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Government Metaverse News

The World Government Summit (WGS), in cooperation with management consulting company Arthur D. Little, released a report titled &#8220;Governing the Metaverse.&#8221;



The report included key policy recommendations to enhance the metaverse governance and highlighted opportunities offered by the metaverse in the areas of education, healthcare, energy, utilities, healthcare, and manufacturing, according to WAM news agency.



The report called on the governments and regulators to deal with the non-centralized nature of the Metaverse across Web3 technologies by outlining standards of multi-sourced data and legislation.



It urged government officials to pay attention to several priorities, including standards as the governments play a key role in ensuring that these standards should allow maximum participation. The report mentioned the importance of issuing laws and regulations to promote user and data protection to encourage more people to participate and invest in the metaverse.



According to the report, governments should outline policy mechanisms and launch initiatives to accelerate the development and adoption of the metaverse. It also highlighted the necessity of the government&#8217;s participation in setting up metaverse-related infrastructure through incentive programs or participation with the private sector.



Commenting on the report, Managing Partner at Arthur D. Little Middle East Thomas Kuruvilla said: &#8220;The report is launching at a key moment in time as disruptive technology is now finally being transmuted to the benefit of society, triggering investment along the way for dynamic exchanges to last long term.&#8221;



A metaverse is a network of three-dimensional virtual environments focusing on social interaction. It may be characterized as a digitally simulated world. It utilizes blockchain, augmented reality, and virtual reality (VR), combined with social media principles, to develop venues for extensive user communication that imitate the real world.



The metaverse is an encompassing word for technologies that aid in creating a whole digital world similar to the real one. This universe can be incredibly comprehensive and encompass a broad range of various planets, sometimes referred to as virtual environments.

World Government Summit

Metaverse

World Government Summit Highlights Governance in Metaverse

The Saudi Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing announced it has the launch of a metaverse platform, Sakani Metaverse, the first of its kind in the Kingdom, to improve the quality of life for the citizens.



The housing ministry&#8217;s announcement came during its participation in the LEAP 2023, held in Riyadh, from February 6 to 9 with the participation of dozens of experts, government officials, and representatives of companies who discussed the latest developments in virtual reality, fintech, Fourth Industrial Revolution, and smart cities.



In this regard, Rayan bin Abdullah Al-Aql, the head of the individual solution sector at the National Housing Company (NHC) of Saudi Arabia, said Sakani will allow those who are interested in buying real estate to have a look at the properties they want in the metaverse instead of conducting field visits.



Aql pointed out that Sakani would provide different housing options for the beneficiaries and offer new aspects of cooperation between real estate companies, brokers, and buyers in an attempt to upgrade the level of quality of life.



During the event, Saudi Arabia saw the launch and sign of metaverse-related initiatives, topped by the inking of a memorandum of understanding between the Saudi Arabia Digital Government Authority (DGA) and the metaverse giant The Sandbox to boost cooperation in the virtual space.



The metaverse is expected to contribute $15 billion to the economies of the Gulf countries by 2030 given that their governments are tapping into the virtual space, according to a study by Strategy&amp;.



Saudi Arabia topped the GCC countries in terms of metaverse contributions, as it is predicted to account for $7.6 billion by 2030 (more than half of the figure. While the UAE came second with an expected share of $3.3 billion. The predicted figures reflect the two countries’ tremendous efforts to deploy the usage of the metaverse in their respective national program, the report noted.

Saudi Ministry of Housing

Saudi Housing Ministry Launches Sakani Metaverse

The South Korean Ministry of Culture said it will launch a metaverse version of the King Sejong Institute to enable foreigners to learn the Korean language anytime and anywhere.



King Sejong Institute is a brand name for Korean-language institutes established by the South Korean government around the world since 2007, which has 244 branches in 84 countries by the end of 2022. Still, there were about 10,000 people worldwide waiting to enroll as of September, the ministry was quoted by <a href="https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230207005900315?section=culture/arts-culture" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yonhap News Agency</a> as saying.



The South Korean ministry pointed out that the metaverse-based service will be launched jointly with the King Sejong Institute Foundation. It also elaborated that foreigners, who are learning the language, are able to practice it in the metaverse virtually while interacting with the everyday lives of Koreans and their culture.



The metaverse platform consists of a virtual campus and village, where learners can experience the lifestyle in South Korea. Landmarks like the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), Seoul Station, the Han River Park, and Gwangjang Market will be virtually stimulated in the village.



The ministry mentioned that it had launched a trial version of the metaverse platform in November and December, during which about 480 people from 123 countries were connected daily to the platform, expecting that the number would increase from about 150,000 last year to 500,000 by 2027 after the formal launch of the platform.



Recently, South Korea made remarkable progress in the Web3 world, topped by the foundation of its capital, Seoul, in the metaverse for public services for its residents and tourists.



Named “Metaverse Seoul,” the platform allows users to file public documents, tour tourist destinations in Seoul, ask for advice for starting a business, and seek help with taxes in addition to playing games.



The Seoul government has a five-year roadmap for rolling out a full list of government services and activities covering the tourism, business, and cultural sectors. Citizens of Seoul on the platform’s first phase, which had been launched today, have access to official city paperwork, file complaints and get answers about local taxes.

King Sejong Metaverse

South Korea Teaches Language in Metaverse

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on Monday the launch of its public metaverse platform, marking the first major city to debut a metaverse platform for public services for its residents and tourists.



Named &#8220;Metaverse Seoul,&#8221; the platform allows users to file public documents, tour tourist destinations in Seoul, ask for advice for starting a business and seek help with taxes in addition to playing games, <a href="https://www.nftgators.com/seoul-launches-metaverse-platform-for-tourism-and-public-services/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to NFT Gators website</a>. 



