E-Government

In the United Nations E-Government Survey 2012, the UAE ranked 28^th globally and 1^st in the Arab region according to the e-government development index. It advanced 21 positions to the ranking this year. It is a notable leap that shows the extent of development achieved by the UAE with regard to the level of e-government services over the last twelve months. The ranking also shows how the government organizations were able to develop their services significantly in quantity and quality and expanded the use of online tools to provide their services to citizens. The government organizations achieved a level of efficiency, transparency and security and gained the trust of customers from various groups.

The progress made by the UAE in this regard helped it secure the 8^th position among the emerging countries in the e-government field. It is a notable position too as it demonstrates the excellence of the UAE among the emerging economies that have the highest growth rates currently and among the countries classified as leading the global economic growth at the current stage having the highest rates of improvement of the population standard of living in comparison to other countries in the world, either the developed or developing world.

Providing government services via e-portals or what is known as “the e-government portal” is one of the main tools of online service development in the world. It spares customers the trouble of physically going to the premises of government entities to obtain services except in very limited circumstances. It also facilitates citizen navigation. In return, the application of the e-government reduces pressure from government facilities and employees and reduces human error that can be committed by the employees. Such developments should help in reducing the costs of government services and raise their efficiency for the interest of the customers who obtain the services they need with less costs and efforts, faster time and better efficiency.

This applies to the current status in the UAE that made great progress in building and developing its e-government, making it a single portal to provide the majority of government services. It has become one of the few countries in the world that are so close to having an integrated government e-portal according to the UN Survey that placed it among the top ten countries close to a pure one-stop-shop portal. This is the most accurate description of the efforts exerted by the UAE to create a contemporary e-government to express the progress as well as the economic, social and cultural development witnessed in the UAE. They are mostly successful efforts that achieved their milestone goals so far. These efforts are so close to achieving the total goals and purposes so that the e-government dream becomes a reality and the UAE can place a new pillar in building a knowledge society on its land and make great progress in realizing the goals of the comprehensive and sustainable development.