UAE hits near-perfect digital services maturity score in new UN report
9 May 2025 00:10
ISIDORA CIRIC (ABU DHABI)The UAE has achieved a near-perfect result of 95% in the UN's latest Government Electronic and Mobile Services Maturity Index (GEMS 2024). It received full marks in 24 out of 35 key performance indicators, putting it in the top tier of the "very advanced maturity" category - an honour reserved for only three of the 17 countries assessed.With a score of 0.95, the UAE came just 0.01 points behind the top-ranked country, Saudi Arabia. What set the UAE apart, however, was the consistency and depth of its digital government infrastructure, especially in mobile services, where it clearly led the region.The report, published by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, evaluates government service maturity across three core areas: Service Availability and Development; User Uptake and Satisfaction; and Government Outreach and Engagement.The UAE claimed the top spot in the first cluster with a flawless 100%. It also secured the highest position in the third cluster, where it shared the lead with Saudi Arabia at 99%. In the second cluster, the UAE came in second with a score of 88%, again one of the highest in the region.The GEMS Index stands apart from other international digital rankings by going beyond basic service availability. It also looks at how services evolve, whether people use them, how satisfied they are, and how well governments engage the public. The assessment spans 100 essential services people rely on in daily life - from health and education to employment, transport, and institutional procedures.The UAE delivered exceptionally high marks across all categories, but its edge was most visible in mobile service delivery. Of the 35 key performance indicators evaluated across all platforms, it ranked first in eight and shared the top spot in another 16, the majority of which were linked to mobile access and functionality. These included everything from service availability and platform sophistication to accessibility for people with disabilities, multilingual support, and overall user satisfaction.This year's results show clear progress for the UAE. The country improved by three percentage points over last year's score of 92%, reflecting the leadership's approach of not just expanding digital services, but also paying attention to how well they work in practice.
The Arab region as a whole showed modest improvement, with the average maturity score rising from 43% in 2023 to 45% in 2024. The report recorded a 16% increase in the number of services evaluated this year, which it said points to a broader regional move toward digital transformation, as more governments scale up efforts to digitise public services.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
2 days ago
- Al Etihad
UAE tops region for most skilled workforce, says report
6 June 2025 01:39 ISIDORA CIRIC (ABU DHABI)The UAE workforce is the most skilled in the Middle East and North Africa, according to Coursera's latest report. The country also leads the Arab world across all major categories, including business, technology, data skills, and AI maturity, positioning itself as the region's leading hub for digital readiness and Global Skills Report 2025, published by Coursera on Wednesday, draws from the learning activity of more than 170 million users worldwide and benchmarks performance across over 100 accompanying AI Maturity Index provides a broader view, factoring in academic publications and metrics from the IMF and OECD to measure national progress in AI research, innovation, and UAE ranked 38th globally overall, 17th in business, 46th in data, 53rd in technology, and 32nd in AI maturity, making it the top performer in the Arab world across all four categories, and first in MENA when it comes to overall skills readiness.'The UAE is positioning itself for a tech-driven future, with 87% of employers emphasising technological literacy, AI, and big data as their top priorities,' the report said, linking the country's performance to its national efforts to transition into a knowledge-based economy powered by skilled Emirati country also boasts the highest rate of Coursera learners in the region, with 13% of its labour force actively engaged on the platform. As the total learner base reaches 1.3 million, the UAE's appetite for digital skills shows no signs of slowing to the report, GenAI course enrolments alone surged by 344% year on year — more than double the regional growth rate — while professional certificate and cybersecurity enrolments jumped by 41% and 14%, are playing an increasingly active role in this transition, accounting for 21% of GenAI learners in the UAE, 24% of those enrolled in STEM-related fields, and 23% in professional certificate programmes. Learning habits reflect a younger, mobile-first generation, with 41% of users accessing courses via mobile, and a median learner age of the employer side, demand is rising sharply for expertise in AI and machine learning (up 139%) and customer service (up 96%), while top learner skills in the UAE ranged from corporate accounting and predictive analytics to emerging technologies and leadership development. The UAE's broader economic and policy frameworks are a key driver of this momentum, the report said, pointing out the We the UAE 2031 strategy and workforce development programmes like Nafis, which 'are exceeding private-sector employment targets' and form part of a national vision for a tech-enabled society centred around innovation and competencies. Building on this foundation, the country deployed a wider set of strategies, such as UAE Vision 2030, the Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Emirates Blockchain Strategy, and the UAE Centennial 2071, to support the growth and prosperity of future-focused business sectors.
