DOHA: The State of Qatar has made remarkable progress in the United Nations E-Government Development Index 2024, advancing from 78th to 53rd place among 193 countries. It also ranked fifth globally in the telecommunications infrastructure index.
This dual index, published by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, assesses the extent to which governments are successfully using e-services to improve the lives of individuals and businesses, as well as the overall development of e-government worldwide.
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the National Planning Council, the Communications Regulatory Authority and other government agencies, has implemented 29 integrated projects distributed over six main axes, with the aim of reaching the top ranks in the index by 2030, in line with the objectives of the Digital Agenda 2030, which aims to develop an advanced and sustainable digital infrastructure, and achieve a comprehensive digital transformation that enhances the effectiveness and efficiency of electronic services in Qatar.
This step represents an achievement that reflects the continuous efforts made by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to develop the digital infrastructure and enhance the efficiency of communications in the country.
“Qatar’s fifth place globally in the ICT Infrastructure Index is an achievement that reflects the joint efforts of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Supreme Council for Planning, and the Communications Regulatory Authority,” said Mashael Ali Al Hammadi, Assistant Undersecretary for Digital Government Affairs at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
She explained that this quadripartite cooperation has directly contributed to achieving qualitative progress in the country’s digital transformation process, stressing the commitment to continue working with all parties to enhance Qatar’s digital position at the global level, in line with the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030.
For her part, Dr Mona Salem Al Fadli, Director of the Information Systems Department at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, confirmed that Qatar’s progress in the 2024 E-Government Development Index highlights the impact of the digital initiatives launched by the Ministry at various levels of education, highlighting that these initiatives have facilitated access to educational services and their governance, in addition to providing integrated digital services to students.
Dr Al Fadli said: “The Ministry of Education and Higher Education is working on projects to improve the technological infrastructure and enhance digital services, which enhances students’ capabilities and digital skills. Advanced digital educational platforms have also been developed in line with the fourth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals, which contributed to improving Qatar’s ranking in the index.”
In turn, Eng Hussein Abdullah Salat, Director of Public Relations and Communications at the Communications Regulatory Authority, said: “The State of Qatar’s achievement of the fifth rank globally in the Telecommunications Infrastructure Index is evidence of the pivotal role played by the Authority in driving the digital landscape forward.”
He added that by drawing up sound regulatory policies, the Authority has contributed to expanding the scope of modern communications networks and developing the digital infrastructure, which has had a positive impact on the quality of electronic services provided to citizens and residents, and has supported the achievement of the national vision towards comprehensive digital transformation.
For her part, Maha Ali Al Muraikhi, Director of the International Indicators Development and Cooperation Department at the National Planning Council, said: “Qatar’s achievement of the fifth rank globally in the telecommunications infrastructure index represents the fruit of the continuous efforts to develop national policies and strategies that ensure Qatar’s excellence in various international classifications.”
She explained that the joint plans of government agencies and cooperation between them contributed to building an advanced digital infrastructure that enhances the efficiency of services provided to citizens and supports sustainable digital transformation in the country, in line with national development strategies.
The State of Qatar continues its efforts to adopt digital technologies in providing information and services online and automating its operations with the aim of serving customers and beneficiaries, driving economic progress, and building more interactive relationships with individuals and institutions.
In an effort to achieve these ambitions, various ministries are redoubling their efforts to accelerate the implementation of digital initiatives.
The collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, along with all government agencies, played a pivotal role in achieving these advanced results, through adopting advanced digital solutions and enhancing the maturity of e-government services.
The Ministry of Education and Higher Education supported efforts to improve the Human Capital Index by promoting digital education and developing digital skills among students, which was reflected in Qatar’s ranking in this index, while the Communications Regulatory Authority played a major role in improving the country’s digital infrastructure, by expanding the scope of communications and improving the quality of the Internet, which directly contributed to achieving this significant progress in the communications infrastructure index.
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology stated that these positive results are attributed to the significant improvement achieved by the country in the sub-indicators of the e-Government Development Index, as Qatar ranked fifth globally in the communications infrastructure index, jumped 27 places in the e-services index to reach 58th place, and advanced to 90th place in the human capital index, an increase of 15 places.
Qatar is expected to make significant progress in the e-Government Development Index over the next two years, especially after the launch of the Digital Agenda 2030, which is based on six strategic axes, including the development of an integrated digital government that provides easy-to-use and transparent digital government services to individuals and businesses.
The digital agenda also seeks to build an advanced, secure and sustainable digital infrastructure, and enhance society’s ability to compete in the digital world.
It is noteworthy that the E-Government Development Index report, issued by the United Nations, evaluates the development of governments in 193 countries based on the average of three main indicators: the Smart E-Services Index, the Communications Infrastructure Index, and the Human Capital Index, which reflects the ability of countries to provide advanced digital services.
