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1、Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutionsVISIONESCWA,an innovative catalyst for a stable,just and flourishing Arab regionMISSIONCommitted to the 2030 Agenda,ESCWAs passionate team produces innovative knowledge,fosters regional consensus and delivers transformati

2、onal policy advice.Together,we work for a sustainable future for all.United NationsBeirutE/ESCWA/CL4.SIT/2024/3Economic and Social Commission for Western AsiaLeveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutions 2024 United NationsAll rights reserved worldwidePhotocopies an

3、d reproductions of excerpts are allowed with proper credits.All queries on rights and licences,including subsidiary rights,should be addressed to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia(ESCWA),e-mail:publications-escwaun.org.The findings,interpretations and conclusions exp

4、ressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its officials or Member States.The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the

5、 United Nations concerning the legal status of any country,territory,city or area or of its authorities,or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.Links contained in this publication are provided for the convenience of the reader and are correct at the time of issue.The United Nat

6、ions takes no responsibility for the continued accuracy of that information or for the content of any external website.References have,wherever possible,been verified.Mention of commercial names and products does not imply the endorsement of the United Nations.References to dollars($)are to United S

7、tates dollars,unless otherwise stated.Symbols of United Nations documents are composed of capital letters combined with figures.Mention of such a symbol indicates a reference to a United Nations document.United Nations publication issued by ESCWA,United Nations House,Riad El Solh Square,P.O.Box:1185

8、75,Beirut,Lebanon.Website:www.unescwa.org.AcknowledgementsThe present report was produced by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia(ESCWA),under the overall guidance of the Executive Secretary,Rola Dashti,and the insightful direction of the Acting Director of Statistics,I

9、nformation Society and Technology Cluster,Nibal Idlebi,in the framework of the ESCWA“Expediting the use of emerging technology and innovation for enhanced operations in Arab Public Institutions”(ENACT)project.It was authored by the consultant Maysoun Ibrahim,President of the Palestinian Syndicate fo

10、r Information Sciences and Technology(Ramallah,Palestine).The report was peer reviewed by ESCWA staff members Federico Cocchioni,Senior Technology Officer,Rami Zaatari,Statistician and Senior Data Analyst,and Lize Denner,Associate Programme Management Officer.Mohamad Nawar,the ESCWA regional advisor

11、 on Technology for Development and Zahr Bou Ghanem,Senior Research Assistant,also provided comments on this report.ESCWA would like to thank two external experts for their peer review and insightful comments and suggestions that helped to improve the clarity and accuracy of the report:Mohammad J.Sea

12、r,Digital Governance and Public Sector Consulting Leader(Middle East and North Africa),Ernst&Young,Dubai,United Arab Emirates and Fadi Salem,Director,Policy Research and Advisory,Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government,Dubai,United Arab Emirates.The ENACT Team thanks the ESCWA Conferences Services

13、Section for the editing of this report,and also thanks Khadije Mansour for her administrative support.3Acknowledgements3Public institutions in the Arab region are well-positioned to contribute to a more inclusive digital future as the United Nations shapes a Global Digital Compact at the upcoming Su

14、mmit of the Future in line with the World Summit on the Information Society(WSIS)+20.By integrating a citizen-centric approach,particularly through interactive digital public services,public sector innovations in the Arab region can ensure user-centricity,responsiveness and inclusivity.This will fos

15、ter deeper citizen engagement,leading to services that directly address peoples needs and deliver tangible outcomes.Trust will build between Governments and citizens,creating a cycle of participation and effective governance.By utilizing emerging technologies for the digitalization and integration o

16、f their services,Arab public institutions can advance the digital society and economy and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs),especially SDGs 9,16 and 17,while aligning with the principles of emerging global frameworks.Harnessing technology and innovation can transfor

17、m public institutions in the Arab region.By focusing on responsiveness,inclusiveness,trustworthiness and effectiveness(RITE)principles,advancements can streamline service delivery,empower citizen participation in development,and ultimately strengthen good governance.Key messages45Executive summaryTo

18、 ensure public digital and innovative services are impactful and relevant,a multi-stakeholder approach is crucial for the Arab region.This collaborative strategy brings together Governments,citizens,advocacy groups,technology companies,academia,businesses and non-governmental organizations(NGOs).Ope

19、n collaboration builds trust between citizens and Governments,fostering stronger public engagement and a sense of collective responsibility for a successful digital transformation process.As countries in the Arab region invest in“soft”digital infrastructure policies,regulations and legal frameworks

20、for utilizing emerging technologies prioritizing regional governance for emerging technologies is essential.This will foster a unified approach to areas like artificial intelligence(AI),similar to the European Union AI Act approved in March 2024.Building a minimum common denominator for digital publ

21、ic infrastructure(DPI)across the Arab region could have a powerful spillover effect,accelerating digital development throughout the region.This shared foundation,particularly focusing on digital identity,digital payments and data sharing,would empower all nations to leverage emerging technologies fo

22、r innovative public services.Currently,the varying development levels between countries in the region limits this potential.By working together,however,countries with lower economic capabilities can access the resources and expertise needed to strengthen their DPI,ultimately benefiting the entire re

23、gion.By utilizing emerging technologies for the digitalization and integration of their services,Arab public institutions can advance the digital society and economy and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs),especially SDGs 9,16 and 17,while aligning with the principles

24、 of emerging global frameworks.Harnessing technology and innovation can transform public institutions in the Arab region.By focusing on responsiveness,inclusiveness,trustworthiness and effectiveness(RITE)principles,advancements can streamline service delivery,empower citizen participation in develop

25、ment,and ultimately strengthen good governance.56Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutionsExecutive summaryDigital technology and innovation are game changers for public institutions,allowing citizens to access services and information with ease.Digital technolo

26、gy and innovation have the power to transform the way public operations and services are delivered,making them more responsive,inclusive,trustworthy,efficient and accessible.Traditional public operations and services models often require in-person visits and/or communication by telephone.This modali

27、ty can be burdensome for many citizens,particularly marginalized groups such as women,older people,persons with disabilities,people with low incomes,people with mobility challenges and those living in remote areas.Public sector institutions must make advancements to meet the continuously evolving ex

28、pectations and needs of the public,in keeping with the global shift towards digitalization and innovation.Citizens expect public sector institutions to provide operations and services using digital and innovative solutions,as this type of solutions are becoming the norm in many aspects of life.A use

29、r-friendly approach,implemented using appropriate,easy to access digital tools,can save time and reduce the confusion and frustration that come with traditional public institutions processes.Simplification of these processes can increase trust and satisfaction in public sector institutions operation

30、s and services and show commitment to respecting citizens needs and requests.Many Governments around the globe,including in the Arab region,are making efforts to improve the delivery of their public services through the adoption and implementation of different types of technologies.These Governments

31、 continue designing and delivering public operations and services based on their own visions,requirements and processes without considering the needs of the citizens they serve.One of the main challenges faced by Arab public institutions is the lack of effort needed to build strong institutions that

32、 can fulfil the needs of their citizens.With the exception of a few Arab countries,they underestimate the power of technology and innovation to facilitate the delivery of public operations and services as well as to improve the relationship between these institutions and the societies they serve.Tec

33、hnology has an essential part to play in enhancing the quality of good governance in Arab public institutions in terms of the RITE principles.Technology can encourage citizen participation and collaboration in development processes and enhance service delivery.Innovation can prevent stagnation in pu

34、blic administration.It can help institutions to improve their services to meet the RITE principles.Both technology and innovation can help in developing effective services and systems that are based on citizens needs and can enhance and qualify responses(i.e.realizing responsiveness and effectivenes

35、s).Services and systems can be designed to meet the needs of all segments of society(i.e.realizing inclusiveness)and be developed using the most secure technologically innovative solutions available(i.e.enhance trustworthiness).Innovation is not limited to technology,it can include institutional con

36、figurations and procedures,mechanisms of services delivery and social innovation.This report examines how digital and emerging technologies and innovation 7Executive summarycan be used to accelerate the achievement of the RITE principles in Arab public institutions.The report sheds light on the impa

37、ct of technology and innovation in boosting progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)with a focus on SDGs 9,16 and 17.Framed by the concept of enhancing the RITE principles in public institutions in the Arab region,the report discusses the availability of digital public infrastructure

38、 and the implementation of electronic services through e-government and open government initiatives in the region,including examining the existing up-to-date legal frameworks needed to manage and facilitate the use of different kind of technologies.Both the hard and soft digital infrastructures of a

39、ll countries in the Arab region are discussed in the report.Through analysis of a wide range of good practices implemented in the Arab region and beyond,the report shows that the use of digital and emerging technologies,such as cloud computing,AI,blockchain technology,immersive technology and others

40、,facilitates and enhances citizens access to public services,especially for marginalized groups.If applied responsibly,these technologies can speed up response time,increase ability to conduct tasks in real time,and ultimately improve public satisfaction and strengthen the relationship between publi

41、c institutions and citizens.The report also shows that embedding social innovation and public sector innovation in public institutions can shift relations between these institutions and the communities they serve from a relationship of confrontation to a relationship of constructive engagement.The l

42、atter can enhance stability and harmony,allowing for the adoption of more citizen-centric approaches to developing and delivering public operations,processes and services.This report provides a suggested list of policy and practical recommendations that can help guide public institutions in the Arab

43、 region towards the creation of more responsive,inclusive,trustworthy and effective structural change using digital and emerging technologies and innovation.These recommendations aim to support decision makers in enhancing public institutions operations and services,taking into consideration social

44、and legal requirements.This report is one of the outcomes of a recently launched ESCWA project on expediting the use of technology and innovation for enhanced operations in Arab public institutions(ENACT).The project focuses on the strategic and innovative deployment of emerging technologies to acce

45、lerate the implementation of strategies or plans in the public sector,and to facilitate the use of emerging technologies and innovation for the advancement of public services and back-office operations.ENACT looks beyond the deployment of emerging technologies towards enhancing the RITE principles o

