MINSK, 24 July (BelTA) – Belarus now stands at the 38th position out of 193 countries in the E-Government Development Index (EDGI) according to the United Nations E-Government Survey 2018, BelTA has learned.
The country has moved 11 positions up to make it to the top 40 countries in the Very-High-EGDI level group for the first time. The ranking attributes it to the country's National Strategy for Sustainable Social and Economic Development for the period up to 2030 incorporating several initiatives related to ICT development in various sectors of its economy. For example, the Strategy of Informatization of the Republic of Belarus for the period 2016-2022 was implemented in 2015 with the purpose of enhancing ICTs in the provision of e-government services. Another initiative, the State Program for the Development of the Digital Economy and the Information Society for 2016-2020 defines the vision for the “digital transformation” of the Belarusian economy and ensures the effective implementation of digital tools. This program was designed to digitalize already existing processes in healthcare, public procurement, education, among others.
All but two of the 40 countries in the Very-High-EGDI level group are high-income countries; Belarus and Kazakhstan are upper-middle-income countries. As evidenced in previous editions of the Survey (United Nations, 2012, 2014 and 2016), the per capita income of a country, indicating economic capacity, has a strong influence on national e-government development.
Belarus secured a total score of 0.7641. Belarus' Human Capital Index was calculated at 0.8681 followed by 0.7361 in Online Service Index and 0.6881 in Telecommunication Infrastructure Index.
Belarus made considerable progress in E-Participation Index, moving from the 76th place up to the 33rd place. E-Participation Index describes the development of active communication services between citizens and the government.
Denmark was named the world leader in the E-Government Development Index. The world's top ten also include Australia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Singapore, New Zealand, France and Japan.
For the first time the survey studied e-government services in cities. The survey encompassed 40 cities. The ranking was topped by Moscow, followed by Cape Town and Tallinn.
The United Nations Organization compiles the E-Government Survey every two years. In 2014 Belarus was ranked 55th and in 2016 it was 49th in the E–Government Development Index.
