Saudi Cabinet approval on Tuesday for the establishment of the Digital Government Authority (DGA) is expected to raise the kingdom’s place in the UN e-government ranking by adopting digital transformation in government services on a par with international standards.
Abdullah al-Swaha, the Saudi minister of communications and information technology and chairman of the National Digital Transformation Unit, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the historic move will provide integrated and seamless digital proactive services.
The DGA, according to al-Swaha, will help in achieving key objectives, most important of which is augmenting returns on government digital assets and investments. It will also work on developing the digital capabilities and talents of public sector employees.
The minister added that the authority opens up new horizons in digital government services through proactive and integrated digital services, especially that the world became more reliant on digital transformation as a pillar for success in 2020.
Mansur al-Obaid, head of the information and communications committee at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the DGA will be able to unite efforts under rich initiatives for digital transformation.
Today, Saudi Arabia has over 1,500 government websites that offer a range of 4,000 e-services, al-Obaid noted.
DGA will help prepare a national e-government strategy and organize the work of digital government, including platforms, websites, services, and e-government networks.
This comes in line with Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to improve the Kingdom’s ranking to be among the top five countries in e-governance by 2030.
According to al-Obaid, the DGA will improve the experience of clients and users, increase efficiency rates, and attract investments at a higher rate.
Al-Obaid added that the authority will enhance mechanisms adopted by government agencies and help achieve sustainability by stimulating creativity and promoting innovative work models.
The scope of DGA’s work will encompass vital sectors like education, health, and transportation.
