Arab News Japan

RIYADH: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has climbed 23 ranks as the best progressing country in the field of digital government, according to the 16th edition of the World Digital Government Rankings Survey 2021 on digital government.

According to the most recent survey of the 64-country index, issued by the Institute of digital government at Japan’s Waseda University in cooperation with the International Academy of CIO (IAC) since 2005, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranked 30th in the general index and 11th among the countries of the Group of Twenty.

Across the MENA region, the UAE ranked first in the field of digital government. Meanwhile, t Saudi Arabia, which was 10th in the previous year, rose to 4th place and South Africa, which was 12th in the previous year, to 6th place. 

Morocco, which was the only African group to rank in 9th place last year, came in 13th place. 

The annual indicator measures progress in government digital services, their tie to innovation and integration, contribution to improving the efficiency of administrative and financial work as well as the quality of life for beneficiaries, and their contributions to promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The report praised the efforts made by the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the field of community participation and digital legislation, in addition to establishing the Digital Government Authority.

The report also indicated that digital government services could provide effective solutions to societies in times of crises, citing the solutions adopted by the government during covid-19 pandemic in the years 2020-2021.

*With SPA