Launched as a beta for a few thousand users in 2022, Metaverse Seoul is now available on Apple Store and Google Play for all users worldwide, not only for those who are in the South Korean capital. Chats are also translated into English for foreign users on the platform.



The Seoul government has a five-year roadmap for rolling out a full list of government services and activities covering the tourism, business, and cultural sectors. Citizens of Seoul on the platform&#8217;s first phase, which had been launched today, have access to official city paperwork, file complaints and get answers about local taxes.



Companies can also benefit from the virtual platform by holding meetings with experts to get consultations in different ways. In addition, visitors can play games at the Seoul Plaza virtual replica and tour ten of Seoul&#8217;s landmarks, which were recreated in the metaverse, including Bukchon Hanok Village, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul Forest Park, Han River and Lotte Tower.



In this regard, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon asserted the importance of the metaverse as a major tool of communication for citizens in the new normal, saying: &#8220;Metaverse Seoul “is an inclusive administrative service that everyone can take advantage of without any time and space obstacles.&#8221;



According to him, the project&#8217;s second phase will offer services for older people. For his part, Kim Jin-man, the director general of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Digital Policy Bureau, noted that the second and third phases will be launched in the coming three years, which are expected to include services in Chinese and Japanese.



The Seoul government spent around $1.8 million and is expected to spend an additional $2.26 million in 2023 on the second phase. The final phase will be launched in 2026.

Seoul-metaverse

Seoul Officially Launches Its Version in Metaverse

The Ajman&#8217;s Department of Finance (ADF) in the UAE announced the launch of a unified government payment platform on the metaverse.



The announcement was made by the Ajman Government during its participation in Gitex Global, a gathering of giant tech groups and start-ups at the Dubai World Trade Center.



Through the Ajman Payment Platform (AjmanPay), the first government payment platform on the Metaverse, all fees for the local government agencies&#8217; services in Ajman will be collected in the virtual world.



The move comes within a framework of the ADF&#8217;s strategy to shift to digital transformation in Ajman through providing new payment methods, which are appropriate for the customers and giving distinguished user experience in line with the highest levels of ease, comfort, and safety.



In this regard, ADF Director-General Marwan Ahmed Al Ali said the launch of the department&#8217;s services is an important step on the path of digital transformation by introducing creative technical solutions and payment methods that seek to serve customers and contribute to improving the quality of life in Ajman.



AjmanPay aims to make payments easier and more flexible by helping categories of customers to settle their payments in multiple ways.



Moreover, the department launched a metaverse-based service, called Tawreed, which facilitates the registering and renewal processes for suppliers in Ajman in addition to participating in bids and tracking their activities.



Not only did ADF enter the metaverse, but the Ajman Police also joined the virtual world, marking the first police agency to provide its services to customers on the metaverse.



During its participation in Gitex Global, the Ajman Police General Command announced the &#8216;Request for Sponsorship&#8217; service, through which citizens could communicate with the police remotely.



Several government bodies and agencies in the UAE began to launch a set of services on the metaverse with the aim of reaching citizens easier and providing immersive experiences to them.



Over the past few years, the UAE, especially Dubai, has positioned itself as one of the world’s prominent hubs for metaverse and blockchain technologies.



The Emirati government, in July, launched the Dubai Metaverse Strategy, which aims to contribute $4 billion to the emirate’s economy. The strategy targets increasing the number of blockchain and metaverse companies fivefold within five years as well as offering 40,000 virtual jobs.

Ajman

Ajman Provides Metaverse-Based Services

The Sharjah Commerce &amp; Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) collaborated with Multiverse Labs, an operator of an AI-powered multi-metaverse platform, to establish a new metaverse city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), named &#8220;Sharjahverse.&#8221;



Sharjahverse will be a remarkable milestone that will foster the UAE&#8217;s tourism industry as it was described by Multiverse Labs as “photorealistic, physics-accurate.”



On an area of 2,590 sq km, Sharjahverse will not only include all of Sharjah but also open doors for jobs in the metaverse for the locals at Sharjah&#8217;s iconic gems. It will be a center for innovation, imagination, and trade, a way that boosts the emirate&#8217;s position as a destination of excellence.



In this regard, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) Khalid Jasim Al Midfa said: &#8220;Transforming the mass market tourism industry towards next-generation, sustainable practices requires a new way of thinking. Multiverse&#8217;s groundbreaking and AI-driven approach will help push the limits of imagination and promote Sharjah as a destination of excellence.&#8221;



Midfa pointed out that Sharjahverse would provide unprecedented access to almost any location in addition to personalized guest experiences and enhanced entertainment.



Meanwhile, CEO of Multiverse Labs Cliff Szu noted that Sharjahverse is the first metaverse city backed by the government in the world and the world&#8217;s most realistic metaverse, expressing his excitement for cooperating with SCTDA&#8217;s officials.



It is worth mentioning that through Sharjahverse, the whole emirate will be accessible and viewable to the public.



Over the past few years, the UAE has positioned itself as one of the world’s prominent hubs for metaverse and blockchain technologies. It works on enabling digital assets companies to launch their operations in the country.



The UAE Ministry of Economy plans to launch its new headquarters in the metaverse to offer its services in the virtual world like the real-world headquarters.



The Emirati government, in July, launched the Dubai Metaverse Strategy which aims to contribute $4 billion to the emirate’s economy. The strategy targets increasing the number of blockchain and metaverse companies fivefold within five years as well as offering 40,000 virtual jobs to be one of the top 10 global metaverse economies.

Government Metaverse News

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