Zawya
2 days ago
- Zawya
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) South Sudan Hosts Peer Review Meeting on Resilience Interventions in Seed Systems
FAO South Sudan convened a peer review meeting to validate findings on the effectiveness of its seed system investments across five states in the country. Held on 9 May 2025, the event was geared to assess and strengthen the draft report ' Assessing the Effectiveness of Resilience Interventions Through Investments in Seed Systems. ' The meeting aimed to validate the report's findings and ensure its credibility, relevance, and practical value in informing resilience programming across the country. The event brought together representatives from FAO, relevant partners, and technical experts from the United Nations, non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and civil society organizations. Participants provided feedback on a report assessing FAO's investments in community-based seed production, seed fairs, and direct seed distribution. The evaluation used the Resilience Index Measurement and Analysis II (RIMA-II) methodology to address the 'what' of the outcomes and was complemented by a qualitative tool to explore the 'why' behind the observed results. 'Strengthening local seed systems – including traditional varieties – alongside promoting commercial seed production is essential to support agriculture in South Sudan.' - Felix Dzvurumi, Head of Programme, FAO South Sudan. In addition to the peer review, the results of the assessment will be reviewed and discussed in two further forums before publication: the South Sudan Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster (FSLC) and the FAO South Sudan Donor Update Meeting. These engagements aim to ensure broader validation, alignment with partner priorities, and readiness for implementation. The assessment, which covered 13 counties in five states, explores the impact of seed system interventions on five resilience capacities: Preventive, Anticipative, Absorptive, Adaptive, and Transformative. The peer review was conducted as part of FAO's Lessons Learning and Knowledge Sharing Initiative on Resilience in Africa, coordinated by the FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF). The initiative fosters collaboration and the exchange of best practices across the continent. 'Generating and using evidence is central to strengthening resilience. Peer reviews help country offices ensure the quality, accuracy, and relevance of knowledge generated, support the application of lessons, promote cross-country learning, and scale up what works in a consistent and impactful way.' - Jacqueline Were, Emergency and Rehabilitation Officer, FAO RAF Resilience Team. Key outputs from the meeting included: A revised report integrating expert and stakeholder feedback. A peer review summary document capturing insights, strengths, gaps, and recommendations. A comprehensive meeting report outlining discussions, action points, and follow-up steps. By documenting South Sudan's experience and ensuring alignment with regional learning efforts, the meeting contributes to improved implementation of resilience programming, risk mitigation, and sustainable development outcomes across Africa. 'I found this peer review to be both informative and engaging, exceeding my expectations. I appreciate the opportunity to participate in this meeting and learn from FAO's resilience interventions in seed systems.' - Isaac Jebaseelan, Roving Coordinator, South Sudan FSLC. ' The peer review on how seed systems contribute to resilience aligns with the Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster's efforts to promote the sustainability of local seed production and ensure its timely availability to local farmers, thereby supporting collective initiatives aimed at enhancing food security in South Sudan.' - Mat Gai, Cluster Coordinator, South Sudan FSLC. To save lives, safeguard livelihoods, and build resilience in South Sudan, FAO implements one of the largest resilience programs in Africa. FAO defines resilience as the capacity of individuals, households, and communities to withstand and recover from shocks while maintaining development gains and advancing peace and well-being. This meeting forms part of a broader initiative led by FAO RAF to elevate resilience learning and enhance knowledge exchange across African countries. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.
The National
2 days ago
- The National
World Environment Day 2025 focuses on ending plastic pollution
Communities, businesses and governments around the world observed World Environment Day on Thursday with more than 2,500 events globally. The theme for 2025 - #BeatPlasticPollution - calls for collective action to tackle the issue. The annual social and environmental cost of plastic pollution ranges from US$300 billion to US$600 billion, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. It said that by 2040, plastic leakage to the environment is predicted to grow by 50 per cent, and that pollution enters our bodies through food, water and the air we breathe. The World Environment Day ceremony was held in Jeju, South Korea. International leaders, including UAE President Sheikh Mohamed, reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the planet. In his message for World Environment Day, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said: 'Plastic waste clogs rivers, pollutes the ocean, and endangers wildlife. And as it breaks down into smaller and smaller parts, it infiltrates every corner of Earth: from the top of Mount Everest to the depths of the ocean; from human brains to human breastmilk.' 'Yet there is a movement for urgent change. We are seeing mounting public engagement, steps towards reusability and greater accountability and policies to reduce single-use plastics and improve waste management. But we must go further, faster,' he added.
