Saudi Arabia has emerged at the forefront of the global stage by clinching the top spot in the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia’s (ESCWA) Government Electronic and Mobile Services Maturity Index for the year 2023. This marks the second year in a row where the Kingdom has showcased its digital prowess with a robust maturity score of 93 percent in the overall index results.
Eng. Ahmed Alsuwaiyan, the head of the Digital Government Authority, expressed that this international accolade is a direct result of the concerted efforts by various government entities towards digital transformation. It epitomizes the substantial backing from the nation’s leadership, which aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, aiming to establish a digital society, leverage cutting-edge technologies, enhance productivity, and deliver superior experiences to all users.
The GEMS index annually evaluates 17 countries based on the maturity of 84 essential government services offered to individuals and businesses via online platforms and mobile applications. These services are assessed across three sub-indicators, wherein Saudi Arabia has excelled by securing the first position in each category, illustrating significant advancements in every indicator’s results.
- In the Service Availability and Sophistication category, Saudi Arabia garnered a maturity rate of 98 percent, marking a 1 percent increase from the previous year.
- For Service Usage and Satisfaction, the Kingdom achieved an 84 percent maturity rate, reflecting a 4.76 percent rise from 2022.
- With regards to the Public Outreach domain, Saudi Arabia attained a perfect score of 100 percent, ascending by 13.52 percent compared to the prior year.
In addition to these achievements, Saudi Arabia has been recognized globally, ranking third out of 198 countries in the World Bank’s GOVTECH Maturity Index for 2022. Moreover, the nation recorded its best-ever performance in the United Nations’ E-Government Development Index since its inception over two decades ago.
Furthermore, the city of Riyadh has been distinguished as fourth worldwide for leveraging technology and its applications, placing it within the highest echelon among 193 cities globally.