46、f Governments and their services in support of the 2030 Development Agenda,in particularly SDG 16 on peace,justice and strong institutions.The other two outcome reports of the ENACT project are titled“The role of emerging technologies and innovation in enhancing effectiveness and decision-making in

47、Arab public institutions”and“InnoCook:an innovation model to enhance the operations and services of Arab public institutions”.The former report explores the transformative role of emerging technologies and innovation in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of public institutions in the Arab re

48、gion.It discusses the impact of digital public infrastructure and data-driven technologies,such as AI,blockchain,cloud computing and big data,in reshaping governance,fostering economic growth and improving the service delivery of public institutions.The report sheds light on different case 8Leveragi

49、ng emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutionsstudies from various countries around the globe and highlights specific challenges and opportunities in the Arab context.The report explains the critical need for comprehensive digital strategies,robust infrastructure and a cultu

50、re of innovation to enhance public service effectiveness through digital transformation.The second report focuses on the use of a process model,named InnoCook,that can be used by public institutions to help them meet the SDGs,particularly SDG 16,and the RITE principles through technology and process

51、-based innovations.It shows how the InnoCook model can be used to develop different pathways to innovation rather than focusing on a single monolithic process.The model attempts to strike a balance between prescriptive and descriptive approaches to innovation work.Public institutions in the Arab reg

52、ion can use this model to provide structure for innovation work,while having some room for creativity.89ContentsContentsAcknowledgements.3Key messages.4Executive summary.61.Introduction:Importance of strengthening public institutions in the Arab region 112.Technology and innovation in public institu

53、tions 18A.Technology use in public institutions .18B.Innovation in public institutions in the Arab region.273.Enhancing digital connectivity,accessibility and trust through coherent digital platforms in public institutions 33A.Enhancing connectivity,accessibility and trust through hard digital infra

54、structure.35B.Enhancing connectivity,accessibility and trust through soft digital infrastructure.444.Emerging technology and innovation trends in public institutions 51A.Best practices of selected emerging technologies in public institutions.53B.Social innovation and public sector innovation for pub

55、lic citizen-centric service excellence in the Arab region.665.Recommendations and solutions on the use of digital technologies and innovation in public institutions in the Arab region 69A.Policy and practical recommendations:regional level.71B.Policy and practical recommendations:first group .72C.Po

56、licy and practical recommendations:second group.74D.Policy and practical recommendations:third and fourth group .75Annex A .77Annex B.78Annex C.79Bibliography .81Endnotes.8410Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutions10List of tablesTable 1.Public sector and the

57、targets of SDGs 9,16 and 17.14Table 2.E-Government Development Index rank of Governments in the Arab region,2020,2022,2024.20Table 3.Examples of brownfield and greenfield initiatives from the Arab region.26Table 4.Ranking of measured smart cities in the Arab region in the Institute for Management De

58、velopment Smart City Index,20192023.27Table 5.The 2023 Global Innovation Index rankings of countries in the Arab region covered by the GII 2023 Report.28Table 6.The 2023 government effectiveness of selected Governments in the Arab region and use of selected technology and innovation factors.31Table

59、7.Cyberlaws on e-transactions,e-payments,e-signatures,e-commerce and consumer protection laws in the Arab region.45Table 8.Cyberlaws on cybercrime and data protection and privacy in the Arab region.47Table 9.The 2023 Government AI Readiness Index of Governments in the Arab region.54Table 10.AI-power

60、ed services examples from selected countries in the Arab region.55Table 11.Examples of big data use in agriculture in the Arab region.60List of figuresFigure 1.The 2022 E-Government Development Index rank of Governments in the Arab region 21Figure 2.The 2023 E-Participation Index in countries in the

61、 Arab region.22Figure 3.Hard and soft digital infrastructure of public digital platforms.35Figure 4.Examples of hard digital infrastructure.36Figure 5.ICT Development Index structure,2023.37Figure 6.Arab region hard digital infrastructure indicators of the IDI,2022.37Figure 7.Households with Interne

62、t access at home,2022.38Figure 8.Active mobile broadband subscriptions,2021 and 2022.39Figure 9.Satellite broadband subscription of selected countries in the Arab region,20182019,and CAGR 20152019 .40Figure 10.Difference in services between traditional data centres and cloud computing-based data cen

63、tres.4211ContentsIntroduction:Importance of strengthening public institutions in the Arab region1Prostock-studio/12Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutions1.Introduction:Importance of strengthening public institutions in the Arab regionThe public sector,or some

64、times known as the State sector,is composed of public organizations,public enterprises,and public operations and services.It is a key stakeholder in nations economies.This sector includes all institutions,agencies,corporations and entities owned,controlled and managed by the Government.1 The main ro

65、le of the public sector is to provide an array of operations and services to the public which benefit all members of society.These include public health care,digital public infrastructure(DPI),2 transportation,housing,education,energy,water and sanitation,roads and law enforcement.Globally,citizens

66、today expect the public sector to provide more responsive,inclusive services and trustworthy and effective operations.These expectations are still rising,especially after the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in 2020 and the unprecedented,rapid development of emerging technologies and their po

67、tential applications at different economic,social,governmental and environmental development levels.As a response,many Governments around the globe,including in the Arab region,are making efforts to improve the delivery of public services through the adoption and implementation of different types of

68、 technologies.In practice,these Governments continue designing and delivering most public operations and services based on their own visions,requirements and processes without considering the needs of the citizens they serve.3In September 2015,all Member States of the United Nations adopted the 2030

69、 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its related 17 Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).Since then,Governments around the globe have started to identify their existing sustainable development gaps and the changes needed to close these,review their national priorities,determine which strategies an

70、d policies align with the SDGs,and map out and update their national action plans for attaining the 2030 Agenda.Additionally,Governments have started implementing a swathe of local initiatives with the aim of realizing the SDGs.One of the main goals of sustainability is to allow present societies to

71、 meet their needs without affecting the ability of future societies to meet their future needs.This requires a holistic approach that focuses on the creation of social values along with a wider understanding of sustainable livelihoods.Moreover,as described in the 2030 Agenda,a central notion of the

72、SDGs is to“leave no one behind,”meaning that the implementation of the SDGs needs to be“people-centered,gender-sensitive,respect human rights and have a particular focus on the poorest,most vulnerable and those furthest behind.”4 Therefore,engagement,inclusion and participation from all segments of

73、society is crucial for the realization of the broad goals of sustainable development and ensuring that no one is left behind.The achievement of sustainable development and the SDGs requires the engagement of the public sector,private sector,civil society,development partners and communities.5The pub

74、lic sector has a pivotal role to play in the reorientation of societies towards sustainability,as it has the needed resources and the mandate to bring all stakeholders together.The public sector can encourage relevant stakeholders to jointly define common national and local objectives,coordinate on

75、sustainable 13Introduction:Importance of strengthening public institutions in the Arab regiondevelopment policy options,follow up and assess in-progress development processes,and maintain advancements towards achieving the long-term SDGs.In order for public services to be sustainable and to ensure t

76、he well-being of local society,they have to be designed and delivered following a citizen-centric approach.The 2030 Agenda includes the need for strengthening public institutions to deliver the SDGs and achieve sustainability.SDG 9(annex A),for instance,is a call to“Build resilient infrastructure,pr

77、omote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”.6 The implementation of SDG 9 requires investment in public infrastructure and services,innovation and industrialization to empower the community and enhance sustainability.SDG 9,specifically in targets 9.5,9.b and 9.c,calls fo

78、r encouraging innovation through enhancing scientific research and the technological capabilities of the industrial sector.This also includes supporting domestic technology development and increasing access to information and communication technologies(ICT).Public infrastructure and services are a c

79、ornerstone of any society and allow communities and business to grow,boosting the nations economy.They also provide public services such as energy,irrigation,education,security,land use planning,justice and more,to improve the quality of life of citizens.The use of suitable digital and emerging tech

80、nologies could lead to improved processes and services and thus enhance the relationship between the public sector and the society it serves.Public sector institutions need to adopt and implement policies to support the creation of a fruitful innovation ecosystem.This includes the adoption of the ne

81、eded intellectual property to protect local innovations and innovation-based start-ups,which in turn help to support local entrepreneurship.The use of both technology and innovation contributes to enhancing local industrialization which can enhance local development.7Another SDG that addresses publi

82、c institutions is SDG 16:“Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development,provide access to justice for all and build effective,accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels”.8 The targets of SDG 16,specifically 16.5,16.6,16.7,16.10 and 16.b(annex B),highlight several con

83、cepts needed in public sector institutions.These include inclusiveness,responsiveness,transparency,accountability,effectiveness,public access to information,anti-corruption and non-discrimination of laws and policies.9Providing access to public information and the adoption of an open government appr

84、oach is critical for public institutions to realize the targets of SDG 16 and contribute to the achievement of sustainable development.Many Governments have framed their public institutions development to be in line with the institutional principles of SDG 16.The rapid changes in the applications of

85、 digital technology,along with the increasing demands by citizens for better governance,increased transparency and more engagement and involvement of citizens in government decision-making,have supported the adoption of open government in many countries.In addition,the widespread use and access of t

86、he Internet has enabled the initiation of many e-government practices globally.This also includes the development of new channels for e-participation10 to ensure citizens participation and enhance development of transparent,accountable,responsive and effective public institutions that are open and a

87、ccessible.11 Different laws and legislation,such as the cybercrime and data privacy and protection laws,that are needed to regulate the use of different public services,have been enacted as well.SDG 17,the final Goal(annex C),promotes a global partnership for sustainable development.This partnership

88、 should be led by Governments,with the aim of strengthening the means of implementation of the SDGs as well strengthening development assistance and international cooperation.Global partnership compromises 14Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutionsmulti-stakeho

89、lder partnerships.It is a form of international cooperation intended to function alongside other stakeholders available at the global,regional,national and local levels.At the local level,SDG 17 requires partnerships between all relevant national stakeholders,including the public sector,private sect

