MoU aims at opening new channels and providing more payment options for customers
Dubai eGovernment has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UAE Central Bank to expand the scope of its ePay gateway by including new banks. The MoU is in line with Dubai eGovernment's ongoing effort to provide government department customers with instant payment facilities of government fees without having to waste time and effort visiting banks or the concerned departments, thus ensuring the highest levels of efficiency, security and reliability.
By connecting with the UAESWITCH at UAE Central Bank, Dubai eGovernment will allow corporate or individual customers to settle government departments' fees through Dubai eGovernment's ePay portal using ATM cards or through pre-paid cards. These payment options will be added to the other options that are already available to customers. Dubai eGovernment is keen on leveraging its cooperation with UAE Central Bank to open new prospects for customers by expanding the number of banks using the ePay gateway from four at present to all the 46 banks using the UAESWITCH, thus furthering Dubai eGovernment's 'customer first' strategy.
Commenting on the MoU, H.E. Ahmed Bin Humaidan, Director General of Dubai eGovernment, said, "Over the past few years we have been able to upgrade the ePay portal to meet the needs of our customers, who can now make payments for government services electronically by three methods: credit cards, e-Dirham and direct debit from their accounts in the participating banks. During the first half of this year, the portal marked a considerable increase in the total amount collected, achieving a 60 per cent growth compared to the same period last year. This reflects both the increased adoption of ePay and the growing trust in the effectiveness and security offered by this service."
"We are looking forward to expanding the ePay network by entering into more strategic partnerships. In this regard, we are pleased to partner with UAE Central Bank, which is keen to formulate and implement banking, credit and monetary policies aimed at supporting the growth of the national economy in line with Dubai's progress towards eTransformation. We will spare no efforts to benefit from new cooperation opportunities that will contribute to the creation of a secure digital environment for the payment of government fees. Further, this new partnership with UAE Central Bank reflects our commitment to open new channels to bring us closer to our customers and enable us to meet their expectations by providing them with more options with the banks using the UAESWITCH," added Bin Humaidan.
Bin Humaidan noted that Dubai eGovernment seeks to ensure that an optimal level of facilitation is provided to customers of government departments in line with the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, with respect to establishing a practical and interconnected eGovernment capable of providing the public with all kinds of services through innovative electronic channels that are accessible anytime, anywhere.
H.E. Sultan Bin Nasser Al Suwaidi, Governor of UAE Central Bank, said, "Connecting Dubai eGovernment with the UAESWITCH is a significant addition for its ePay portal which allows it to provide more options to its customers and supports its initiatives and ongoing endeavours to upgrade its services." He explained that the UAESWITCH, which has been in operation since 1996, is used by 46 banks and is connected to all GCC countries.
Dubai eGovernment launched the ePay gateway in 2003 as an innovative electronic channel to provide online payment facilities to the customers of government departments. Initially three departments availed of the gateway, but this eventually grew to 22 government and non-government entities by 2008. With Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment and Dubai Civil Defence joining the gateway during Gitex Technology Week 2010, the number of entities rose to 24. Over 20 UAE service providers currently use the platform for more than 200 eServices offered by government departments to their users such as DEWA bill payments, 'Salik' recharging, and traffic fine settlements. To enhance security, the customers' credit card data are not inputted or saved when the service is processed. The ePay method is compatible with Visa International's "Verified by Visa" and Master Card's "SecureCode" programmes.
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© Press Release 2010
