoing endeavour aimed at improving mechanisms and fostering the concept of agility and efficient performance. It will be the precursor to more cooperation and partnerships across sectors, that are in the best interests of our community,” he added.

Furthermore, Moza Al Akraf Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Community Development, said that the ministry’s efforts to sign e-connectivity agreements with competent authorities to provide social security and assistance services reflect the vision of the UAE wise leadership to achieve digital transformation at the level of government authorities, based on the principle of providing the best services, included in the ministry’s sustainable development vision and integration to provide community services, promote proactive services in order to facilitate and accelerate the provision of e-connectivity and ensure that they are delivered to all eligible categories in the smoothest, fastest and easiest way.

Her Excellency pointed out the ministry’s keenness to promote partnerships and cooperation with other entities to achieve effective common goals and unite efforts to promote social development, sustainable performance, customers happiness, and strengthen national statistics work in the UAE through exchanging data record and management. She also added that the e-connection agreement ensures the accurate data of social assistance beneficiaries and applicants for social assistance, being an important link in the series of electronic connectivity pursued by the Ministry in order to improve the steps performed by the customer and the goals of the ministry announced during the participation of the 6th government accelerators batch as part of the social security challenge team to find a high efficient data link system to support social assistance in the UAE.

She continued: “We recognize the importance of electronic connectivity between the Ministry and other partners who work within social security as well as other categories and services. We always strive to reach the maximum possible services for different categories of society such as senior emiratis, people of determination, family members, youth and children as well as non-benefit public associations reflecting the idea of sustainable development with its proactive services and intelligent practices based on the participation of different government entities and their commitment towards providing the best services in the easiest and smoothest ways.

Additionally, Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director General of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), said: “As the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority believes in the importance of integrating all data related to government institutional work, and in line with the vision of the UAE’s wise leadership which calls for digital transformation of all government entities, the Authority has employed its accumulated expertise in data management technologies to provide – under this agreement and in partnership with the Ministry of Community Development and the Higher Committee of Digital Transformation of Sharjah – a promising digital platform that connects all government entities and allows them to exchange and share the targeted data. This platform will save the government sector time, efforts and financial resources, while expediting safe and secure exchange of the data in question, allowing to swiftly offer social welfare services to UAE nationals.”

He added: “The Authority works closely with its strategic partners in the government and deploys all its resources and capabilities in offering services and consultations in the area of digital connectivity and data exchange technologies, to ensure fast and secure exchange of data between various government entities.”

The scope of the second agreement defines that the Ministry of Community Developments provides the Community Development Authority (CDA) (CDA) to enquire and benefit from the e-connectivity to the social security platform provided by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) (FCSA) through the UAE Data Platform, in the framework of utilizing the data of applicants for social assistance from the Authority’s customers and social assistance donors, for the purpose of social research for cases, and for the purpose of statistical work and to facilitate the delivery of services.

He Ahmed Julfar, Director General of Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai (CDA) said that the Social Security Database Initiative is an important step in the field of enhancing the services integration on the country’s level and achieving optimal use of social, health, and education data for individuals. He noted that the existence of this integrated and updated database provides access to the segment that is due to Social Security and developing suitable programs and plans.

He also added that “CDA will work hand-in-hand with MOCD and FCSA to exchange and update information as well as discuss joint programs and initiatives to achieve innovative social security standards that we aim for.

The memorandum of understanding identified the area of cooperation between related entities involved in the e-connectivity of the social security project, by developing an electronic communication system for exchanging data through the “Emirates Data Exchange Network System”, in order to enable the Ministry to inquire and obtain data of all the categories it targets for social security, welfare and assistance services after thorough research and study cases s through the necessary provided data by the government authorities of Sharjah Government i.e. Department of Human Resources, Sharjah Social Security Fund, Department of Town Planning & Survey, Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department, Sharjah Municipality, Social Services Department, Sharjah Department of Economic Development. Work will be carried out within a common and systematic framework for exchanging and sharing data in accordance with the best standards, regulations, E-Systems and schedules, as well as data exchange procedures between all the parties mentioned in this memorandum.