90、or,non-governmental organizations,civil society,social partners and academia.12 These partnerships should be built upon a shared vision,goals,principles and values.13Targets 17.3,17.6,17.9,17.16 and 17.17 call for institutionalized partnerships between different actors at the local,national,regional

91、 and international levels.This includes,at the local and national levels,public,private and civil society actors.These partnerships should involve cooperation and coordination with related regional and international organizations.14 The development of the public sector in a way that take into consid

92、eration the targets of SDG 17 opens the door for Governments to facilitate a global partnership for sustainable development as well as to boost public-private partnerships and public-civil society partnerships.Table 1 illustrates a summary of the impact of the development of public sector institutio

93、ns on the implementation of the SDGs,specifically SDGs 9,16 and 17.The vision of the 2030 Agenda has been adopted in the national development plans of most countries in the Arab region.Governments in the region joined the global community in committing to implement and realize the SDGs and start cha

94、nging their institutional setup for this purpose,taking into consideration their national development priorities and needs.However,with the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape,the implementation of the SDGs has come at a critical juncture for the Arab region.Common barriers to implementation inc

95、lude the lack of coordination between national and local bodies,instability sanitation services,poor transport systems,unstable and conflicts in some countries,15 poor infrastructure,especially related to water and sanitation services,Table 1.Public sector and the targets of SDGs 9,16 and 17Public s

96、ector targetsSDG targetsSelected examples of impacts on sustainable developmentBuild resilient infrastructure9.1,9.4,9.a,9.c Support economic development Improve quality of life Increase access to informationInclusive and sustainable industries9.2,9.3,9.4,9.5,9.b Raise industrys share of employment

97、and GDP Empower national economyEnhance access to science,technology and innovation9.5,9.b,9.c,17.6,17.7,17.8,17.6,17.18 Enhance science,technology and innovation diplomacy Provide technology-based public operations and services Boost research and developmentImprove public administration and the qua

98、lity of the public sector16.5,16.6,16.7,16.10,16.b Reduce corruption Develop transparent,accountable and effective public institutions Ensure public access to information Make decision-making more responsive,representative and inclusive at all public institution levelsMulti-stakeholder partnerships1

99、6.8,17.3,17.6,17.9,17.16,17.17 Enhance global partnership for sustainable development Promote public,public-private and civil society partnerships Mobilize and share knowledge and experiences Support North-South,South-South and triangular cooperation for implementing the SDGsSource:Developed by ESCW

100、A Consultant.15Introduction:Importance of strengthening public institutions in the Arab regionpoor transport systems,unstable access to telecommunication or energy networks that impede entrepreneurship and livelihoods,inadequate efforts towards innovation as a tool for transition to inclusive and su

101、stainable industrialization,the lack of accountable,effective and transparent institutions,and shrinking civic space.16One of the main challenges faced by public institutions in the Arab region is the lack of efforts needed to build strong institutions that can fulfil the needs of their citizens.Wit

102、h the exception of some Arab countries,they underestimate the power of technology and innovation to facilitate the delivery of public operations and services as well as to improve the relationship between these institutions and the societies they serve.Technology can enhance the quality of governanc

103、e in terms of the responsiveness,inclusiveness,trustworthiness and effectiveness(RITE)principles.17 Emerging technologies can potentially revolutionize public institutions by encouraging citizens participation and collaboration in the development processes and enhancing service delivery.18Responsive

104、ness,in this context,refers to the ability of public sector institutions to address the interests and needs of the public they serve19 within a reasonable timeframe,20 in addition to the ability of these institutions to adjust and adapt services and policies to meet changing societal needs.21 Public

105、 institutions in the Arab region need to provide public operations and services that respond to the requests,concerns,inquiries and complaints of the public.This also includes the development of policies,systems,structures and practices that support and promote the participation and involvement of c

106、itizens,ensuring equal access to services for all.22 The appropriate use of technologies such as artificial intelligence(AI),blockchain and immersive technologies has the power to boost the responsiveness of public institutions to the needs of the societies they serve.If applied responsibly,these te

107、chnologies can speed up response time,increase ability to conduct tasks in real time,and ultimately improve public satisfaction and strengthen the relationship between public institutions in the Arab region and their people.For instance,some Governments web portals have already started using generat

108、ive AI to provide chatbots designed to have human-like conservations to transform citizen-government communication.These AI chatbots simulate conversation with citizens using natural language processing and are able to offer information,assistance and guidance on different government operations,proc

109、esses and services.They boost government responses through providing prompt answers to citizens questions as well as guiding them through complex public processes.Inclusiveness of public institution refers to the equal rights,participation,entitlement and treatment that enable equal opportunities an

110、d access to all resources and services for all people with the right to voice their opinions and needs.23 Public institutions in the Arab region should be able to provide services and solutions to all segments of society,regardless of gender,age,ability and race.Emerging technologies,such as AI,can

111、provide numerous types of solutions for the inclusion of all people.These technologies can be designed and deployed in such a way as to be accessible to all.This requires Governments to initiate various programmes to improve existing digital infrastructure and to enhance the digital skills needed to

112、 access the technology-based public services provided.Trustworthiness is defined as the ability of a trusted entity(such as a person or an institution)to serve the interests of the trustor(such as a citizen or business).It also refers to the perception of the reliability and integrity of the trusted

113、 entity,including concerns related to security and privacy.24 Public institutions are considered trustworthy if citizens believe that these institutions are acting in their best interest and can meet their needs and fulfil their responsibilities and obligations.All undertakings should demonstrate in

114、tegrity,accountability and transparency,25 while taking security and privacy into consideration.In recent years,different techno-social systems 16Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutionshave emerged,such as teleconferencing and telecommunication systems and AI

115、systems used in education and e-commerce platforms,which are designed to facilitate trusting relations within society,including between citizens and their Governments.26 Many public institutions have increasingly started relying on trusted technology solutions in the delivery of their operations and

116、 services.Technology-based systems,such as AI-based cybersecurity systems,are now often deployed to protect and safeguard citizens data.Technologies can play a key role in increasing the trustworthiness of public institutions if appropriate,effective systems are adopted and deployed.Effectiveness in

117、 public institutions concerns meeting the needs of citizens by allocating the resources needed to deliver quality public services and to devolve effective policies and programmes,using adequate measurement tools to evaluate the performance of these institutions in meeting their goals and targets.27

118、Public institutions delivering quality public services that meet the principles of responsiveness,inclusiveness and trustworthiness need to also make sure that these services are effective.For instance,all technology-based public services have to be responsive to citizens needs;these services should

119、 be effectively designed to meet the needs of all segments of society(i.e.,inclusiveness)and effectively safeguarded(i.e.trustworthiness)to detect frauds and hacking attempts.Technology-based solutions and services could be used as tools to help public institutions in the Arab region boost the RITE

120、concepts needed to accelerate the achievement of sustainable development at both national and subnational levels.In addition to technology-based operations and services,it is recommended that public institutions in the Arab region encourage innovation through practical measures,as this can prevent s

121、tagnation in public administration and improve services.In recent decades,the scope of innovation in public institutions was enhanced by technology,through which public institutions were able to build systems that can enhance responses(i.e.realizing responsiveness and effectiveness)and effectively c

122、ommunicate and interact with all their citizens equitably(i.e.realizing inclusiveness and effectiveness).Public institutions can use innovative solutions to secure their systems and data(i.e.,enhance trustworthiness).The use of innovation is not limited to technology,it can also be found in institut

123、ional configurations and procedures,mechanisms of services delivery and social innovations.28Digital government initiatives are providing a plethora of innovative solutions.These initiatives are intrinsically linked to public intent data data collected with the intent of public good.The integration

124、of disruptive technologies with data flows offers unprecedented opportunities for enhancing governmental outcomes and contributes significantly to the SDGs.Numerous Governments are increasingly adopting advanced,data-driven participatory approaches to governance and implementing smart and sustainabl

125、e city projects across various domains.However,the growing sophistication and pervasiveness of data-intensive digital governance tools have also heightened the potential for their application in ways that could undermine some sustainable development objectives.This transition is accompanied by a ran

126、ge of developmental and socioeconomic challenges,including issues related to ethics,inequality,discrimination,bias,safety,privacy,fairness and broader societal impacts.This report is set out as follows:chapter 2 discusses the use of technology and innovation in public institutions in the Arab region

127、,shedding light on the most relevant and recent statistical data.Enhancing connectivity,accessibility and trust in public institutions in the Arab region through the use of appropriate hard and soft digital infrastructure is highlighted in chapter 3.Chapter 4 presents examples of the use of emerging

128、 technologies,specifically AI,big data,immersive technologies,blockchain and geospatial technologies,within public institutions as well as innovation trends in these institutions.The report concludes with several policy recommendations and practical recommendations for policymakers and planners in t

129、he Arab region in chapter 5.Technology and innovation in public institutions2diracreativa/18Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutions2.Technology and innovation in public institutionsA.Technology use in public institutionsThe use of ICT and/or digital technology

130、 in public institutions improves and changes these institutions and the way they deliver services to the public.Although many Governments in the Arab region,such as the Governments of Algeria,Bahrain,Egypt,Jordan,Kuwait,Lebanon,Morocco,the State of Palestine,Oman,Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emi

131、rates,29 have not reached their goal to digitize all their public operations,processes and services,there is an increase in the use of different technologies within public institutions.One of the primary expectations of these digitalization efforts relates not only to the institutional,organizationa

132、l and public authorities cultural shift,but also to transforming public institutions and their interactions with citizens,other organizations,businesses and external stakeholders.30Since early 2020,the global COVID-19 pandemic pushed many Governments to urgently implement e-government and accelerate

133、 transformation towards digital governance.The aim was to facilitate the provision of public services,especially with the need to stay at home,social distancing and quarantine,which resulted in increased public online interaction and remote transactions.Different emerging technologies,especially tho

