Law No. (16) of 2019 Concerning The Establishment of Abu Dhabi Digital Authority

Article 1 — In the implementation of the provisions of this Law, the following words and ¶

phrases shall have the meanings corresponding thereto unless the context
requires otherwise:
Emirate : The Emirate of Abu Dhabi
Government : The government of Abu Dhabi
Executive Council : The Executive Council of the Emirate
Office : Abu Dhabi Executive Office
Authority : Abu Dhabi Digital Authority
Director-General : The Authority’s Director-General

-- 18 of 154 --

18
Governmental
Entities
: The local departments and every legal person
affiliated to the Government, enjoying full legal
capacity to act, in charge of managing a public
utility or aiming at offering a public service.
Digital Government : An integrated government system that uses
information and communications technology
and digital work mechanisms to simplify the
procedures, raise the efficiency of governmental
functions through four axes including government
services and statements as well as information
and communications technology and information
security.
Information and
Communications
Technology
: Any equipment or interconnected linked system
or subsystem of equipment used to electronically
obtain, store, process, manage, transfer, monitor,
display, convert, exchange, send and receive data
and information.
Digital Services : Integrated government services provided for
individual or corporate customers and offered
through various channels.
Information and Data : Any information or data of the governmental
entities on IT systems and networks.
Customer Service
Channels
: They include customer service centres, call
centres and digital channels including websites
and smart applications.
Customer Service
Platforms
: They include all common systems that contribute
in developing governmental services such as the
unified government payment platform, the UAE
Pass, and the Digital Wallet, except for specialised
systems related to the internal procedures at the
governmental entities.
Centralised
Contracts
: The contracts of licences, applications, programs
and digital solutions of a common nature for the
Governmental Entities.

-- 19 of 154 --

19

Article 2 — • An Authority shall be established pursuant to the provisions of this Law ¶

under the name of “Abu Dhabi Digital Authority”. This Authority shall have
an independent legal personality, enjoy full legal capacity to act, and
affiliated to the Office.
• The Executive Council may change the affiliation of the Authority to any
entity determined thereby.
• The Authority shall replace Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre
and all the assets, properties, rights and obligations of the latter shall
be transferred thereto. The Authority shall be considered as its legal
successor.
• The employees of Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre shall be
transferred to the Authority.

Article 3 — The main office of the Authority shall be located in Abu Dhabi City. Branches ¶

or offices of the Authority may be established inside or outside the Emirate
by a resolution of the Chairman of the Office and following the approval of
the Executive Council.

Article 4 — The Authority shall assume the following competencies: ¶

1. Propose the public policies, strategic plans and initiatives relate to
Digital Government and submit them to the Office in preparation for
obtaining the approval of the Executive Council thereon.
2. Propose the manuals and standards related to the Digital Government
and submit them to the Office for approval thereon and following up on
their implementation.
3. Verify the compliance of Governmental Entities with the implementation
of the approved policies and standards with respect to the Digital
Government and digital transformation as well as the publication and

-- 20 of 154 --

20
exchange of government data and information security, in coordination
with the relevant entities.
4. Enhance the capacity of the Emirate in the Digital Government field as well
as its status as a centre of innovation in services and technology field.
5. Guarantee the protection and safety of Information and Data as well as
the IT systems and networks of Governmental Entities.
6. Work on upgrading the use of Information and Communications
Technology as well as Digital Services offered through government
channels at the community of the Emirate.
7. Develop and manage the Information and Communications Technology
infrastructure as well as government systems, applications and platforms
of common nature.
8. Manage, organise and publish government data in order to increase the
effectiveness and quality thereof and benefit therefrom, and work on
developing any relevant work methods and mechanisms.
9. Propose the plans and programs to build capacities and develop human
cadres in order to support the strategies associated with the Digital
Government, in coordination with the relevant entities.
10. Conclude agreements and memoranda of understanding, enter into
partnerships that are related to Information and Communications
Technology and determine the Governmental Entities and companies
benefiting from the services available by virtue of such agreements and
partnerships.
11. Oversee all Centralised Contracts of the Governmental Entities related
to Information and Communications Technology in coordination with
the Department of Finance.
12. Lay down plans and implement programs for improving customer
experience and manage all the Customer Service Channels and
Platforms for all government services at the Emirate.
13. Any other competencies assigned thereto by the Executive Council.
• The Executive Council may amend the competencies of the Authority

-- 21 of 154 --

21
stated in this Law or any other legislation, by deletion, addition or transfer.
• The Authority may delegate some of its competencies to any other
Governmental Entity or entrust the private sector with some of them
following the approval of the executive Council.

