Doha, October 06 (QNA) - The Technical Seminar on "Digital and Management Innovations in Social Security Institutions" opened in Doha on Tuesday.

Organized by the International Social Security Association (ISSA) in cooperation with the ISSA Liaison Office for Arab Countries, with the support of the ISSA Liaison Office for North Africa, the two-day seminar is being hosted by the General Retirement and Social Insurance Authority (Daman).

The seminar opened with remarks by Daman, delivered by Jaber Abdullah Al Ansari, head of retirement affairs, on behalf of Ahmed bin Ali Al Hammadi, Daman Director-General. The opening also included remarks by Marcelo Abi-Ramia Caetano, ISSA Secretary-General.

Al Ansari said demographic changes, changing patterns of work and the need to expand coverage pose shared challenges for social security institutions, requiring an exchange of expertise and coordinated efforts. He noted that beneficiaries assess an institution by how easily they can access its services, how quickly those services are delivered, how clear its procedures are and how much they trust the institution responsible for safeguarding their rights.

True innovation is not limited to converting existing procedures into an electronic format; it extends to redesigning them in a way that eliminates the need for beneficiaries to go through visits and waiting in the first place, he said.

Technology achieves its purpose, Al Ansari said, when accompanied by improved procedures, staff development, sound governance and data protection, as well as a deeper understanding of beneficiaries' behavior and needs. He stressed the importance of integrating digital and administrative dimensions in the development of institutional operations.

He said Daman is implementing its strategy, based on the pillars of trust, transparency, care and sustainability, and highlighted its digital initiatives, including the virtual assistant Sarah, the video call center and the Daman application. He stressed that the success of digital transformation depends as much on developing the workplace and its culture as it does on technology itself, underscoring the importance of engaging with regional and international experiences and benefiting from leading practices available through the ISSA network.

The seminar brings together international expertise and regional experiences to discuss the transformations taking place in social security institutions. It examines ways to use digital and administrative innovation to improve performance, strengthen compliance and expand coverage. It also provides a professional forum to discuss practical applications, the factors behind successful initiatives and the challenges associated with managing development and sustaining its results.

Daman's hosting of and participation in the seminar are part of its efforts to strengthen international cooperation, develop its institutional capabilities and benefit from specialized expertise in improving performance and services. The efforts are aligned with the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030 to support human and social development and improve services that contribute to strengthening social protection and the stability of individuals and families. (QNA)