134、se related to the fourth industrial revolution,such as AI-based solutions,robots,drones and blockchain-based digital payments,were adopted and deployed to mitigate the disruptive effect of the pandemic and to provide access to information to the public.The latter includes digital services such as e-

135、education,telework applications,e-health,e-commerce,AI-based thermal cameras,telephone and electronic payments,awareness applications through global positioning system(GPS)technology,among many others.31 Since then,many Governments,including in the Arab region,have continued the process of digitizin

136、g their public operations and services as wells as their internal processes.In an increasingly digital world,countries in the Arab region,except for the Comoros,Djibouti,Somalia,the Sudan and Yemen,are taking many effective steps to make their Governments more open by following a consistent digital

137、transformation process.Their main aim is to boost the realization of the RITE principles within their public institutions and to improve the relationship between these institutions and all segments of the society they serve.32 Although these efforts have started to pay off in many Governments,includ

138、ing in Jordan,Morocco,Oman,Qatar,Saudi Arabia,Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates,33 digitally enabled public initiatives for openness and engagement require reducing existing digital divides,promoting inclusiveness,improving the capacity needed to steer the digital transformation,reducing unequal

139、access to technology-based services,ensuring public information safety and security and coordinating government actions.Moreover,some countries in the Arab region are still suffering from inadequate digital infrastructure either because of their poor economic status,such as in Mauritania and Somalia

140、,or because 19Technology and innovation in public institutionsof conditions of instability,such as in Libya,the Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen.34.1 E-government and open government in the Arab regionElectronic government,or e-government,refers to the use of ICT and digital technologies to deliver pu

141、blic services effectively and efficiently to citizens,businesses and all government agencies and bodies.35 The main purpose of any e-government initiative is to use appropriate technologies to provide effective services to citizens that meet their needs and expectations.This includes improving inter

142、nal work within and between government institutions(i.e.,public sector institutions)to better integrate work processes and workflows by reducing financial costs and transaction times.Through e-government and innovation initiatives,Governments can provide better services to citizens,be more inclusive

143、,respond to citizens demands for accountability and transparency,and be more effective,and as a result boost citizens trust in their Government.In short,the e-government initiative aims at facilitating administrative procedures and providing online services to citizens,residents and enterprises,offe

144、ring a one-stop-shop for service provision.Open government is described as“a government,which is effective and efficient in the performance of its duties,transparent in and accountable for its actions,and accessible to all through its services”.36 Open government responds effectively to the needs of

145、 citizens,ensures equal access to its services for all,values the participation,knowledge and experience of citizens in decision-making,and nurtures trust with the public.Open government could use different types of ICT and digital technologies,including emerging ones,as tools to enhance its governa

146、nce.Such technologies can help the Government to interact with its various components and with external components,such as the public,the private sector and other organizations.The adoption of these technologies enables local authorities to develop and implement initiatives related to open data,open

147、 participation,open cooperation and open innovation for the purpose of realizing the open government initiative.If open government is to be effective and well achieved,it must realize the RITE principles.There is a link between e-government and open government concepts.E-government applications coul

148、d facilitate initiatives in open government.37 This makes e-government an enabler of open government,especially when it supports the same principles.38 However,it is important to note that the two concepts are not the same.E-government is based on the use of technologies to improve the efficiency of

149、 public institutions and provide online public services.39 Open government which is mainly a strategic shift towards enhancing governance can be implemented using different types of technologies and also on innovative and sustainable public practices and policies for the purpose of achieving a numbe

150、r of outcomes in different domains.40 It has been demonstrated that open data,which constitutes an important part of open government,can help in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs.Open government is directly linked to many SDGs,including SDGs 5,6,9,11,12,16 and 17.In particular,it is li

151、nked to SDG targets 5.5,6.b,9.c,11.3,12.8,16.6,16.7,16.8,16.10,16.b,17.7 and 17.18.41 Comparing this with the outputs of table 1 in the introduction chapter,it is clear that open government,including e-government,is a concept that can have a major impact on the development of public institutions.Man

152、y countries in the Arab region have become aware of the concepts of e-government,open data and e-participation as ways to facilitate good governance,as they shift their public institutions towards being more responsive,transparent,inclusive,effective and accountable.This increases trust 20Leveraging

153、 emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutionsbetween these institutions and the public.For this purpose,many countries in the region have initiated and implemented e-government at the national level.They are making considerable efforts to move to openness through the adoption

154、 of public participation(i.e.,e-participation)at different levels and are developing open data portals for their public.According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs(UN-DESA)E-Government Development Index(EGDI),42 many Governments in the Arab region are making a notable e

155、fforts in the implementation of e-government,with clear shifts seen between 2022 and 2024.This specifically includes Algeria,Bahrain,Egypt,Jordan,Lybia,Lebanon,Morocco,Tunisia,the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.All Governments in the region are developing numerous online public services and e

156、-government applications and portals,as illustrated in table 2.43 These efforts allow Governments to move towards open government and public participation in government decision-making processes.The last column in table 2 shows regional countries ranking according to the 2022 Government Electronic a

157、nd Mobile Services(GEMS)index as the State of Palestine is not covered by the EGDI.Table 2.E-Government Development Index rank of Governments in the Arab region,2020,2022,2024Country nameE-gov rank 2020E-gov rank 2022E-gov rank 2024EGDI 2024E-gov rank change 20222024GEMS rank 2023Saudi Arabia433160.

158、96251United Arab Emirates2113110.953-22Bahrain3854180.92367Oman5050410.85894Qatar6678530.824253Kuwait4661660.781-56Tunisia9188870.694110Jordan117100890.685115Morocco106101900.684118Egypt111103950.678-Algeria1201121160.596-49Libya1621691250.5474416Lebanon1271221260.545-4-Iraq1431461480.457-212Syrian

159、Arab Republic1311561620.389-613Mauritania1761721650.349715Djibouti1791811740.2917-Sudan1701761780.276-2-Comoros1771821800.2592-Yemen1371781850.232-714Somalia1911921910.147117State of Palestine-11Source:https:/publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Reports/UN-E-Government-Survey-2024.21Technology a

160、nd innovation in public institutionsBy comparing the outcomes of the 2024 EGDI for Governments in the Arab region to the global average,results show that ten Arab Governments are above the world average of 0.6382(in 2022 they were only seven),as illustrated in figure 1.44 These Governments are the U

161、nited Arab Emirates(0.9010),Saudi Arabia(0.8539),Oman(0.7834),Bahrain(0.7707),Kuwait(0.7484),Qatar(0.7149),Egypt(0.670),Jordan(0.685),Morocco(0.684)and Tunisia(0.6530).Jordan was the first country in the region to join the global Open Government Partnership in September 2011,45,46 followed by Tunisi

162、a in 201447 and Morocco in 2018.48While implementing open government,it is important to ensure the openness of data,which relates directly to SDGs targets 9.c and 16.10.Open data has significant potential to provide benefits to the public and to Governments,from accelerating national economic growth

163、 to ensuring government transparency,trustworthiness and accountability.Many Governments in the Arab region have launched strategies dedicated to open data,aiming at promoting these three principles.The 2020 United Nations assessment of open data initiatives in Governments in the Arab region showed

164、that some Governments,especially those with high and middle incomes,are performing well in open data,with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates being the best performers,followed by Qatar,Kuwait,Bahrain,Oman and Tunisia,respectively.49To implement open government,citizens and stakeholders from a

165、ll society levels should be encouraged to participate in the decision-making processes of the Government.This participation should eventually lead to full collaboration and then to full engagement.50 Some Arab Governments are making steady steps in this direction.According to the 2022 UN-DESA E-Part

166、icipation Index,the e-participation ranks of the United Arab Emirates,Saudi Arabia,Oman,Jordan,Kuwait and Tunisia are above the world average of 0.4450,as illustrated in figure 2.51 Although there is diversity and value in Governments initiatives to engage their citizens in the Arab region,the parti

167、cipation of the public in Governments decision-making remains lacking.Figure 1.The 2022 E-Government Development Index rank of Governments in the Arab region0.0000.2000.4000.6000.8001.0001.200Saudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesBahrainOmanQatarKuwaitTunisiaJordanMoroccoEgyptAlgeriaLibyaLebanonIraqSyriaM

168、auritaniaDjiboutiSudanComorosYemenSomaliaArab region averageWorld averageSource:Compiled by ESCWA consultant from the UN-DESA databank,2024.https:/publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Data-Center.22Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutionsOpen government and

169、 e-government initiatives can enable Governments and public institutions in the Arab region to enhance the RITE principles through the use of emerging technologies.The use of appropriate emerging technologies to facilitate public participation and service delivery will allow for the development of p

170、ublic institutions in a sustainable and coherent manner.To maximize the impact of this development,all public services should be technologically designed,developed and deployed based on the needs of citizens,following a citizen-centric approach.Figure 2.The 2023 E-Participation Index in countries in

171、 the Arab region0.0000.2000.4000.6000.8001.0001.200Saudi ArabiaBahrainUnited Arab EmiratesOmanJordanEgyptWorld averageQatarLebanonTunisiaMoroccoArab region averageKuwaitSomaliaYemenMauritaniaIraqDjiboutiSyriaSudanAlgeriaLibyaSource:Compiled by ESCWA consultant from the UN-DESA databank,2024.https:/p

172、ublicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Data-Center.2223Technology and innovation in public institutionsThe COVID-19 pandemic and the use of emerging technologiesThe COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 forced many Governments around the globe,including in Arab region,to take actions to mitigate its impa

173、ct.These actions varied from imposing social distancing and curfew measures to developing and adopting technological solutions to ensure,for instance,the continuity of education and business systems.The COVID-19 pandemic showed the world the role that emerging technologies,especially those related t