Article 5 — • The Authority may have a Chairman to be appointed by a Chairman of the ¶

Executive Council resolution. He shall supervise the competencies and
functions of the Authority and its Director-General.
• The Executive Council may delegate any other competencies or functions
to the Chairman of the Authority.

Article 6 — • The Authority shall have a Director-General to be appointed by an Executive ¶

Council resolution. He shall be in charge of conducting and supervising
the Authority’s functions. He may in particular assume the following:
1. Propose the strategic and executive plans of the Authority and submit
them for approval in accordance with the applicable legislations.
2. Follow up on the implementation of the strategic and executive plans
of the Authority as well as the programs and projects managed or
implemented thereby.
3. Propose the initiatives, programs, projects, studies and recommendations
related to the Authority’s functions and activities and submit them to
the Office for approval.
4. Propose the annual draft budget of the Authority and submit it for
approval in accordance with the applicable legislations.
5. Propose the organisational structure of the Authority and submit it for
approval in accordance with the applicable legislations.
6. Appoint experts, consultants and technicians on a temporary or
permanent basis, determine their remuneration and seek the assistance
of any experts, institutions and consulting offices he deems appropriate.

-- 22 of 154 --

22
7. Open bank accounts in the name of the Authority in accordance with
the applicable legislations.
8. Form internal committees and action teams from among the employees
of the Authority and others, determine their tasks and work procedures.
9. Propose regulatory and executive legislations as well as the regulations,
policies, resolutions and circulars including violations and administrative
fines related to the Authority’s competencies and submit them for
approval in accordance with the applicable legislations.
10. Propose the fees, tariffs and prices related to the Authority’s
competencies and submit them for approval in accordance with the
applicable legislations.
11. Represent the Authority before courts and third parties.
12. Any other competencies and tasks assigned by the Executive Council.
• The Director-General may delegate some of his competencies to the
senior employees of the Authority provided that such delegation is made
in writing.
• The Executive Council may delegate any of the Director-General’s
competencies to any committees or action teams determined thereby
from among or outside the employees of the Authority.

Article 7 — • The Authority may have a board of trustees consisting of not less than ¶

three and not more than seven members including the chairman of the
board of trustees, to be appointed and whose remuneration is determined
by an Executive Council resolution.
• The board of trustees shall provide advice to both the Office and Authority
with respect to all or some competencies of the Authority and shall
raise to both its recommendations and suggestions regarding the plans,
programs, projects and activities that are being supervised, managed or
implemented by the Authority.
• The board of trustees shall hold its meetings in accordance with the rules

-- 23 of 154 --

23
and regulations approved by the Chairman of the Office.
• The Chairman of the Office may assign the board of trustees to follow up
on the functions of the Director-General, where necessary.

Article 8 — The Authority shall submit to the Office, every three months or whenever ¶

requested, a report on its functions, achievements, budget and financial
and administrative affairs as well as the stages of progress achieved in the
implementation of the competencies and tasks assigned thereto.

Article 9 — The Office may be responsible, pursuant to a resolution by the Chairman ¶

of the Office, for providing logistic support as well as all support services-
related operations including Human Resources, financial, procurement and
electronic systems affairs as well as other activities and services related to
the institutional affairs of the Authority.

Article 10 — The financial resources of the Authority shall consist of the following: ¶

• The annual appropriations allocated thereto by the Government.
• Any other revenues approved by the Executive Council.

Article 11 — The fiscal year of the Office shall start on the first of January and end on the ¶

last day of December of each year, except for the first fiscal year which shall
start from the effective date of this Law and end on the last day of December
of the following year.

Article 12 — The Authority shall have one external accredited auditor or more to verify the ¶

financial accounts and statements of the Authority. They shall be appointed

-- 24 of 154 --

24
Issued by us in Abu Dhabi
On: 23 April 2019
Corresponding to: 17 Shaaban 1440 Hijri
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Ruler of Abu Dhabi
by a resolution of the Chairman that shall also determines their remuneration.

Article 13 — • The financial rules and regulations applicable in the Emirate shall apply to ¶

the Authority.
• The employees of the Authority shall be subject to the human resources
laws and regulations applicable in the Emirate.
• The Nationals among them shall be subject to the civil retirement pensions
and benefits applicable in the Emirate.

Article 14 — • The aforesaid Law No. (18) of 2008 shall be repealed. ¶

• Any provision contrary to the provisions of this Law shall be repealed.

Article 15 — This Law shall be effective from the date of its issuance and published in the ¶

Official Gazette.

-- 25 of 154 --

25