Oman Advances in Digital Government Services Ranking with Improved GEMS Score

Oman has seen an improvement in its ranking on the 2024 Government Electronic and Mobile Services Maturity Index (GEMS), scoring 72%, up from 66% in 2023, according to a report released by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).

The report evaluates the digital government performance of 17 Arab countries across three main pillars: service availability and development, service uptake and satisfaction, and government outreach and engagement. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates lead the index with scores of 96% and 95%, respectively, showcasing their strong strides in digital transformation.

Oman has made notable progress across these pillars. Its score for service availability and development rose to 80%, from 76.64% last year. Service uptake and satisfaction also improved, reaching 63% from 51.95% in 2023, while government outreach and engagement saw an increase to 78%, up from 73.78%.

Further improvements were seen in Oman’s digital platforms. Service development for electronic portals surged to 94%, compared to 84.45% in 2023. User satisfaction with these portals also grew to 89%, up from 76.44%. Mobile app availability increased to 60%, from 49.97% last year, while satisfaction with mobile platforms rose to 62%, up from 47.76%.

Despite these advancements, Nawar al Awa, ESCWA’s GEMS project lead, highlighted a widening digital divide. The gap between countries with advanced digital infrastructure and those in the early stages of development has increased from 91% in 2023 to 95% in 2024, driven by resource disparities and the challenges of adopting emerging technologies.

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