174、o the Fourth Industrial Revolution,can play in mitigating the impacts of such a crisis.a Technologies such as AI,advanced robotics,geospatial technologies and big data were widely used to enhance resilience and reduce the socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic.bMost ministries of education and higher

175、 education in the Arab region adopted an online learning modality through which all education systems switched from in-person teaching to virtual learning.Different online platforms and e-learning applications were used to facilitate and provide students with the tools needed for this new educationa

176、l process.Governments that adopted this modality include Egypt,Jordan,Lebanon,Kuwait,the State of Palestine,Tunisia,Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.Some public health-care institutions in the Arab region use online platforms and applications to provide health-care services.c For example,Al

177、-Balto(or Coat)was developed and launched by the Egyptian Healthcare Authority as an online telemedicine application designed to provide health-care services to citizens of the Port Said Governorate.The application is supported in both English and Arabic languages and provides more than one million

178、people with medical services related to paediatrics,obstetrics,psychology,gynaecology,dermatology,venereology and nutrition.dPublic law enforcement institutions in the Arab region used different types of emerging technologies to mitigate the spread of coronavirus in residential neighbourhoods.The po

179、lice in the United Arab Emirates used AI-supported helmets to automatically detect body temperature and recognize faces of hundreds of people every minute.These helmets helped combat the spread of coronavirus from a distance to guarantee the safety of police officers.e A police robot was used by pol

180、ice in Tunis to patrol public areas to ensure compliance with quarantine measures in the city.This robot was designed and developed locally by a Tunisian company with features such as sensors,a microphone and AI-supported thermal camera controlled remotely,along with a GPS system,high quality laser

181、and long range Wi-Fi connection.fTelework technologies have been adopted and deployed by some public institutions in the region.This includes the use of Accela Cloud Technology by the Government of Jordan in the Greater Amman Municipality to safely manage the reopening of businesses that were forced

182、 to close due to the spread of the coronavirus.This Cloud solution was adopted as a Software as a Service technology through which the Jordanian Government was able to ensure the delivery of critical public services and provide the approvals needs for businesses operations.g An online teleworking gu

183、ide was released by the Moroccan Ministry of Economy and Finance with the aim of offering the public and civil servants the tools needed to carry out their critical professional duties from any place.This guide provided civil servants with alternative work options to ensure the continuity of public

184、services.hBy leveraging emerging technologies,public institutions in the Arab region were able to provide numerous solutions and services to citizens,residents and businesses,and build a strong,steady infrastructure for unexpected crises.These public services varied from the delivery of AI-based pub

185、lic services to the use of online platforms,which result in reducing the socioeconomic impact of the pandemic on the public and enhanced the possibilities of public institutions achieving the RITE principles.a ESCWA,2019a,p.19.b ESCWA,2021a;Ibrahim,2020a,p.3.c ESCWA,2021b,pp.2223.d Egypt Today,2020,

186、accessed in November 2023.https:/ ESCWA,2021b,p.16.f Waya Media,2020,accessed in November 2023.https:/waya.media/who-is-behind-tunisias-robo-cops/.g Accela,2020,accessed in November 2023.https:/ ESCWA,2021b,p.22.24Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutions.2 Smar

187、t sustainable cities and the use of digital technologiesMany Governments globally are making efforts to boost their responsiveness to citizens needs.This includes the adoption and implementation of numerous initiatives at local levels(i.e.,cities)to face the impacts of the unprecedented population i

188、nflation that has occurred over the last few decades.Population growth is stressing economic,social and environmental systems worldwide and causing many problems,including relating to pollution,loss of biodiversity,rapid depletion of resources,degradation of the ecological system,and the need for ne

189、w energy resources.As a result,public administrations of cities around the world are seeking to improve their public operations and services through the adoption of smart and innovative technologies that can address these problems.Technology-based solutions could not only improve the quality of peop

190、les lives but could also enable cities to become more sustainable spaces,environmentally less polluting and more energy efficient.The smart sustainable city concept is a possible solution to the urban problems and challenges of current and future rapid urbanization and population growth.A smart sust

191、ainable city is defined as an innovative city that uses ICT and other technologies to improve the quality of life of its people,making its urban operations and services more efficient and boosting its competitiveness.52 This city aims to integrate the requirements of its urban community in relation

192、to environmental protection,energy and other utilities,mobility and transport,economic growth,public services,individuals safety and personal data security,to drive local economic,social and environmental improvements.53 A smart sustainable city is built on six dimensions:smart economy,smart environ

193、ment,smart governance,smart living,smart mobility and smart people.Over each dimension,a series of development and improvement initiatives should be planned and implemented,taking into consideration the context of each city.54Many cities in the world,including in the Arab region,have already begun t

194、o adopt smart sustainable city transformation initiatives.These cities are using emerging technologies to not only provide effective services to the public,but also to enhance and improve the RITE principles in their public institutions following well-designed citizen-centric approaches.For instance

195、,Helsinki in Finland launched the Helsinki Smart Region initiative that allows citizens to access the citys data.Data are available to the public through an open data website that allows access to a variety of data that citizens might be interested in,ranging from 3D models of buildings to health st

196、atistics.Helsinki public administrations are also ensuring that all new technologies provided to urban residents are equally accessible for rural communities,such as carbon-neutral drone services that can transport emergency medical supplies to rural communities quickly when needed.55 In Singapore,t

197、he OpenCerts initiative is a blockchain platform that was developed by the Government Technology Agency of the Ministry of Education.The platform provides schools and universities with the tools needed to issue students trusted,tamper-resistant digital academic certificates and transcripts that can

198、be viewed,shared and verified internationally.56In the Arab region,the city of Rabat in Morocco initiated the“RABAT Smart and 25Technology and innovation in public institutionsSustainable City”project to accelerate the digitalization process of municipality operations and services.The project,which

199、started in 2019,aims at boosting the RITE principles in public institutions in Rabat through digitizing their operations and processes and enhancing social responsiveness and inclusion by providing effective smart technological services to citizens with open access to municipality data.For this purp

200、ose,the city of Rabat launched the“Rokhas.ma”platform that allow citizens to access more than 100 governmental e-services,including the ability to legalize and manage different governmental certificates electronically.57 Egypt has started the process of building the New Administrative Capital,someti

201、mes known as the new Cairo city,with a vision of becoming a model for inclusive sustainable capitals in the Arab region.The city will rely on renewable energy and green technology to optimize energy consumption.It will also promote green mobility by providing electric metro lines,buses,monorails and

202、 trams,and boost waste recycling through the implementation of smart waste management systems.58Dubai city in the United Arab Emirates is one of the first cities in the Arab region to digitize most of its public services.The Smart Dubai project began in 2013 with more than 100 initiatives aimed at e

203、nabling citizens to access different types of public and private sector services through their smartphones.For instance,“mPay”and“DubaiNow”are two mobile applications that provide payment services to citizens;these payments range from utilities and traffic fines to health,transport,educational and b

204、usiness services.In 2021,Digital Dubai was also established,with the aim of developing and overseeing the implementation of strategies and policies related to the citys digital transformation,data,information technology and cybersecurity.59 More than 90 per cent of the services of the Government of

205、Dubai are currently available through the Governments online portal,such as health,education,police and security,roads and transport,utilities,land and cybersecurity services.60 Most of the operations and processes of the Dubai municipality are also available to the public online through a single si

206、gn-in portal that includes services related to food products,municipality fees,agriculture and irrigation,waste,building and construction,public parks,land allocation and planning.61Other countries in the Arab region are also transforming their cities to become smarter and more sustainable.Two types

207、 of transformation approaches are being developed:(1)through the brownfield approach,in which transformation takes place in existing cities,and(2)through the greenfield approach,in which a smart sustainable city is developed as a new city.62 Examples of brownfield and greenfield smart sustainable ci

208、ty initiatives in the region are summarized in table 3.63Due to the complexity of the transformation process,there is not yet a comprehensive,agreed upon index to measure the transformational performance of cities towards being smart and sustainable.However,one well-known index that can measure some

209、 aspects related to progress is the International Institute for Management Development Smart City Index.This index focuses on measuring the economic and technological aspects of smart cities as well as considering the human dimensions(i.e.,inclusiveness,quality of life and environmental aspects).64

210、Most available smart city indices do not cover all cities in the Arab region due to a lack of information.Table 4 illustrates the available rankings of measured smart cities initiatives in the region for the period 20192023.6526Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public insti

211、tutions Table 3.Examples of brownfield and greenfield initiatives from the Arab regionCountryBrownfield initiativeGreenfield initiativeAlgeriaAlgiers Smart CityCyberpark City of Sidi AbdellahBahrainManama-Djibouti-Iroley Smart City(in planning stage)Egypt-New Administrative CapitalJordanAmman Smart

212、City-KuwaitKuwait CitySouth Saad Al Abdullah CityLebanon-BeitMisk VillageMoroccoRabat City CasablancaTangier Tech City BenGuerirOman-MuscatState of PalestineRamallah CityRawabi CityQatarDoha CityLusail CitySaudi ArabiaRiyadh CityJeddah CityAl-Ahsa CityKing Abdullah Economic CityKnowledge Economic Ci

213、tyPrince Abdul Aziz Bin Mousaed Economic CityJazan Economic CityNeom Smart CitySyrian Arab Republic-Marota City(near Damascus)TunisiaTunis Smart CityTunisia Economic City(in planning stage)United Arab EmiratesDubai CityAbu Dhabi CityMasdar CityDubai Silicon OasisDesert Rose CitySource:ESCWA,2021b,p.

