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Saudi Arabia Leads Middle East Countries in Digital Services

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia /AFP
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia /AFP
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Saudi Arabia Leads Middle East Countries in Digital Services

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia /AFP
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia /AFP

Saudi Arabia ranked first in the field of digital services availability and development, according to the Government Electronic and Mobile Services (GEMS) Maturity Index, which is issued by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) annually since 2019.

A statement by ESCWA said that GEMS measures performance in 84 government services that are essential to individuals in the various phases of their lives, and to businesses from their establishment through their operations to their closure. The Index is computed based on three pillars: availability and development of services; use of services and user satisfaction; and government efforts to publicize services.

In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat, Ahmed Al-Suwaiyan, Governor of the Saudi Digital Government Authority, pointed to the importance of unlimited support by the government and joint work among public agencies to provide distinguished digital services to citizens and enhance the competitiveness of the business sector.

He added that the great support provided by the Saudi government to the digital system had the greatest impact on the Kingdom’s superiority in the most important global indicators.

This success comes as a culmination of integration and joint work between government agencies to achieve government digital transformation as one of the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, Al-Suwaiyan underlined.

Eng. Muhammad Muzaffar, a member of the National Commercial Committee in the Federation of Saudi Chambers, told Asharq Al-Awsat that Saudi Arabia is keen to develop digital services, adding that the new achievement would further attract foreign investments.

Saudi Arabia has been ranked second globally among the G20 countries in the Digital Riser Report for the year 2021 issued by the European Center for Digital Competitiveness.

The Kingdom also topped the first group of the highest leading and innovative countries in the areas of providing government services and interacting with citizens according to the government technology report (GovTech) issued by the World Bank.

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Kuwait Seeks to Offer Flexible Incentives to Attract Foreign Investments

Kuwait City (Asharq Al-Awsat file photo)
Kuwait City (Asharq Al-Awsat file photo)
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Kuwait Seeks to Offer Flexible Incentives to Attract Foreign Investments

Kuwait City (Asharq Al-Awsat file photo)
Kuwait City (Asharq Al-Awsat file photo)

Mohammad Yaqoub, Assistant Director General for Business Development at Kuwait’s Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA), announced that Kuwait is actively working to boost investments in emerging sectors such as the management of government facilities, hospitals, and ports, including Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port.

He added that his country is collaborating with Saudi Arabia on joint projects, notably the development of a railway linking the two nations.

Speaking at the 28th Annual Global Investment Conference in Riyadh, Yaqoub highlighted the 650-kilometer railway project, which is expected to cut travel time between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to under three hours. He clarified that this initiative is separate from the broader GCC railway network under development.

The official further emphasized Kuwait’s commitment to offering streamlined processes and incentives to attract foreign investment in critical sectors such as oil and gas, healthcare, education, and technology.

Since January 2015, the Gulf country has attracted cumulative foreign investments valued at approximately 1.7 billion Kuwaiti dinars ($5.8 billion). During the 2023–2024 fiscal year, KDIPA reported foreign investment inflows amounting to 206.9 million Kuwaiti dinars ($672 million).

Yaqoub stressed that KDIPA is focused on creating an investor-friendly environment by offering flexible incentives to attract international companies. He noted Saudi Arabia’s achievements in this area and highlighted his country’s efforts to provide comparable benefits to foreign investors.

He also expressed optimism about the potential for growth in foreign investments in Kuwait, emphasizing their role in advancing economic development in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Yaqoub also underscored the strong synergy between the Kuwaiti and Saudi markets, which he said will help accelerate economic progress across the region.