More than 20 years of data – and a vision of the future

So much has changed since the inaugural issue of the United Nations E-Government Survey in 2001. Back then, the Survey included assessment points that now seem firmly entrenched in the past. Fast forward to 21 years of publication, the Survey no longer measures telephone lines and televisions – instead it assesses mobile and broadband. Stay tuned for the latest edition out on 28 September.

Looking back, earlier editions tracked the number of telephone lines and televisions per 100 inhabitants in an area.  At that time, it observed “moderate expansion of the Internet in Africa”, where, for the first time, “all countries and territories are now online”. It also described the ultimate goal of “seamless” e-government as a “futuristic” ideal. Today, the African region has an ever-increasing digital presence and wireless access.

In the upcoming United Nations E-Government Survey 2022 – now in its 12th edition – the concept of “seamless” government is not “futuristic” but discussed in the context of cutting-edge technologies, such as predictive analytics and artificial intelligence. The 2022 Survey will provide a compelling look at the latest trends in e-government – how much has changed, how much has stayed the same, and what that means for the future.

Relying on its extensive data – a composite of independent UN DESA-owned research, with data from other UN agencies, produced for all 193 Member States – the Survey covers both broad trends and granular detail.

“E-government is growing. Growth in developed countries is, largely, outpacing that of countries in special situations. Lessons learned come from looking at the 2022 edition – but also the previous editions,” said Vincenzo Aquaro, Chief of the Digital Government Branch in UN DESA’s Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government, highlighting the 2022 Survey’s trends.

Rapid changes in technology affect the Survey’s assessment areas, but a consistency in the general basis of the methodology is critical for tracking trends. “Digital government trends indicate steady growth globally, and notable progress in some areas. However, it also shows us who is left behind, with more than 3 billion people from countries – mostly in Africa, Asia and Oceania – that have a lower-than-average e-government development levels,” noted Arpine Korekyan, author of the chapters analysing the 2022 Survey data at global and regional levels.

“We also see how trends and observations over time can be heightened by current events,” added Wai Min Kwok, the author of a chapter exploring digital inclusion and access issues“. One of the key lessons learned – even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic – is that the future is hybrid. The objective is not purely digital development, but rather supporting human development through digitalization. An inclusive, integrated digital/analogue ecosystem is needed to facilitate and sustain inclusive e-government development.”

For Deniz Susar, who has worked on a pilot study looking at e-government development at city levels with a Local Online Service Index (LOSI) and has written a chapter on its findings in the 2020 and 2022 editions, there are other important takeaways. “The LOSI study has adapted the Survey’s processes and yielded information that is very interesting – for example, GDP does not correlate with online services development in the same way as it does for the national results. It also shows strong connections to local needs, including a range of digital environmental services across a number of cities – which is very promising given Our Common Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals affirmation of the key role cities play in driving change and improving people’s lives.”

With governments developing digital services and embracing new technologies, they are setting themselves up to better anticipate and respond to the needs of all members of society. These exciting innovations must strive to be truly inclusive, and to carry people forward rather than leaving them behind.

The United Nations E-Government Survey 2022: The Future of Digital Government will be released on 28 September. Watch the press briefing live at webtv.un.org.