ADDED calls on customers to take advantage of its digital services for economic licensing transactions available 100 per cent online

H.E. Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), has called on businessmen, entrepreneurs, investors and holders of economic licenses registered in the emirate to take advantage of its offered digital services related to economic licensing procedures, which is now 100 per cent available through all of its digital channels and platforms. 

H.E. stressed on the importance of the customers’ use of the digital services, which falls under the ‘Digital Month’ campaign being launched by the Abu Dhabi Government Media Office (ADGMO). Al Shorafa further explained that ADDED’s strategy complements the directives of the government to automate and enhance government services to help improve customer experience. 

Based on the results of the department’s report covering the activity of digital transactions for economic licensing during the period of January 2019 to February 2020, Al Shorafa revealed that the number of electronic transactions processed via ADDED’s website and digital channels reached 68.6 per cent, covering 161,601 transactions out of a total of 235,569 transactions that were completed over the identified period.

He stated: “The results of the report demonstrate ADDED's success in its efforts and initiatives that have been recently launched as part of the Abu Dhabi Government’s accelerators programme ‘Ghadan 21.’ It also shows how effective these initiatives are in increasing the percentage of digital transactions after all of the department’s services have been made available online. This will help enhance the digital transformation process in Abu Dhabi, which is aligned with the future visions and aspirations of the emirate.”

H.E. further explained that ADDED will continue to digitalize the remaining transactions that are now carried out by the customer service center of the Abu Dhabi Business Center (ADBC) and ‘TAMM Center’ of the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA), to be conducted through the ADDED’s website www.added.gov.ae or via the TAMM portal, www.tamm.abudhabi. He noted that the completed transactions through the ADBC’s customer service center during the period of January 2019 to February 2020 amounted to 73,968 transactions covering the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Al Shorafa added that the provision of digital services by the Abu Dhabi Government is based on a strategic plan led by ADDA, which is aimed at keeping pace with the globe’s aspirations and transition stage to be modern and more developed vision. The investor, whether local or foreign, is looking to obtain services that save time and effort and give him enough confidence and courage to continue investing his money in Abu Dhabi.

According to the ADDED Chairman, facilitating business activities in the emirate and the move to maintain its rank in the international competitiveness reports is highly dependable on two key factors, including the facilitation of business procedures that comply with set international standards and the effectiveness of its offered digital services, which make the investor’s engagement in various economic activities in Abu Dhabi easier.

ADDED’s ‘Digital Transactions for Economic Licensing’ report over the period of January 2019 to February 2020 show that the number of new economic licenses issued through the department's website spiked to 47,093 as compared to the 10,596 licenses issued through the customer service center of ADBC. Meanwhile, a total of 99,077 licenses were renewed digitally as compared to the 11,433 that were renewed through customer service center.

During the same period, ADDED completed more than 42,065 license amendment applications through its website as compared to 5,488 licenses amended through ADBC’s physical customer service centers. Notably, 66,700 trade names were issued via the website as compared to the 5,929 names that were issued through the customer service center.  

In the meantime, ADDED issued 12,534 advertising permits through its website against 151 permits issued through the customer service centers. It also released 11,754 promotional campaign permits as compared to 42 permits of the same type issued through the service center.    

With regards to industrial license transactions, ADDED renewed 1,822 industrial licenses through its website during the period of January 2019 to February 2020.  In contrast, 76 industrial licenses were renewed in Abu Dhabi through the customer service center and the status of 9,806 industrial licenses was amended via the website, compared to only four licenses amended through the customer service center. 1,575 customs exemptions for industrial establishments were issued through the department’s website, in addition to the completion of 490 applications for joining the ‘Electricity Tariffs Incentive Program.’