Saudi Arabia Reigns Supreme in ESCWA's GEMS Maturity Index for the Second Consecutive Year

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has once again demonstrated its leadership in the digital government sphere by securing the top spot in the Government Electronic and Mobile Service (GEMS) maturity index for 2023. This index, published by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), highlights Saudi Arabia's continued excellence in this area, marking the second consecutive year it has achieved this distinction. With an overall maturity score of 93%, the Kingdom stands out as a beacon of digital governance.

Eng. Ahmed Alsuwaiyan, Governor of the Digital Government Authority, credits this success to the relentless dedication of government agencies towards digital transformation and the strong support from Saudi leadership. This achievement is in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which focuses on creating a digitally empowered society and economy.

ESCWA's GEMS index annually evaluates 17 countries on the maturity of 84 essential government services provided electronically and through smart applications. These services are measured across three main sub-indices: service availability and sophistication, service usage and satisfaction, and public outreach. Saudi Arabia excelled in all categories, achieving scores of 98% in service availability and sophistication, 84% in service usage and satisfaction, and a perfect 100% in public outreach.

This recognition is among several accolades Saudi Arabia has received for its advancements in digital governance. The Kingdom was ranked third among 198 countries in the World Bank's 2022 GovTech Maturity Index and achieved its highest historical ranking in the UN E-Government Development Index (EGDI). Additionally, Riyadh was placed fourth globally in technology use and applications among 193 cities surveyed.

The consistent achievements of Saudi Arabia in digital government underscore its commitment to leveraging technology for enhancing public services. This not only aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 but also sets a benchmark for digital governance worldwide.