Sharjah Partners with Dell to Infuse AI Into Government Operations

Mohammed Fathy

Last updated 8-04-2026

4 min

Sharjah signs Dell deal to embed AI across government operations.

The programme goes beyond digitising, aiming to “redesign how government works”.

Extensive training will target executives, developers and sectors from culture to agriculture.

The move supports the Digital Transformation Strategy 2026–2028 and integrated data systems.

Leaders say lasting change depends on knowledge transfer and proper capability-building.

Sharjah is doubling down on artificial intelligence, and this time it’s doing so with a global tech heavyweight by its side. The Sharjah Digital Department (SDD) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Dell Technologies to roll out a broad programme aimed at embedding AI more deeply into government operations across the Emirate.

On paper, it’s a formal agreement. In practice, it signals something bigger, Sharjah’s intention to redesign how government works, not just digitise what already exists.

The MoU was signed by H.E. Sheikh Saud bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Director General of SDD, and Walid Yehia, Managing Director of Gulf Dell Technologies. The signing took place in the presence of senior officials including H.E. Eng. Lamia Obaid Al Hossan Al Shamsi and H.E. Majid Hamad Al Marri from the Sharjah Department of Human Resources. It’s clearly not a side project; it’s positioned as part of a wider institutional shift.

Under the agreement, the two sides will implement a comprehensive AI capability-building programme. That includes hands-on training, knowledge transfer, and specialised workshops. And it’s not limited to IT teams. Senior and mid-level executives, developers, and even professionals from sectors such as culture, arts and agriculture are expected to take part. I reckon that breadth is spot on, AI discussions often stay trapped in tech departments, which can be a bit of a faff when real transformation needs everyone at the table.

The aim is straightforward: help government entities develop practical AI use cases within their daily operations. In other words, not theory. Not buzzwords. But real applications that improve efficiency and public service delivery. The initiative is also designed to prepare the government workforce for rapid technological change, making services more proactive and, ideally, more seamless for residents and businesses.

Sheikh Saud bin Sultan Al Qasimi framed the agreement as a strategic step in Sharjah’s wider digital transformation journey. He emphasised that AI is not seen merely as a tool, but as a driver for rethinking how government functions. The initiative, he noted, sits within the Sharjah Digital Transformation Strategy 2026–2028 and aims to strengthen integration across systems and data to build a smarter, more interconnected government ecosystem.

That long-term strategy matters. In the startup world, we often talk at Arageek about building for scale from day one. The same thinking applies here. Governments that treat AI as a shiny add-on usually struggle. Those that bake it into infrastructure and training, well, they stand a better chance of making it sustainable.

Walid Yehia of Dell Technologies said the company is pleased to collaborate with SDD and contribute its global expertise to support Sharjah’s AI ambitions. The focus, he indicated, will be on enabling government entities to harness advanced technologies and develop more efficient, high-quality operating models.

Public-private partnerships are, of course, at the core of this move. Sheikh Saud highlighted knowledge transfer and global best practices as key enablers for accelerating digital adoption. And believe it or not, that’s often where real transformation either flies or falls flat. Without proper capability-building, even the most advanced systems gather dust.

SDD’s broader role in Sharjah’s digital transformation includes strengthening data governance, cybersecurity, and integration across government entities. Through platforms such as Sharjah Digital and Aqari, it has been working to simplify procedures and unify services into connected digital experiences. The department’s vision, to be a people-first digital innovator, sounds ambitious, but in a region racing to modernise public services, ambition is not a bad thing.

If this programme delivers on its promises, it could help Sharjah move from experimenting with AI to operationalising it at scale. That is not a small shift. And while strategies on paper are one thing, execution is everything.

For startups across MENA watching closely, there’s a lesson here too. Building institutional AI capability isn’t glamorous work. It’s slow, sometimes messy, and definately requires cultural change. But when done right, it lays the groundwork for smarter systems and better outcomes, whether in government or in business.

We’ll be keeping an eye on how this unfolds. Because when government transformation gets it right, the ripple effects can be felt far beyond the public sector.

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