Abstract—Dubai and the UAE governments have been investing in technology and digital communication for a long time. These governments are pioneers in introducing innovative strategies, policies and projects. They are also recognized worldwide for defining and implementing long term public programs. In terms of eGovernment Dubai and the UAE rank among the world’s most advanced. Both governments have surprised the world a few years ago by creating a Happiness Ministry. This paper focuses on UAE’s government digital strategies and its approach to the next era. The main goal of this exploratory study is to understand the new era of eGovernment and transfer of the happiness and wellness programs. Data were collected from the corpus latente and analysis was anchored in qualitative methodology using content analysis and observation as analysis techniques. The study allowed to highlight that the 2020 government reshuffle has a strong focus on digital reorganisation and digital sustainability, one of the newest trends in sustainability. Regarding happiness and wellbeing portfolio, we were able to observe that there has been a major change within the government organisation: The Ministry of Happiness was extinct and the Ministry of Community Development will manage the so-called ‘Happiness Portfolio’. Additionally, our observation allowed to note the government dual approach to governance: one through digital transformation, thus enhancing the digital sustainability process and, the second one trough government development. Keywords—Ministry of Happiness, eGovernment, communication, digital sustainability. I. INTRODUCTION HILE the majority of the worldwide governments struggle to manage their Gross National Product, Dubai and the UAE manage big projects and events such as the Museum of the World and Expo 2020 (now Expo 2021) and plan ahead implementing long term programs like the Centennial 2071 which purpose to prepare the nation for future generations. The Federation’s government is recognized for innovative initiatives in several public areas including the introduction of the latest technologies or the funding of challenging technologic and scientific projects such as the ‘Hyperloop’ or the ‘Emirates Mars Mission.’ The government has been developing several strategies in order to keep its economic sustainability beyond oil & gas income. Pursuing Diamantino Ribeiro is with the CEFAGE, Universidade de Évora, Portugal (e-mail: diamantinojtribeiro@gmail.com). António Pedro Costa is with the Departamento de Educação e Psicologia, da Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal (e-mail: apcosta@ua.pt). Jorge Remondes is with the CETRAD/UTAD - Centro de Estudos Transdisciplinares para o Desenvolvimento da Universidade de Trás-os- Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal (e-mail: jorge@jorgeremondes.eu). sustainability, innovation and the goal to become the happiest nation on Earth, the government has created surprising Ministries like the Ministry of Possibilities, the Ministry of Community Development and the Ministry of Happiness. Since 2016, we have been developing a longitudinal study on happiness, positivity and wellbeing as government policies with a special focus on the Ministry of Happiness communication. Each year we retrieve the news published online in English language about the Ministry of Happiness policies, initiatives and other related subjects. In 2020, we retrieved more than 100 newspaper articles from the internet. Two main subjects caught our attention: 1) the transition for a new era of eGovernment; 2) the transfer of the National Happiness and Wellbeing Program to another Ministry. During the study, we could learn that another innovative Ministry was created: The Ministry of Development and Future. In this paper we analyse the communication of the Ministry of Happiness in 2020 within the framework of the digital transformation and eGovernment strategies. It is an exploratory study using content analysis and observation qualitative techniques. This exploratory study aims at understanding the UAE’s government reshuffle amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and, above all, to understand the new phase of the so-called Happiness Portfolio. In our opinion this study is an important contribution to the work that we have been developing throughout the years since it reveals another ambitious transformation decision of the UAE’s government., thus confirming its pioneering spirit. Finally, it is unavoidable to mention the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak early in 2020. Many of the retrieved news obviously focus on the dramatic situation that the entire world is facing. The keynote from the perspective of this study (and from the news headlines) is that - in spite of this unprecedent crisis - the government worked in several fronts not losing sight of its of short-, medium- and long-term programs. II. EGOVERMENT Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) increased so much that its intensive use has led to the designation of “Digital Era” or “Fourth Industrial Revolution”. “Technology and technologic devices are now integrated in uncountable individual and collective areas. The main purpose of this intense use is to make everyday procedures easier and more efficient” [1]. eGovernment “is the use of information and communication Diamantino Ribeiro, António Pedro Costa, Jorge Remondes Building Blocks for the Next eGovernment Era: Exploratory Study Based on Dubai and UAE’s Ministry of Happiness Communication in 2020 W World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Vol:15, No:4, 2021 503 International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 15(4) 2021 ISNI:0000000091950263 Open Science Index, Humanities and Social Sciences Vol:15, No:4, 2021 publications.waset.org/10012000/pdf