The global GovTech market size was valued at $501.6 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand 15.23% annually to reach $1.17 trillion by 2028.
Saudi and the UAE are leaders in the region in providing GovTech services to citizens, residents, visitors and businesses, and are recognized globally for their efforts.
But, some governments have been slow to harness the potential of digital technology to improve the delivery of public services and strengthen public finance, according to the IMF.
Encouraging digital adoption first
Emerging and developing countries have the most potential to leapfrog their development trajectory by adopting digital technologies. Globally, about 2.7 billion people still need to be connected.
IMF estimates show that $418 billion of investment in digital infrastructure is needed to connect unconnected households, the bulk of which are in emerging markets and low-income developing economies.
The power of GovTech
Digitalization enables governments to leverage technology to enhance revenue collection, improve efficiency of public spending, strengthen fiscal transparency and accountability, and improve education, health service delivery, and social outcomes, according to the IMF.
The adoption of e-invoicing and electronic fiscal devices could improve revenue mobilization by up to 0.7 percent of GDP.
In healthcare, for example, govtech can help improve quality of care, and optimize resource utilization.
Integrating digital ID and creating extensive socio-economic data can enable governments to better target and accurately verify beneficiaries receiving social assistance.
Read: Dubai ranks fifth globally, first regionally in the UN E-Government Survey 2022
GovTech Saudi
According to the Saudi Press Agency, Saudi ranked first on the Government Electronic and Mobile Services Maturity Index for 2022, issued by ESCWA.
The index measures the maturity of government services provided through e-portals and mobile applications through three main pillars: service availability and sophistication, use and user satisfaction, and the government’s efforts to public outreach.
Saudi progress in the field of digital government has contributed to improving individuals’ quality of life, competitiveness, and ease of doing business for business companies.
Saudi excelled in the three sub-indicators and maintained its lead in the first sub-indicator on service availability and sophistication, where it ranked first with a percentage of 96 percent.
Saudi also ranked first as the second sub-indicator of use and user satisfaction. It continued to rise in this area and made more than 37 percent progress over the past two versions to reach a maturity rate of 79.24 percent.
As for the third indicator of the government’s efforts to public outreach, Saudi Arabia achieved a rise at the level of this sub-index to realize a maturity rate of 86.48 percent and ranked third.
The Kingdom did recently achieved third place in the world among 198 countries, according to the World Bank Group’s 2022 GovTech Maturity Index.
GovTech UAE
In July 2023, the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) launched the generative AI-supported version of UAE Government’s Unified Digital Platform, U.ae.
It is the interface of the government’s digital presence and the access channel to services provided by the federal and local government entities in the UAE.
U.ae allows users to interactively obtain information and government services 24/7, using UAE Pass to switch to the website of another government entity.
UAE PASS is the first secure national digital identity for citizens and residents. It ensures that users will not need to repeat the registration process in more than one entity. Users also won’t need to memorize many passwords to shift between government websites but rather browse smoothly and easily from one website to another.
The site facilitates the customer journey and shortens the time for obtaining information and services, which enhances customer happiness.
It leverages GenAI algorithms to achieve live interaction between the user and the platform in an individualized and accurate manner.
U.ae is included in the UN E-Government Survey in which the UAE ranked first the Arab region and the 13th globally in the development of digital government.
It also ranked first in the Arab region and 12th globally in the “Online Service Index.”
U.ae provides access to nearly 3,000 federal and local government services. It provides thousands of information pages that cover all the customers’ needs, including citizens, residents, and visitors, as well as the business sector.
UAE GovTech Initiative with HPE
The UAE Ministry of State for Government Development and The Future and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) launched a GovTech initiative to develop innovative digital solutions tailored to the needs of government entities.
The initiative seeks involvement from start-ups and business incubators in the development of innovative solutions for government projects.
DEWA GovTech winner
Meanwhile, in May 2023, Digital DEWA, the digital arm of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, was recognized as the winner of the GovTech Innovation Award, for being the Innovative and Sustainable Future Accelerator of the Year.
Digital DEWA and its subsidiaries Moro Hub, InfraX, and DigitalX implemented modern solutions, helping revolutionize the digital landscape of the city.
Moro Hub created an integrated platform for smart cities, offering advanced data centres and innovative digital services. Its green data center has been certified by the Guinness World Records to be the largest solar-powered data center in the world. It also aligns with the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Emissions Strategy 2050.
Moro Hub offers environmentally optimal services including CPaaS, IPSP, IPSP Retail, IPSP Healthcare, IPSP Hospitality, and Network as a Service (NaaS). It also has an Energy Monitoring Management and Smart Cities service to foster collaboration and help businesses reduce carbon footprints.
InfraX develops sustainable IoT solutions that facilitate easy connectivity focusing on renewable energy sources and reducing carbon footprints.
DigitalX empowers customers with smart innovative solutions that offer resource augmentation, and solution & digital assets. It helps stakeholders capitalize on innovative services and emerging technologies, to power productivity and drive growth for their business.
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