Saudi Arabia Ranks Fourth Globally in UN E-Government Development Index 2024
Riyadh, The Gulf Observer: Saudi Arabia has achieved a significant milestone by ranking fourth globally in the United Nations E-Government Development Index 2024 (EGDI 2024), marking a leap of 25 positions from the previous ranking. The Kingdom is now among the world’s leading nations in digital governance and has also secured second place among G20 countries and first place regionally in the digital services index. Additionally, Saudi Arabia ranked seventh globally in the e-participation index, while the capital, Riyadh, attained third place out of 193 cities worldwide.
Minister of Communications and Information Technology and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Digital Government Authority, Eng. Abdullah Al-Swaha, expressed his gratitude to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for their unwavering support of the Kingdom’s digital transformation efforts. He attributed Saudi Arabia’s historic ranking to the visionary leadership of the Crown Prince and emphasized that this achievement aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
“This remarkable progress underscores Saudi Arabia’s digital excellence and leadership, reinforcing the Kingdom’s role as a key player in the global digital economy,” Al-Swaha stated. “It also reflects our steadfast commitment to innovation-driven economic transformation.”
Governor of the Digital Government Authority, Eng. Ahmed Alsuwaiyan, highlighted that the Kingdom’s continuous advancement in the UN index is a testament to the leadership’s commitment to providing top-tier digital government services. He credited the executive programs under Saudi Vision 2030 for their role in fostering reforms and investments that have enhanced the efficiency and integration of digital government initiatives.
“The Digital Government Authority, in collaboration with various government agencies, has worked diligently to adopt cutting-edge digital solutions, refine regulatory frameworks, and promote digital transformation leadership. These concerted efforts have propelled Saudi Arabia to this distinguished global standing,” Alsuwaiyan noted.
The UN report commended Saudi Arabia’s remarkable progress in digital government services, placing the Kingdom sixth worldwide in this domain. The country has made substantial investments in digital infrastructure since the inception of Saudi Vision 2030, resulting in significant improvements in key indices. Saudi Arabia advanced 53 places in the Telecommunications Infrastructure Index (TII) and climbed 31 positions in the Human Capital Index (HCI). Additionally, the Kingdom made a remarkable leap of 67 places in the Electronic Services Index (OSI), securing the fourth global rank in 2024. Furthermore, the Kingdom’s digital governance regulations reached full maturity, and the availability and sharing of open government data for citizens and businesses reached 100 percent.
Saudi Arabia also advanced 60 ranks in electronic participation and public consultations, further solidifying its reputation as a leader in digital governance.
The E-Government Development Index, a biennial report issued by the United Nations, is one of the most significant global indicators of digital governance. It evaluates structural reforms aimed at enhancing productivity, efficiency, and user experience in digital government services across UN member states. The index serves as a key reference for assessing government performance worldwide, further underscoring the Kingdom’s commitment to digital excellence and innovation.