214、8.2627Technology and innovation in public institutions Table 4.Ranking of measured smart cities in the Arab region in the Institute for Management Development Smart City Index,20192023CountryCountry HDIaCityCityHDISmart city rankingRank change202120232019202020212023Algeria0.745Algiers0.767-123NEWBa

215、hrain-b-Comoros-Djibouti-Egypt0.731Cairo0.77996100105108 -3Iraq-Jordan0.72Amman0.737-135NEWKuwait-Lebanon0.706Beirut0.677-139NEWLibya-Mauritania-Morocco0.683Rabat0.70299101109126 -17Oman0.816Muscat0.816-96NEWState of Palestine-Qatar0.855Doha0.855-59NEWSaudi Arabia0.875Jeddah0.871-56NEW0.875Mecca0.87

216、1-52NEW0.875Medina0.871-7985 -60.875Riyadh0.955443930 9Somalia-Sudan-Syrian Arab Republic-Tunisia0.731Tunis0.775-137NEWUnited Arab Emirates0.911Abu Dhabi0.91116141213 -10.911Dubai0.91113191417 -3Yemen-Source:Compiled by ESCWA consultant from the Institute for Management Development Smart City Index,

217、20192023.a HDI:Human Development Index.b -:value is not available in the Institute for Management Development Smart City Index Report 2023.B.Innovation in public institutions in the Arab regionInnovation in the public sector is a principal aspect of development.Unlike with the private sector,there i

218、s no commonly agreed upon definition of the term.The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD)defines innovation in the public sector as the implementation of new or significantly improved methods,processes or services by public sector institutions aimed at improving the operation

219、s and services of these 28Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutionsinstitutions.66 Innovation in the public sector involves significant improvements and changes to operations and services that governments are responsible for providing to the public,including tho

220、se delivered by third parties.It is difficult to measure innovation in the public sector due to its complexity,making it hard to define commonly agreed upon units of measurement.67 However,the World Intellectual Property Organization(WIPO)developed the Global Innovation Index(GII)as an annual rankin

221、g of countries to measure their capacity for and success in innovation at different levels.The index relies on two sub-indices:the Innovation Input and Innovation Output sub-indices,the average of which determines the country rankings.The Innovation Input sub-index is based on five pillars that capt

222、ure elements that enable innovation activities:”Institutions”,”Human capital and research”;”Infrastructure”;”Market sophistication”;and”Business sophistication”.The Innovation Output sub-index is based on two pillars that measure the results of innovative activities within the economy:”Knowledge and

223、 technology outputs”and”Creative outputs”.68According to the 2023 GII report,some countries in the Arab region are making significant progress in relation to innovation systems and outcomes.The United Arab Emirates,Saudi Arabia and Qatar are ranked in the top 50 countries globally,in 32nd,48th and 5

224、0th place,respectively.Other countries,Table 5.The 2023 Global Innovation Index rankings of countries in the Arab region covered by the GII 2023 ReportCountryOverall GIIInstitutionsHuman capital and researchInfrastructureKnowledge and technology outputsCreative outputsUnited Arab Emirates32101615595

225、0Saudi Arabia484535486866Qatar502354398265Kuwait648655467364Bahrain672877377498Oman696252617579Morocco708386946555Jordan715182877675Tunisia7910746895072Egypt8610395907773Lebanon9212572968696Algeria11997113102128107Mauritania12789119124115131Source:Compiled by ESCWA consultant from the Global Innovat

226、ion Index Database,WIPO,2023.Note:best performance,ranks 1st to 33rdranks 34th to 66thranks 67th to 99thranks 100th to 132th29Technology and innovation in public institutionsspecifically Bahrain(67th),Oman(69th)and Jordan(71st),are moving up the ranks with notable improvements in their innovation sy

227、stems,especially in relation to government effectiveness and public sector services.Among the lower-middle income group,Morocco(70th)is considered as an efficient innovator.Table 5 illustrates the 2023 GII rankings of countries in the Arab region covered by the index analysis,noting that the Comoros

228、,Djibouti,Iraq,Libya,the State of Palestine,Somalia,the Sudan,the Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen were not included in the 2023 GII report due to the lack of available data necessary to calculate the different pillars under the indices and sub-indices of the GII index.69Different kind of initiatives

229、are being undertaken by Governments in the Arab region to boost innovation in their public sector institutions.ESCWA established the Arab Open and Innovative Government Portal(AOIGP)70 to collect and document case studies related to open government and innovation in public institutions in the Arab r

230、egion.Many Governments have already registered their case studies in the AOIGP and more are in the process of being documented.For instance,the Tunisian National Institute of Major Cultures has developed a smart irrigation mobile application,“IREY”,to enhance the efficiency of irrigation water use i

231、n Tunisia,reduce water waste,improve crops productivity and quality,and save time and effort.The application provides real-time irrigation schedules for selected crops(i.e.,sugar beets,oat,wheat,corn and barley).71 It is based on accurate climate data collected using geospatial technologies,such as

232、Geographic Information Systems(GIS)and remote sensing technology,which contribute to determining the quantities of irrigation needed.72 The Government of Jordan developed the“Bekhedmetkom”(i.e.,“At Your Service”)platform,which allows Jordanian citizens to communicate with the Government through an i

233、nteractive channel.The platform provides many public services to citizens and also allows for raising complains,reporting violations,commenting on services they receive,and submitting suggestions and inquiries.“Bekhedmetkon”gives citizens the space needed to engage in improving government performanc

234、e and the efficiency of public services.73,74The Moroccan Ministry of Economy and Finance developed and established the“Chafafiya”(i.e.,“Transparency”)portal as a mechanism to support the right to access information according to Law No.3113 issued in 2018.The portal aims at enhancing the efficiency

235、of public services,encouraging proactive dissemination of information and promoting transparency by allowing citizens and residents in Morocco seeking information to submit and track their requests and to receive responses online.75,76 The Palestinian Ministry of Telecommunication and Information Te

236、chnology launched in 2018 an open data portal to enhance transparency and to provide open access to government data in accordance with the Palestinian Open Data Policy.The portal aims to strengthen government effectiveness,enhance partnerships between local sectors,and boost trust between the Govern

237、ment and the public.It includes open datasets from different public institutions related to education,health,agriculture and tourism,among others,from which citizens can seek and access information.77,78 Egypt also launched a data portal that offers a variety of datasets related to agriculture,educa

238、tion,industry,health and more.30Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutionsThese datasets allow citizens to explore public government data and export and download data through application programming interfaces.79,80 These application programming interfaces enable

239、 software applications to communicate with each other,allowing the sharing of data based on a specific request,such as a mobile payment or checking the weather on a mobile.The Lebanese Office of the Ministry of State for Administration Development developed and launched in 2020“Integrated Solid Wast

240、e Management System”software to allow municipality officials and the public to calculate the costs of various waste management activities,such as collection,sorting,sweeping and composting to enhance solid waste management and planning throughout Lebanon.81 Saudi Arabia has also used emerging techno

241、logies to enhance public sector innovation.For instance,the“Seha Virtual Hospital”was launched in 2021 by the Ministry of Health as a virtual hospital that uses advanced telehealth technologies to provide specialized patient care and access to medical services.The virtual hospital uses data-driven m

242、ethods,digital platforms and expertise(more than 150 doctors from 170 hospitals from around Saudi Arabia)to provide virtual consultations for critical/urgent care,virtual medical services,virtual specialized clinics and virtual multidisciplinary committees.82,83The Government of the United Arab Emir

243、ates launched in 2023 the“U-Ask”unified digital channel as a next-generation feature available under the“U.AE Government Portal”.This feature is a generative AI-driven chatbot designed to address a wide range of inquiries and requests and provide comprehensive,accurate answers about government infor

244、mation and services.Another AI-driven feature is the UAEPass feature that grants access to more than 3,000 public services.The aim of these features is to enhance citizen administration and provide citizen-centric digital public services.84,85 In 2023,elections in Oman took place using a biometric-b

245、ased digital ID application,“Antakhib”(i.e.,“I Vote”in English),launched by the Ministry of Interior as the only official way to vote in the elections of the Municipal Council and Shura Council.The adoption of this application used trusted,secure technologies for a better,easier electoral process an

246、d effectively promoted the political participation of citizens,residing both inside and outside the country.86,87Many countries in the Arab region are making notable efforts to improve the use of technology and innovation in public sector institutions.These efforts vary from one country to another d

247、epending on the economic power of each country and availability of solid physical and soft infrastructure,along with policies and regulations related to government development,the use of technology and innovation and enhancement of entrepreneurship.This also includes government efforts to provide fi

248、nancial support to research and development at all levels,including that needed to improve performance for future development in public institutions.88 Table 6 illustrates the 2023 status of selected Arab countries in relation to their“government effectiveness“along with the use of technology and in

249、novation in Governments in the Arab region.Use of technology is measured through“government online services“and“online e-participation“factors,while innovation is measured by the“regulatory environment“,“entrepreneurship policy and culture“and“research and development“factors.31Technology and innova

250、tion in public institutions Table 6.The 2023 government effectiveness of selected Governments in the Arab region and use of selected technology and innovation factorsCountryGovernment effectivenessGovernment online servicesOnline e-participationRegulatory environmentEntrepreneurship policies and cul

251、tureResearch and developmentScore/valueGlobal rankScore/valueGlobal rankScore/valueGlobal rankScore/valueGlobal rankScore/valueGlobal rankScore/valueGlobal rankUnited Arab Emirates75.41889.11277.91883.121100137.329Qatar67.52856.883369367.8508078.964Bahrain56.54072.654438673.936n/an/a5.871Saudi Arabi

252、a50.44680.33268.64358.77873.71133.233Jordan435962.47353.567733742.4468.765Kuwait35.77366.56653.56753.69128.8613.781Morocco34.97441.710525.611155.28719.1703.782Oman33.57871.55865.15051.19640.5484.479Tunisia32.18256.18553.56755.28810.6787.569Egypt24.89752.88733.79736.812428.76211.855Algeria19.610630.8

253、12120.912247.6106n/an/a4.578Mauritania16.51140131013156.385n/an/a0119Lebanon1.213136.511438.49056.28652.33014.250Source:Compiled by ESCWA consultant from the GII database,WIPO,2023.3132Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutionsAlthough many Governments in the Ara

