In line with its efforts to offer a range of innovative services based on its ‘customer first’ approach, Dubai eGovernment announced on the sidelines of its ongoing participation in GITEX Technology Week 2010 that it has signed an agreement with Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment (MRHE) to confirm its inclusion in Dubai eGovernment’s ePay gateway. The joining of MRHE to the ePay gateway further consolidates Dubai eGovernment’s portfolio of eServices even as several UAE service providers currently use the ePay platform for more than 200 eServices offered by government departments to their users. The ePay gateway will enable citizens to more easily access MRHE’s services such as granting residential plots of land, government houses, maintaining and expanding existing houses and granting housing loans for building a new house, or completing, expanding or maintaining an existing house.

Commenting on the agreement, H.E. Ahmed bin Humaidan, Director General of Dubai eGovernment, said: "The ePay gateway is witnessing steadily increasing adoption among government departments and authorities in Dubai, especially after the 60 per cent increase in amounts collected through ePay in the first half of this year compared to the corresponding period last year. This reflects both the increased adoption of ePay and the growing trust on the effectiveness and security offered by this service.”

"GITEX plays an important role as an ideal platform to highlight the diverse eServices, especially ePay, which enhances the level of banking and electronic services offered to customers and meets the highest international standards in accordance with the vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, of offering world-class eGovernance in Dubai,” he added.

H.E. Sami Abdullah Gargash, CEO of Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment, said, "Joining the ePay gateway is an important step for us which will help us expand the scope of eServices available in the emirate. MRHE is concerned with granting housing loans, providing residential plots to citizens, offering government housing, and granting loans for maintaining existing houses, with the underlining objective of providing social stability to citizens and reinforcing the societal values of the UAE and Dubai in particular. Our commitment to take part in GITEX underlines our keenness to support Dubai eGovernment’s goal of building an integrated knowledge-based digital society. We reaffirm our total commitment to exert all efforts to support Dubai eGovernment by focusing on service provision in accordance with the highest standards of excellence.”

Dubai eGovernment launched the ePay gateway back in 2003 as an innovative electronic channel to facilitate payment for governmental and private transactions. Only three departments initially availed of the gateway, but this eventually grew to 22 government and non-government departments by 2008. With the recent joining of Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment and Dubai Civil Defence Department, this number has increased to 24. Over 20 UAE service providers currently use the platform for more than 200 e-services offered by government departments to their users, such as DEWA bill payments, 'Salik' recharging, and traffic fine settlements. The gateway allows payment via credit cards, e-dirham and direct debit.

In line with the latest developments in the field of technology, Dubai eGovernment is keen on participating in GITEX every year. In addition to having a special website for this event, Dubai eGovernment will also issue a special edition of ‘e4all’ the official magazine of Dubai eGovernment, to cover all services offered by departments to visitors. Dubai eGovernment also developed a special micro-website (http://gitex.dubai.ae) to include detailed information about all eServices and present complete coverage of the various agreements signed and press conferences held during Gitex 2010.