Why Dubai is ranked among world’s top five digital governments

Dubai: Dubai's ranking among one of the world’s top five digital governments in the United Nations E-Government Survey 2022 is with good reason. As the report points out, Dubai’s success lies in establishing Digital Dubai as a model for developing institutional frameworks.

In the 12th edition of the United Nations’ assessment of the digital government landscape across all 193 member states, the city of Dubai was ranked fifth globally and one of the world’s best digital governments. in the Local Online Service Index (LOSI) 2022.

Dubai scored 0.9186 on the survey’s Local Online Service Index, placing it in the fifth spot, behind top-ranked Berlin, Madrid, Tallinn and Copenhagen.

So what are the main indicators of this index?

86 performance indicators

The 2022 Local Online Service Index comprises 86 indicators relating to five criteria: institutional framework (8), content provision (25), services provision (18), participation and engagement (17), and technology (18).

The Institutional Framework index focuses on digital government strategy, organisational structure, legislation on access to information and privacy and open data policy, among others.

The report highlighted Dubai’s success in establishing Digital Dubai as a model for developing institutional frameworks.

The Content Provision index measures the availability of basic public information and resources online. The third index — Service Provision — focuses on the availability and delivery of government services through digital channels, measuring the extent to which these services are streamlined, proactive, interactive, and capable of ensuring the utmost customer satisfaction. The Technology index focuses on the technical features of online portals, which make the website and content easily accessible to customers around the clock. During the assessment process, other relevant sub-indicators such as accessibility, functional capacities, reliability, mobility, visual appeal, and alignment with technology standards, are also measured.

Dubai received perfect scores in Institutional Framework, Content Provision and Service Provision, earning it top ranking in these vital indicators and consolidating its reputation as one of the world’s best digital governments. The city also received fourth ranking in the Technology index. The latest Local Online Service Index assessed digital governments in major cities across 193 countries.

Strategic vision

According to Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, “Dubai’s exceptional performance in the UN’s Local Online Service Index demonstrates the strategic vision and the steadfast commitment of the leadership to ensure Dubai’s digital government offering surpasses the highest global benchmarks. This achievement is yet another unique milestone in the journey begun by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, over two decades ago, to transform the emirate into the digital capital of the world. Driven by its commitment to adopting advanced technology and fostering a culture of excellence, Dubai has created a unique model of governance that advances human happiness and well-being in all spheres of life.”

Index 2022

The 2022 edition of the Local Online Service Index is consistent with the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs), which are based on the premise that cities are the most prominent engines of urban growth, and that they play a vital role in driving global change from the bottom up. Local governments are also playing their part in setting policies to promote and drive change, given that most SDGs contain objectives that are directly or indirectly related to the day-to-day operations of local and regional governments.

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs conducted the first integrated assessment of local governments in the UN E-Government Survey 2018, which was a pilot study featuring 60 different indicators limited to just 40 cities, including Dubai. The 2020 edition of the survey was expanded to include 100 cities and around 80 indicators. The 2022 edition covers cities from every country in the world and includes a total of 86 indicators.