“In order to accelerate the process of e-government readiness, countries in the region need to formulate detailed plans aimed at executing their ICT policies and strategies, and undertake new initiatives that will raise the IT literacy levels of all sectors of society, create awareness among the general public on the importance of IT, and facilitate or subsidize the purchase of a home computer and Internet connection for those who find the cost prohibitive. By laying a comprehensive infrastructure of IT literacy throughout the region, with particular emphasis on the services provided by the critical sectors such as health, education and employment, governments can lay a strong foundation for greater penetration of e-government services,” said Jamil Ezzo, Director General, ICDL GCC Foundation.
The report attributed the UAE's success to a revamped national portal that integrates easily locatable information and services through a single gateway. The report also acknowledged Qatar's improvement of online service delivery, and concluded that its e-government portal was regional best practice and comparable to integrated services portals elsewhere in the world.
