The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) has won the 27th Award of the Dubai-based Middle East Excellence Awards Institute for Smart Government Institutional Services “Excellence in Government and Smart Cities”, after a competition in which various government agencies from the Middle East participated.

The Authority's win reflects its operational and digital accomplishments during the (Covid-19) pandemic, which were based on best practices of smart institutional transformation, and after harnessing its capabilities and developing its systems to ensure business sustainability, all of which has contributed to the timely and professional completion of customer and taxpayer service.

The Authority has been keen to prepare for emergency situations since the first case of COVID-19 was recorded in the Kingdom, by preparing its employees, activating the business continuity strategy, and preparing the infrastructure for remote communication in all of the Authority's headquarters, branches, and land, air, and sea ports, and then determining the priority of the services.

Technical solutions have also contributed to the flow of work with the same efficiency as when it is done physically. As a result of this, the Authority was able to achieve ISO certification in the field of business continuity.

During the pandemic, the Authority has implemented a number of initiatives, including launching 66 services on its official website that made it easier for taxpayers to complete services without having to visit the Authority's branches, as well as without impacting services or productivity.

This award, which is granted to government institutions in a number of Middle Eastern countries, aims to encourage the development of a smart digital environment for governments that meets international and regional standards and promotes creativity and competitiveness. It is also given to other sectors that have been able to implement advanced technical solutions that help to change the way they engage with customers.