SEDD completes more over 214,000 digital transactions during COVID-19 pandemic

SHARJAH - Sharjah Economic Development Department "SEDD" enhanced the level of its services provided to customers and investors to include providing digital services or receiving customers through the reservation system of prior appointments or through service centers contracted with the Department around Sharjah.

This is base on the Department’s interest to provide all services to the customers while taking all preventive and precautionary measures during the current stage.

Thus, SEDD was able to fully meet all the requirements of the precautionary measures to confront the pandemic while ensuring the continuity of work around the clock without being affected by these measures. Such thing is thanks to the great progress it has made over the past years in developing and using advanced technical systems and applications.

Commenting on that, Sultan Abdullah bin Hadda Al Suwaidi, SEDD Chairman, said that Sharjah enjoys economic flexibility that enabled it to face various circumstances thanks to the elements of growth and the general climate of the economy as well as the continuous growth that supports the business sector and contributes to attracting direct investments.

He also added that the Department was able to enhance business sustainability and its flexibility to quickly adapt to new business practices created by the current situation. He pointed out that SEDD will continue to facilitate the business practices in Sharjah in line with the directives and wise leadership as well as according to the rules applied by the Government of Sharjah in the current situation, whereas it works to promote Sharjah's economy by continuing to support the business sectors.

Al Suwaidi illustrated that the digital transformation of SEDD services reached 100% as well as its investment over the past years in establishing an advanced digital structure that contributed to maintaining the functioning of business and services in these exceptional circumstances, enabled the Department to complete all transactions digitally and through service centers. Therefore, the total number of transactions completed during the pandemic from the beginning of March until now reached 233, 499 transactions through the various service channels of the Department, while the number of completed digital transactions reached 214,785 ones, representing 92% of the total transactions completed during the pandemic. It is worth noting that the Department was keen to diversify the channels of service provision, as the Department had previously contracted with 14 service centers distributed in various cities and regions of the emirate.

These centers provide all SEDD services to customers without the need to visit one of the Department’s branches in the framework of its keenness to simplify and facilitate things on the investors. He also added that SEDD was able to maintain the continuity of its work during the period of remote work, as employees completed more than 19 thousand transactions. He stressed that such thing was due to the development of the digital structure of the Department.

On the other hand, Fahad Ahmed Al Khamiri, Director of Registration and Licensing Department at SEDD, called on customers from various sectors to take advantage of SEDD digital services and complete their transactions through its website or smart applications. Likely, he stressed that the Department seeks to reach its services to the highest levels by providing distinctive quality services through multiple channels. Additionally, he clarified that the demand on the "smart investor" service has doubled during the current year, as the number of completed digital transactions reached 146,064, which confirms the Department's success in adopting a comprehensive digital strategy, through which it is keen to build an attractive and stimulating environment for investors in the emirate. Also, he carried on that SEDD contributes to strengthening its regional leadership and its local and global position, and plays an important role in providing the appropriate climate and the best environment for dealers and investors. In addition, it contributes to maintaining the sustainability of economic development in the emirate and enables the operating of institutions and companies in Sharjah to continue their work and activities.