254、b region are making efforts to improve and enhance the use of technology and innovation in their public sector institutions,these efforts are still in the early stages and most Governments have some way to go to reach the desired aims.For instance,according to World Bank data,the 2021 research and d

255、evelopment expenditure(percentage of GDP)of all Arab countries constituted only 0.71 per cent,while the global average expenditure was 2.71 per cent for the same year,89 noting that this expenditure includes all relevant research and development institutions,both governmental and non-governmental.It

256、 is thus necessary to increase efforts to enhance the use of technology and innovation in public institutions to achieve the RITE principles in these institutions.To support countries in the Arab region in enhancing innovation in the public sector,ESCWA has developed InnoCook,90 an adaptable innovat

257、ion process model for public institutions.Using a cooking metaphor,the model offers guidance and an overall structure for processes,while promoting creativity in execution and methods.The model is adaptable,making it workable in most environments.It offers ideas on how to adapt it to local condition

258、s and provides suggestions on kick-starting innovation and handling challenges.It also highlights ideas and issues that can be addressed through the innovation process model,while providing guidelines on developing local uses.3233Enhancing digital connectivity,accessibility and trust through coheren

259、t digital platforms in public institutionsEnhancing digital connectivity,accessibility and trust through coherent digital platforms in public institutions3EmmaStock/34Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutions3.Enhancing digital connectivity,accessibility and tru

260、st through coherent digital platforms in public institutionsGovernments globally are increasingly focusing on the needs of their citizens by redesigning their services in ways that use data,the Internet and digital technologies.However,the complexity of the public sector means the transformation of

261、public services(i.e.to e-services)may happen in a piecemeal fashion over a long period of time rather than being delivered at the required scale,coherently and effectively in a timely manner.The COVID-19 pandemic gave Governments an opportunity to rethink the use of digital tools and data as solutio

262、ns for improving the delivery of public services and strengthening their capacities to promptly react to any possible future crises.The digital transformation of public sector institutions requires a series of improvements at different levels.This includes enhancing digital connectivity through stro

263、ng,well-designed physical infrastructure,revisiting existing related policies and legislations or issuing new ones,using trusted digital and emerging technologies to deliver effective public services,making public services available and useable by all,and ensuring inclusiveness by reducing the digit

264、al divide,including the gender gap.For this report,the digital platform of a public institution refers to a public digital platform that provides different digital solutions related to physical infrastructure,policies or public e-services to enhance connectivity,accessibility and trust in public e-s

265、ervices.A key component of digital platforms is the DPI,which enables the provision of public services.This infrastructure is divided into two main components:“hard digital infrastructure”and“soft digital infrastructure”.Both are essential to ensure societys digital functioning.Hard digital infrastr

266、ucture refers to the physical digital assets,structures and facilities required to run the digital sphere,such as cables,sensors,data centres,microwaves,etc.,that are used to transport and manipulate data and deliver services to the public.Soft digital infrastructure consists of the intangible eleme

267、nts that enable digital service delivery,foster innovation and create societal well-being.91 It is prerequisite infrastructure for the use of public sector institutions data and services and the progress of automation and digitalization.This infrastructure enables the operating environment that allo

268、ws all physical digital assets to communicate and operate.Soft digital infrastructure includes elements such as rules,regulations,legislation,policies,strategies,standards,functional systems,health-care systems and software applications(i.e.developed using AI,blockchain,robots,big data).Hard infrast

269、ructure enhances the connectivity and inclusiveness of public institutions digital platforms and helps to close the digital divide;robust soft infrastructure promotes responsiveness,inclusiveness,accessibility and trust(figure 3).Hard and soft digital infrastructures are heavily interdependent.Hard

270、digital infrastructure cannot operate without the use of soft digital infrastructure.For instance,any access to public data that needs authentication using the digital identity of the user requires special legislation to 35Enhancing digital connectivity,accessibility and trust through coherent digit

271、al platforms in public institutionsregulate the use of digital identities.Soft digital infrastructure cannot be issued or deployed without hard digital infrastructure.For example,adoption or proposing cybersecurity policy for public institutions is meaningless without the presence of the physical cy

272、bersecurity systems through which this policy will be applied.A.Enhancing connectivity,accessibility and trust through hard digital infrastructureThe hard digital infrastructure of public institutions provides a connected foundation over which digital services are developed and delivered to citizens

273、.As part of a nations digital assets,hard digital infrastructure allows public institutions to communicate with citizens,provide access to public services,boost innovation,and enhance inclusiveness,accessibility,trust and transparency.Its hardware systems enable public platforms to promote citizen e

274、ngagement in decision-making and dissent.It provides the base needed to implement and deliver the soft digital infrastructure required to enhance citizens quality of life.Hard digital infrastructure needs different types of communication channels over which public electronic services and operations

275、are delivered to citizens.This includes the use of mobile data transfer technologies(e.g.,3G,4G and 5G),broadband communication and wireless and satellite communication.The more robust the hard digital infrastructure of a country and its public institutions is,the more able it is to provide coherent

276、,well-designed public services and operations.Figure 4 illustrates examples of hard digital infrastructure.Figure 3.Hard and soft digital infrastructure of public digital platformsHard digital infrastructureSoft digitalinfrastructureData processingand storageConnectivityand data transportationServic

277、es andapplicationsPolicies,rulesand regulations Promotes inclusivenss,reponsiveness,accessibility and trustEnhances connectivity,inclusiveness and helps close the digital divideSource:Developed by ESCWA consultant.36Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutions Figu

278、re 4.Examples of hard digital infrastructureData centresCloud hardware servicesSecurity hardware systemsEnd-userdevice(s)SubseacablesInternet backbonesCommunication towers and small cellsNetwork devices and cablesHard digital infrastructure examplesSource:Developed by ESCWA consultant.1 Arab region

279、countries connectivity,the ICT Development IndexAccording to EGDI,the three key dimensions needed to provide public digital services are:(1)the provision of online services,measured according to the Online Service Index(OSI);(2)telecommunication connectivity and infrastructure,measured by the ICT De

280、velopment Index(IDI);and(3)human capital,measured by the Human Capital Index(HCI).92 The IDI used to measure the hard digital infrastructure of a country is based on two main pillars known as the“universal”and“meaningful”connectivity pillars.93 The“universal connectivity”pillar includes indicators t

281、o measure the connectivity of individuals,households,businesses and communities to the Internet.The“meaningful connectivity”pillar includes indicators that capture the five enablers of connectivity:infrastructure,device,affordability,safety,security and skills,as illustrated in figure 5.In recent ye

282、ars,most countries in the Arab region have seen continued but slow growth in most development areas of hard digital infrastructure,use and access.According to the 2023 International Telecommunication Union(ITU)statistics related to the IDI,the percentage of individuals using the Internet in the Arab

283、 region increased from 64.2 per cent in 2021 to 66.9 per cent at the end of 2022(65.4 per cent of women and 74.9 per cent of men).Mobile networks cover 96.4 per cent of population in the Arab region but only 75 per cent of the population has an active mobile broadband subscription.37Enhancing digita

284、l connectivity,accessibility and trust through coherent digital platforms in public institutionsThe percentage of the population reached by 3G signal increased to 96.0 per cent in 2022 compared to 94.0 per cent in 2021,and almost 76.0 per cent of the population is reached by 4G signal.The ITU statis

285、tics also demonstrate that urban areas have greater access to the Internet,with 79.9 per cent of urban households having Internet access compared to 56.3 per cent of households in rural areas.Figure 6 illustrates the Arab regions hard digital infrastructure in 2022 as measured on the IDI(per 100 hab

286、itants and per cent),showing the difference between 2022 and 2021 where 2021 measures are available.94 Figure 5.ICT Development Index structure,2023ICT Development IndexUniversal connectivity pillarMeaningful connectivity pillarProportion of individuals who used the Internet(from any location)in the

287、 last 3 monthMobile network coveragePercentage of the population covered by at least a 3G mobile networkPercentage of the population covered by at least a 4G/LTE mobile networkMobile broadband Internet traffic per mobile broadband subscription(GB)Fixed broadband Internet traffic per fixed broadband

288、subscription(GB)Mobile data and voice high-consumption basket price(%of GNI per capita)Fixed-broadband Internet basket price(as%of GNI per capita)Percentage of individuals who own a mobile phoneProportion of households with Internet access at homeActive mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabit

289、antsSource:The ITU ICT Development Index,2023.https:/www.itu.int/itu-d/reports/statistics/IDI2023/.Figure 6.Arab region hard digital infrastructure indicators(per 100 habitants and per cent)of the IDI,2022Fixed broadbandsubscriptions(+0.7%from 2021)(+2.7%from 2021)96.4 (-0.3%from 2021)65.4 women 74.

