His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has issued a law regulating the provision of digital services in Dubai.
The Law No. (9) of 2022 aims to accelerate the emirate’s digital transformation and enhance the provision of digital services in both the public and private sectors. Under the Law and its decisions, government entities and judicial authorities, including Dubai Courts and Dubai Public Prosecution, as well as non-government entities in Dubai, are mandated to provide digital services to their customers.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid, Crown Prince of Dubai and the Chairman of the Executive Council will issue a decision on the various stages of implementing the Law, in line with the recommendations of the Digital Dubai Authority (DDA).
The Law outlines the conditions for providing digital services and adopting digital identities for obtaining subscribed services, as well as cybersecurity requirements set by Dubai Electronic Security Centre (DESC).
The Law also covers the conditions for electronic payment solutions approved by the Department of Finance in Dubai, service continuity in the event of disruptions, digital services approved by the DDA, and provision of services in Arabic, English and other languages.
According to the Law, digital services provided in Dubai must be user-friendly and accessible to People of Determination without an extra fee. DDA, in coordination with the General Secretariat of The Executive Council of Dubai and the Dubai Electronic Security Center, can exempt an entity from any of these conditions.
The new law states that an entity can outsource its digital services to a public or private company, subject to the approval of relevant authorities and the Department of Finance (DoF). The outsourcing contract should clearly outline the responsibilities of each party, including contract duration and confidentiality requirements, as well as the rules for providing digital services.
