The Dubai Municipality has been awarded the Special Achievement in GIS Award, SAG Award, by ESRI, the world leader in GIS software, headquartered in California, USA.

Dawoud Al Hajri, Director-General of the Dubai Municipality, praised the efforts of the municipality's employees, saying that the award is the first of its kind in the field of GIS, which makes Dubai Municipality one of the 100 winning cities in the world.

"It also reflects the municipality’s efforts in adopting the latest methods of dealing with Information Technology, especially geographic systems, as an important element to be invested in, providing advanced services in the field of municipal work in accordance with the highest international standards. This contributes significantly to the happiness of customers from different segments of society," he added.

Mariam Al Muhairi, Director of the GIS Centre, said the award comes within the framework of the centre's quest to continue its approach towards innovation to enhance Dubai Municipality's journey towards excellence and to make Dubai one of the best cities in the world in the field of GIS.

The municipality received the award based on the applications related to the GeoDubai initiative of the GIS Centre, characterised by the integration of geographical applications of a spatial nature with the work mechanisms and procedures of the departments of the Dubai Government and semi-government departments through the efforts of experts at the GIS Centre and the application of the latest GIS technology.

This award is a step towards achieving the goals of the municipality’s strategic plan, aimed at developing a comprehensive and sustainable GIS network.

The company has been offering the award annually since 2004 to a number of establishments and bodies of America, and to some international establishments that achieve excellence and leadership in the field of GIS.

Tens of thousands of organisations and companies are nominated from all over the world and a specialised committee headed by the Director and Founder of the company, Jack Dangermond, studies the applications and selects the winners.