Dubai Internet City Prepares Cyber Law

Lorys Charambolous, Tax-news.com, Cyprus

14 March 2001

After six months of preparation, the Dubai Internet City (DIC) is now in the final stages of completing a draft of a new cyber law which is due to be released mid-2001. According to DIC chief executive, Ahmed Binbyat, the law will apply to all transactions performed over the Internet and it is eventually expected to become a federal law in UAE.

Binbyat said the cyber law is based on a combination of legislative frameworks laid down by Germany and Malaysia: 'the draft law addresses a comprehensive range of issues, including digital signatures and verification, non-repudiation, and confidentiality of Internet transactions,' he said.

At a cost of around US$735 million, the DIC was launched last year as part of the Dubai government's attempt to turn Dubai into a regional internet hub with world-class office and IT communication facilities. Like the neighbouring Free Zone, the DIC region holds a distinct attraction for foreign-owned companies as they can remain completely foreign-owned - ownership of normal domestic companies in Dubai must be split between foreign and local owners.

The DIC's Mohammad Al Gergawi said at its launch that he hopes that it will 'be among the tops' in the next two years. He added: 'There is a gap between South Asia and the Western world. Dubai can fill that gap.' It is expected that the new cyber law will help Dubai to make the DIC the major regional centre in the Persian Gulf for IT development.

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