Middle Eastern E-Government Services: A Driver of Economic Growth. Residents from many nations have expressed concerns that their basic needs are not being met, according to a recent EY global survey. Additionally, constituents expect from their government the same things they already receive in everyday commercial transactions: speed, efficiency, transparency, reliability, security, and personalization.
Governments may satisfy the needs and expectations of companies and residents while working under limited financial constraints and addressing intricate issues like instability and inequality by digitizing their services. These days, people not only enjoy digital services and interactions, but they may also empower and increase participation with the government.
Digitalizing touchpoints, providing online portal access, and offering simple messaging and payment platforms are all components of e-government services.
When we give it some thought, modernizing a government digitally is beneficial in the end but also tough. Being at the forefront of digital government is “a badge of prestige” that can raise a nation or city’s profile internationally and eventually create an economy that is “a magnet for talent, enterprise and investment,” according to Arnauld Bertrand, global advisory leader, Government and Public Sector, EY.
The primary objective of governments is to deliver efficient services by optimizing resource use to give companies and individuals with the necessary infrastructure and environment for a prosperous and superior quality of life in the twenty-first century.
Better access to digital services cannot be achieved in a one-size-fits-all manner, but this presents a chance for advancement in the public sector by adopting technology-agnostic strategies, comprehending the unique requirements of organizations, and combining all of this to create the greatest experience.
It goes without saying that implementing e-government services well will boost the nation’s competitiveness abroad and win over the public’s trust. Additionally, they will be in a far better position to handle any crisis or interruption they encounter in the future.
A Focus on GCC Countries
E-government is the use of ICT to alter the public sector in order to maximize citizen engagement and government service delivery.
By 2025, ambitious digital transformation projects will account for over 40% of all ICT investments made in the Middle East. Digital technologies are developing, and governments in the GCC alone want to transform the range and caliber of services they provide. They are upgrading the skills of their personnel to prepare them for a dynamic future while maintaining citizen-centered design at the core of their e-government offerings.
Governments and businesses in the GCC will likely spend more in new capabilities and technologies as part of a long-term, comprehensive framework as they continue to change.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is predicted to add more than $300 billion to the Middle East’s GDP by 2031, with 5G, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) being the top expenditure categories. Applications for intelligent automation are also increasing productivity, encouraging economic innovation, and raising the standard of e-government services.
Bahrain
Bahrain’s Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA) reported in its 2022 annual report that 1.8 million people accessed the country’s online platforms in the previous year, indicating the trust that its people have in its internet services. Bahrain’s digital government portals handled 3.7 million e-requests, saving 96% on service expenses. Remarkably, 89% of all government services provided through these portals were performed virtually as opposed to in person.
In Bahrain, 50 new services were introduced last year, bringing the overall number of e-services to over 600.
Financial transactions in different digital government channels increased to 55% in the first half of 2022, generating over US$ 880 million in income. These consist of eKiosks, the eGovernment Apps Store, and the National Portal (www.bahrain.bh).
Kuwait
In order to take advantage of the hyperscalers’ technological prowess and knowledge in data analytics, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence (AI), the Government of Kuwait and Google Cloud established a strategic collaboration. This would help boost the productivity of government workers and digitize citizen services.
With Haya Al-Wadani, the director-general of the Central Agency for Information Technology (CAIT), as confirmation, there are now more efforts underway in Kuwait to accelerate the digitization of public services. The government’s work program for the 16th parliamentary term (2022–2026) is in line with this, and the CAIT was tasked with overseeing and completing it.
Kuwait wants to rank 30th in the UN e-government development index by 2024–2025, according to Dr. Khaled Mahdi, secretary-general of the supreme council for planning and development.
Oman
According to the Government Electronic and Mobile Services (GEMS) Maturity Index, a UN ESCWA tool that gauges the pertinent e-government service maturity, Oman came in at number four in 2022. An invitation to tender has been issued to analyze, create, and implement a single national portal for electronic services as part of the government’s 2021–2025 digital transformation agenda. The project complies with His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s instructions.
More than 80 e-services will be made available to individuals and companies with the introduction of the National Unified E-Government Services Portal’s first phase, according to the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology (MTCIT). 70% of the most fundamental e-government services have been redesigned and procedures streamlined.
Qatar
Among the first portals in the region to adopt OpenAI GPT capabilities is Qatar’s e-government portal, Hukoomi. Through Azure Qatar Cloud and in accordance with the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, this implementation will enhance user experience and deliver better efficiency and speed in the portal.
A BCG study showed that there is a high level of satisfaction (86%) in terms of the usage of digital government services in Qatar. Notably, 58% of Qatari respondents revealed that they use e-government services at least once per week.
Based on last year’s ESCWA GEMS Maturity Index, Qatar ranked second in the Arab region. As a demonstration of the success of the transformation from conventional to digital governance in the country, over 9 million transactions were executed in a span of four years by the Government Contact Center (Hotline 109), which offers support services for the public and answers their inquiries relating to all government services.
Saudi Arabia
In 2022, Saudi Arabia’s Digital Government Authority (DGA) launched an inclusive government program to provide integrated digital services to the government sector, accelerating sustainable digital government transformation and increasing data sharing among agencies.
Among its recognitions, the 2022 UN e-Government Development Index ranked the Kingdom 31st worldwide and first in the MENA region for the availability and development of digital government services. The country’s National Transformation Program (NTP) 2022 report also indicated that 97% of all government services are available digitally, with over 6,000 e-government services working across sectors.
Additionally, in the World Bank’s 2021 Digital Maturity Report, Saudi Arabia ranked among the top countries in providing digital government services and interaction with citizens.
United Arab Emirates
Strong adoption and delivery have placed the UAE in the 3rd position globally in providing superior digital government services. In the field of e-government services, Abu Dhabi’s TAMM platform has also been recognized by the United Nations as one of the world’s leading practitioners.
Dubai has also achieved outstanding marks in the UN’s Local Online Service Index (LOSI) 2022. As part of the UN’s biannual E-Government Survey, the city is hailed with a “Very High” rating, ranking first in the Arab region and fifth globally in the list of the world’s best-performing digital governments.
According to a BCG study, e-government services have become an integral part of residents’ daily lives in the UAE. The level of satisfaction with digital government services in the UAE is recorded at 79% for 2022. Additionally, the digital service offering in the UAE has been met with a positive response, with 62% of UAE respondents mentioning that they use digital government services at least once per week.
