Doha: Qatari newspapers highlighted in their Monday editorials the Ministry of Municipality’s inauguration of the AI-powered building permit issuance system, attended by HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani. This development positions Qatar as the first country globally to issue building permits using this technology, marking a significant milestone that boosts the country’s digital transformation and places it at the forefront of employing AI technologies in government services.
According to Qatar News Agency, the newspapers emphasized that Qatar has achieved a notable standing in international rankings by utilizing technology to advance work and transition into a knowledge economy grounded in digital solutions. A key aspect of this digital transformation is the advantages offered by the Digital Government, which benefit Qatari society by enhancing government efficiency, focusing on public services, and increasing the scope of government services.
Al-Arab newspaper commented that numerous Qatari institutions persist in their efforts to integrate AI into current and future initiatives by adopting the technology and promoting research and innovation in AI and other emerging technologies to fulfill Qatar National Vision 2030. The newspaper highlighted the Ministry of Municipality’s inauguration of the AI-powered building permit issuance system as a pioneering step that signifies the country’s push to enhance digital transformation and improve the quality and efficiency of government services.
Al-Arab further explained that this project is crucial for expanding AI applications in government work across sectors, speeding up procedures, and improving service quality, in line with the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030. HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the Ministry of Municipality’s AI-powered system is a groundbreaking step for expediting procedures and elevating service quality.
Concluding its editorial, Al-Arab described the new system as a pioneering Qatari step and an unprecedented achievement that strengthens the country’s status among developed nations. It marks a strategic move towards providing exceptional government services characterized by efficiency, speed, and accuracy, meeting the expectations of citizens and investors. The system enables building permits to be issued in just 120 minutes rather than 30 days by smartly analyzing engineering plans in line with approved standards through its direct integration with the geographic information system.
Similarly, Al-Sharq newspaper noted that HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs witnessed the inauguration, marking Qatar as the first nation to issue building permits with this technology-a significant national achievement. The newspaper elaborated that this step reflects the State’s drive to accelerate digital transformation and improve government service quality and efficiency.
Al-Sharq added that the new system is a key project within the Ministry of Municipality’s digital transformation program, aiming to expedite transactions, standardize technical criteria, support the engineering sector, simplify procedures, and enhance output efficiency by electronically processing drawings, achieving up to 70 percent completion in the first phase.
Concluding its editorial, Al-Sharq stated that the expansion of AI technologies and digital transformation will extend beyond municipal boundaries to all sectors, facilitating government procedures, enhancing services to encourage entrepreneurship, advancing projects, and attracting investors within a secure and reliable digital framework, positioning Qatar as a leader in the knowledge economy.