Dubai Adds Electronic Links To Government-Vendor Payments

Government suppliers in Dubai now may send their invoices to the Government Resources Planning (GRP) systems, make inquiries, access their own data and enter their commercial transactions online under the activation of electronic links between GRP and Dubai Islamic Bank, Dubai Smart Government announced recently.

Under the “smart government” initiative, the Dubai government aims to integrate its efforts to create a “smarter” process for handling payments and other services.

Under the deal with Dubai Islamic Bank, the full automation of electronic payment will allows staff at any government entity to send payments to suppliers and employee payroll payments directly to the bank without the need for the financial institution to intervene, reports CPI Financial.

Activating electronic linkage and fully automating payment between Dubai Smart Government and the bank are designed to support the transition and implementation of the smart government pattern that call for completing the transition within specific deadlines, according to H.E. Ahmed Bin Humaidan, DSG director general.

“The GRP systems provided to government entities are vital infrastructure that they rely on for managing their core resources, help increase productivity, save the time and effort of government entities and suppliers, and support electronic payment between the two parties,” he said. “They also support the government’s shift towards a sustainable green environment by eliminating the need to exchange paper documents, minimizing the effect of vehicle movement, and providing a secure environment for paying money, thereby contributing to boosting the national economy.”

The transition allows the staff at the government entity to encrypt and send suppliers’ payments or employees’ salaries to the bank as soon as they are entered into the GRP systems so they reach reach in real time without any delay the government service bus, which provides the latest and most secure technologies without any intervention on the part of the staff, Humaidan said.

Dubai Islamic Bank’s heritage and vintage ideally positions it to show the modern face of Islamic Banking to the world. Adnan Chilwan, the bank’s CEO, noted in a statement. “We see technology as a major factor in easing and improving customer interaction and with the large and multi-faceted entities like the Dubai Department of Finance,” he said. “A well-integrated and customized corporate cash management platform not only improves quality and accuracy of service, but also helps to minimize costs.”

The agreement represents a strategic alliance for the bank and is an integral part of its strategy to align itself with Dubai’s “Smart Government” initiative, Chilwan said. “We are strong advocates of the government’s plans and strategy around building a modern and sustainable society focused on the highest standards of customer service seen anywhere in the world,” he noted.