The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) announced that it has completely deactivated the e-Dirham system to collect service fees and has replaced it with a direct payment system that relies on approved payment methods in the UAE, in line with the systems of the Ministry of Finance.
The Ministry's announcement comes after it succeeded in migrating gradually from the e-Dirham system to the direct payment system in September, in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, and in line with a previous announcement by the Ministry of Finance that government entities will gradually stop using their previous payment systems.
The Ministry clarified that customers could redeem the remaining balance in their e-Dirhams through the banks that issued the cards. Instead of the e-Dirham, customers can now use the approved payment methods, which include Visa, MasterCard, Google Pay and Apple Pay services through 3,343 dedicated machines at 243 business service centres across the UAE.
Younis Haji Al Khoory, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, pointed out that
"since its launch in 2001, the e-Dirham system has contributed to strengthening the country's leading position in financial technology solutions worldwide, as well as building strategic partnerships with leading national banks to provide a seamless digital experience to customers."
He added,
"The Ministry of Finance is keen to continue working and cooperating with various federal and local authorities to enhance the integration and coordination to develop government financial work and achieve the vision of our wise leadership in shaping the future and meeting its requirements."
Khalil Ibrahim Al Khoori, Undersecretary for Human Resources Affairs at MoHRE, said,
"Activating the direct payment system is part of the UAE government's efforts to improve the customers' experience, raising the efficiency of government services and facilitating the payment process seamlessly. This is part of the efforts to lead the implementation of the digital economy in the region backed by the advanced technological infrastructure."
News Source: Emirates News Agency
