Kuwait faces lowest EGDI Ranking in a decade, urged to overhaul national e-government portal
- While neighboring GCC nations have made substantial progress, Kuwait’s portal has not undergone meaningful redesign since 2016.
- The report notes that the portal’s design, structure, and service functionality are central to the index evaluation, whereas standalone mobile apps are not considered.
- The 2024 report places Kuwait 66th out of 193 countries and last among GCC states, marking a continued decline since 2016.
Kuwait’s position in the United Nations E-Government Development Index (EGDI) has dropped to its lowest level in ten years, underscoring the urgent need to modernize the country’s digital government infrastructure.
The 2024 report places Kuwait 66th out of 193 countries and last among GCC states, marking a continued decline since 2016.
The UN index evaluates countries on three main pillars — online services, telecommunications infrastructure, and human capital — with a heavy emphasis on the government’s official digital portal, reports Al-Jarida daily.
Despite the availability of mobile applications such as Sahel, Kuwait lacks a comprehensive national platform that consolidates government information and services in one accessible location.
The official portal, e.gov.kw, remains fragmented and outdated, factors that heavily influenced the country’s lower score.
According to the report, Kuwait’s decline stems from weak integration of digital services, limited electronic participation tools for citizens, and an underdeveloped legislative and institutional framework to support digital transformation.
While neighboring GCC nations have made substantial progress, Kuwait’s portal has not undergone meaningful redesign since 2016.
The report notes that the portal’s design, structure, and service functionality are central to the index evaluation, whereas standalone mobile apps are not considered.
Experts emphasize the need for a full modernization of the national portal to house all government services, employment data, tenders, public information, and interactive participation channels.
They argue that the portal should evolve from a collection of external links into a unified platform that streamlines transactions for citizens, businesses, and investors.
Proposed improvements include adopting artificial intelligence and cloud technologies, enhancing transparency by publishing comprehensive tender information, and enabling inclusive digital participation through surveys, consultations, and voting tools.
Observers also stress that Kuwait must strengthen its communication channels with the public by improving access to laws, alerts, and official updates, and by encouraging active engagement rather than one-way announcements.
They note that countries across the region increasingly rely on citizen input before finalizing laws and major decisions — an approach Kuwait has yet to fully adopt.
To reverse its downward trajectory, specialists recommend that Kuwait form a dedicated national team to ensure accurate reporting to the United Nations and to oversee the portal’s technical, institutional, and legislative development.
They argue that enhancing transparency, revitalizing public engagement, and rebuilding trust between the government and society are essential to improving future EGDI rankings.
By modernizing the official e-government portal and expanding interactive digital services, Kuwait can position itself for stronger performance in global evaluations and accelerate progress toward a more accessible and citizen-centered digital government.
