UAE 7th on online service index of UN

Abu Dhabi, March 1, 2012 (WAM) - The UAE has made a remarkable achievement by advancing 92 ranks on the ‘online service index’, one of the four indices the United Nations considers in measuring eReadiness of countries around the world. The UAE has leaped to rank 7 on the ‘online service index’ in the UN E-Government Survey 2012, up from 99 in the 2010 version of the biennial report. This is a rare achievement for a country since the UN started releasing the E-Government Surveys in 2003. This giant progress was reflected in the overall rank of the UAE in the eGovernment development index. The UAE has advanced from rank 49 in 2010 to 28 in 2012. Over this short period, Emirates eGovernment has succeeded in regaining the leading position of the UAE in the field of eReadiness in the region and the world. The UAE had suffered a setback in that field before the activation of the federal eGovernment programme. The UAE’s rank had declined from 32nd in the 2008 Survey to 49th in the 2010 Survey. The 2012 report, however, has proved that the UAE is capable of reversing this. According to the 2012 UN E-Government Report, the UAE is ahead of established countries in eGovernment. Of the countries in the region, Bahrain is at 36, Saudi Arabia 41 and Qatar 48. The report also shows that the UAE Government has made a great advancement in the field of eParticipation, another main factor in determining eReadiness. The UAE has advanced from rank 86 in 2010 to rank 6 in the 2012 Report. eParticipation is particularly important as a tool of communication between the government and the public. Salem Khamis Al Shair Al Suwaidi, Deputy Director-General, Information Sector and eGovernment, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), expressed his happiness on the achievement. He said, “Emirates eGovernment team presents this success as a token of gratitude to the wise leadership of our beloved country and to its people... On behalf of Emirates eGovernment team, I promise them that we will carry on the hard work to enhance the competitiveness of our beloved country.” The online service index measures development of online service delivery to citizens and businesses through the Internet and other digital means. - Emirates News Agency, WAM