The Central Informatics Organization (CIO) plans to launch the electronic wallet for smart card users. The step has been taken in line with the organization’s keenness to encourage usage of the smart card in all social and economical aspects of life.

CIO President Dr. Mohammed Ahmad Al Amer said implementation of the vital project “electronic wallet” was done to encourage smart card use in the government and retail sector in the Kingdom. One can use smart cards to pay bills and meet other financial commitments apart from using them to achieve several procedures in their everyday life.

Dr. Al Amer explained that the step is considered as a quality leap to activate e-government services. He pointed out that this service would keep people from carrying large amounts of money with them. And he said that the usage of the card after charging it through ATMs that will be available especially in the areas of sales in exchange for services and products through the e-wallet account that works as credit-card with high confidentiality and security.

Director General of Information Technology at CIO Sheikh Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa said: “To achieve and ensure safety and secrecy of the electronic wallet, we followed several systems, procedures and technologies that work on separating applications of the smart card and the electronic payment services through a protective wall.”

Sheikh Salman pointed out the electronic wallet service provides an account and a secret number. He added that it could be recharged through electronic payment systems or through transferring the amount from bank account to the ID card.

On the choice of the General Directorate of Traffic to implement this project, the Head of Developmentand Information Technology Division of the General Directorate of Traffic Engineer Abdul Aziz Al-Sabbagh said we are in constant coordination with the CIO, specifically the General Directorate of Information Technology in order to develop and deliver better services to the citizens and residents.

For his part, Board Member of Sadad Electronic Payment Company Abdullah Al Ghatam said that the agreement signed in January 2011 between the company and the General Directorate of Information Technology came for the implementation of many projects for government services to benefit from the government network through the use of electronic software development in this area.

The CIO in cooperation with the Harbour Holding has signed an agreement with Sadad Electronic Payment Company for the completion of several government projects.