Gulf States Lead GEMS Maturity Index, KSA Takes Top Spot

Based on the newest edition of the Government Electronic and Mobile Services Maturity Index in the Arab Regions, issued annually by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, the top rankings go to the Gulf States – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, respectively.

The current Index evaluated government services across 17 countries using three dimensions: service availability and sophistication, usage and satisfaction, and public outreach. Compared to last year, most Arab nations have shown improvement across these dimensions.

ESCWA GEMS project lead Nawar Al-Awa highlights significant disparities in digital service maturity among Arab countries. Al-Awa emphasizes the importance of aiding countries in early stages of digital transformation through collaboration and knowledge exchange to expedite their progress and enhance the positive impact of digital technologies in government services.

The rise in the number of evaluated digital services between the last two Index editions indicates increasing adoption of digital transformation in Arab nations. Concurrently, there has been a rise in the assessment of Arab government entities, showing a growing interest in digital transformation across public sectors.

Al-Awa reassured continuous improvement of the GEMS Index, ensuring alignment with evolving needs of individuals and businesses, as well as updating key performance indicators (KPIs). This year, KPIs include leveraging artificial intelligence, blockchain, virtual reality, and cloud computing to enhance services and bolster cybersecurity.