Kuwait aims for ‘Paperless Government’ within 3-5 years

• Efforts are currently underway to establish a national electronic cloud, aimed at saving time, expediting processes, and reducing long-term costs.

• The government is drafting an agreement with Microsoft, akin to the one with Google last year, to forge a strategic partnership aimed at advancing technical services and information infrastructure in Kuwait.

• Kuwait plans to construct a cutting-edge data center, bolster cyber service protection against hackers and prepare 5,000 university students for the job market through pre-graduation courses.

A government source disclosed to Al-Qabas newspaper about a forthcoming project strongly recommended to ‘digitize’ all government agency transactions and complete the transition from paper documentation.

The source stated that the project includes mandating all government agencies to offer their services exclusively through the ‘Sahel’ application and linking them electronically.

The sources further added that the initiative aims to automate services electronically under the slogan ‘Paperless Government,’ with the government aiming to eliminate all paper transactions nationwide within three to five years. It further explained that efforts are currently underway to establish a national electronic cloud, aimed at saving time, expediting processes, and reducing long-term costs.

Al-Qabas newspaper has learned that the government is moving towards drafting an expected agreement to contract with Microsoft, similar to the agreement made with Google about a year ago. There are aspirations to establish a strategic partnership between Kuwait and Microsoft, aiming to achieve several goals, including significant development of technical services and information infrastructure.

According to a government source, the project will focus on constructing a data center with distinctive, world-class specifications, enhancing cyber service protection systems to combat hackers, and strengthening various aspects of cybersecurity to defend against electronic attacks targeting government agencies’ systems.

The source stated that the project aims to prepare national cadres for the labor market by enrolling approximately 5,000 male and female university students in courses before their graduation. This initiative aims to train them as skilled professionals who can enter the job market immediately as technicians.

The sources explained that the courses will be free for Kuwait University students, utilizing their university identification numbers as part of the agreement during their studies. Students who complete the courses will receive Microsoft academic certificates through educational programs that are coordinated among the university, higher education institutions, and the Ministry of Transportation.

The objectives of the partnership with Microsoft include:

1. Mitigating cyber penetrations or attacks by hackers.
2. Enhancing protection systems in information security.
3. Establishing a global data center and advancing technical services.
4. Automating all government services and transitioning them to electronic platforms.
5. Integrating artificial intelligence into government agencies.