290、9 men 96.0(+2.0%from 2021)Active mobile broadband subscriptions 74Individuals usingthe Internet Women and men using the Internet Household Internet accessUrban household Internet accessMobile network coverage63.679.9Rural household Internet accessPercentage of population within reach of a 3G signalP

291、ercentage of population within reach of a 4G signal76.0%56.3%9.5%66.93G 4G Source:Compiled by ESCWA consultant from the ITU statistics datahub,2023.38Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutionsThe Arab region is diverse in terms of digital development in general a

292、nd in hard digital infrastructure development in particular.The Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC)countries lead the Arab region across many hard digital infrastructure(i.e.ICT)indicators.Least Developed Countries(LDCs)in the region,however,are facing many challenges with their hard digital infrastructur

293、e development processes.The level of digital development depends on many factors,such as the economic power of the country,availability of resources,level of urbanization,geography and more.For instance,the rate of households with Internet access in most GCC and middle-income Arab countries equals o

294、r is near to 100 per cent,while it is less than 30 per cent in Arab LDCs(figure 7).Active mobile broadband subscriptions are another IDI indicator which influences the advancing of a countrys hard digital infrastructure and,in turn,its public sector institutions.Active mobile broadband subscriptions

295、,according to the latest available statistics for all the countries in the Arab region,reached 74 per 100 inhabitants in 2022.This average is lower by 10 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants than the world average of 87.Only eight Arab countries are above this average:Algeria(98.4),Oman(116),Libya(118)

296、,Kuwait(141),Saudi Arabia(143),Bahrain(145),Qatar(162)and the United Arab Emirates(217).Another component of hard digital infrastructure is related to satellite broadband development,which can offer an effective means of closing the existing digital divide and addressing the remaining connectivity g

297、aps,especially in rural and remote,hard-to-reach areas.Satellite broadband development is measured by the number of Internet subscriptions offered by satellite technology with an advertised Internet download speed of at least 256 kbits/s.The latest ITU statistics regarding satellite broadband subscr

298、iptions are only available for 11 Arab countries.They show that the rate of subscriptions has increased in Bahrain,Morocco,Oman,the Sudan and Tunisia,and has declined in Algeria,Egypt,Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over the period 20172019.Figure 9 illustrates the satellite broadband subs

299、cription of selected countries in the Arab region over the period 20182019 along with the compound annual growth rate(CAGR)of Bahrain,Oman,Morocco,the Sudan and Tunisia over the period 20152019.95 Figure 7.Households with Internet access at home,2022(Percentage)0.020.040.060.080.0100.044.8Algeria100

300、.0Bahrain5.6Comoros52.6Djibouti73.2Egypt88.7Iraq90.1Jordan99.4Kuwait84.4Lebanon23.7Libya29.4Mauritania86.2Morocco94.4Oman92.3State of Palestine95.0Qatar100.0Saudi Arabia11.9Somalia16.2Sudan45.0Syrian Arab Republic56.7Tunisia100.0United Arab Emirates9.65YemenSource:Compiled by ESCWA consultant from t

301、he ITU statistics datahub,2023.39Enhancing digital connectivity,accessibility and trust through coherent digital platforms in public institutionsStatistics show that although some countries in the region are very advanced in terms of hard digital infrastructure,others are still facing myriad challen

302、ges.These challenges have a significant impact on the delivery of public institutions services to citizens and limit the realization of connectivity,accessibility and trust in deployed and delivered public services.2 Data centres and cloud computing use in public sector institutionsA data centre is

303、a specialized building or portion of a building facility dedicated to ICT infrastructure.It houses computing and networking resources used for processing,Figure 8.Active mobile broadband subscriptions,2021 and 2022(Per 100 inhabitants)2.617.219.919.535.439.948.042.260.765.769.076.082.081.882.995.911

304、3.0114.0133.0137.0132.0138.0231.02.521.621.725.735.145.246.661.763.967.771.385.487.087.588.998.4116.0118.0141.0143.0145.0162.0217.00.050.0100.0150.0200.0250.0SomaliaSyrian Arab RepublicState of PalestineYemenDjiboutiSudanIraqComorosEgyptJordanMauritaniaLebanonWorldTunisiaMoroccoAlgeriaOmanLibyaKuwai

305、tSaudi ArabiaBahrainQatarUnited Arab Emirates20222021Source:Compiled by ESCWA consultant from the ITU World Telecommunication/ICT indicators Database,2021 and 2022.40Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public institutions Figure 9.Satellite broadband subscription of selected

306、countries in the Arab region,20182019,and CAGR 20152019(Thousands)0100020003000400050006000700080009000MoroccoIraqAlgeria Saudi Arabia EgyptBahrainSudanUnited ArabEmiratesTunisiaOmanComorosSatellite broadband subscriptions 2017 Satellite broadband subscriptions 2018 Satellite broadband subscriptions

307、 2019 Oman+2%Morocco+8%CAGR 2015-2019Sudan+15%Tunisia+19%Bahrain+24%Source:ITU,2021a,p.9,based on ITU World Telecommunication/ICT indicators Database,2021.managing,storing and distributing data.All these functions work together to facilitate the e-services provided by different bodies such as Govern

308、ments,administrations,businesses and organizations as well as boosting the communication between these bodies and the users of these services.A data centre hosts online services and websites,supports organizations operations,stores data securely,conducts data analysis and manages databases.Data cent

309、res provide diverse applications that encompass a wide range of sectors,such as public health-care and welfare e-services.Data centres offer a variety of benefits.First,data centres apply robust security measures on physical and digital assets,including providing a secure environment for data storag

310、e to reduce the risks of unauthorized access and data breaches.For example,the robust security measures of a national or government data centre can help boost trust in the public services delivered to citizens as the public will not be worried about exchanging their personal and sensitive data when

311、using these services.Second,data centres enable reliability and accessibility through the installation of redundant power systems,backup solutions and disaster recovery sites,as well as special control systems to protect the data centre environment from high temperatures,water,fire and dust.These me

312、asures make all offline and online operations and services provided by the data centre available almost all of the time for the benefit of end users(e.g.,employees and citizens).This accessibility is helpful in cases such as the COVID-19 pandemic,during which most in-person activities were replaced

313、by virtual ones(e.g.,online learning and telemedical services).Data centres also offer fast,easy and affordable scaling options.With data centres it is easy to expand the computing and networking resources of an organization 41Enhancing digital connectivity,accessibility and trust through coherent d

314、igital platforms in public institutionswhenever needed.Finally,data centres are designed to increase cost efficiencies through shared resources and use of low-cost energy generators and grids.Administrative staff can manage the data centre remotely without the need to be physically in-place.In a wor

315、ld that is becoming increasingly digitalized,national data centres have emerged as a vital component of countries digital infrastructure ecosystems and as a significant strategic consideration.These data centres allow public sector institutions and government agencies to collect,store,analyse and pr

316、otect sensitive data;transfer data using secured communication channels either within and between public institutions or with the public;provide a variety of services to citizens;and increase trust in public data-driven services using robust cybersecurity solutions.Governments can also use these dat

317、a centres to design and establish national digital platforms through which information is exchanged with the public,allowing citizens to be engaged in national development processes and hearing citizens voices and feedback regarding government services.National data centres can be designed following

318、 different design models.The first model,known as a traditional data centre,is built in-house(i.e.,on-premises model),in which the data centre is totally owned and operated by the Government or public institution.The second model is managed by a third party on behalf of the Government or public inst

319、itution.In this case,the Government or public institution leases the infrastructure and the equipment instead of buying them.With the third model,the Government or public institution rents a space within a data centre that is owned by a third party.This type of data centre is known as a colocation d

320、ata centre,in which the owner of the data centre provides only the main digital infrastructure,such as location,cooling system,security solutions,internet bandwidth,etc.It is the responsibility of the Government or public institution to provide and manage its own digital components,such as servers,f

321、irewalls and storage.The fourth model is an off-premises one,known a cloud data centre,in which data,applications and infrastructure are hosted by a cloud service provider.96Cloud data centres form the base of the cloud computing technology through which the Internet is used to deliver computing ser

322、vices,including servers,storage,networking,databases and applications.Cloud computing-based data centres reduce the need for costly infrastructure investments as they operate on a pay-as-you-go model.The most popular model of cloud computing-based data centre is known as Infrastructure as a Service(

323、IaaS),Platform as a Service(PaaS)and Software as a Service(SaaS)(figure 10).However,there are some disadvantages with this technology related to the dependence on Internet connectivity that might disrupt operations during network outages.Another issue is related to data security that might be affect

324、ed depending on the strength of the cybersecurity systems used and applied by the service provider.Various Governments around the globe have decided to use cloud-based services to accelerate their digital transformation process and to enhance their ability to deliver essential public services.Cloud-

325、based services,either as IaaS,PaaS or SaaS,can offer Governments the tools needed to operate more efficiently.These include tools with advanced cybersecurity features,capacity to rapidly scale,expandable data storage and access to professional data analytical tools.Cloud-based services also are powe

326、rful as a way to help maximize digital dividends in developing countries.97During the COVID-19 pandemic,many Governments,including those in the Arab region,adopted cloud computing to quickly apply solutions to maintain continuity 42Leveraging emerging technology and innovation for enhancing public i

327、nstitutionsof critical operations and services.Many schools and universities enabled remote learning and teaching through cloud-based platforms with the aim of improving accessibility,scalability and flexibility for both teachers and students.98 Cloud-based services have also been used in the health

328、-care sector.For instance,the acute shortage of health-care workers in Rwanda during the COVID-19 pandemic was resolved by using a specialized cloud-based AI application.The application was developed with an AI-based symptom checker to check patients and monitor them during recovery,which allowed he

329、alth-workers more time to support other patients as needed.99.3 Status of cloud computing in public institutions in the Arab regionDifferent Governments in the Arab region are beginning the process of replacing their traditional data centres and shifting towards cloud-based infrastructure and soluti

330、ons.The Omani Government launched in 2014 the G-Cloud initiative with the aim of improving the ICT infrastructure capacities of the Government and enabling different public institutions to provide e-services to citizens.In 2020,Oman partnered with Oracle to migrate 120 government and semi-government

331、 entities to the G-Cloud platform.The Figure 10.Difference in services between traditional data centres and cloud computing-based data centresInfrastructure as a Service(IaaS)Platform as aService(PaaS)Software as aService(SaaS)ApplicationsSoftwareDatabasesOperating systemsMiddlewareVirtualizationSer

332、versStorageNetworking and securityManaged by Government or public institutionOn-premise data centreTraditionalOn-premisesCloud SaaS data centre ApplicationsSoftwareDatabasesOperating systemsMiddlewareVirtualizationServersStorageNetworking and securityManaged by Government or public institutionCloud

333、hosting data centre(IaaS and PaaS)Managed by service providerApplicationsSoftwareDatabasesOperating systemsMiddlewareVirtualizationServersStorageNetworking and securityManaged by Government or public institutionManaged by service providerApplicationsSoftwareDatabasesOperating systemsMiddlewareVirtualizationServersStorageNetworking and securityManaged by service providerSource:Developed by ESCWA Co