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UN surveys e-government support for sustainable development

Governments are increasingly embracing ICT to deliver services. (Image source: IICD)

A report published recently by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) indicates that governments are increasingly embracing ICT to deliver services and to engage people in decision-making processes

The headline news for Africa is that Mauritius and Tunisia are the continent's best performers, with global rankings of 58 and 72 respectively.

The 2016 UN E-Government Survey provides new evidence that e-government has the potential to help support the implementation of 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) incorporated into the UN's 2030 Agenda, which motivates governments to promote prosperity while protecting the planet through economic strategies and societal initiatives. It reveals, also, that one of the most important new trends globally is the advancement of people-driven services - that is, services that reflect people’s needs and are driven by them. However, it also discloses persisting disparities within and among countries.

It remains the case that lack of access to technology, poverty and inequality prevents people from fully taking advantage of the potential of ICTs and e-government for sustainable development.

UN government survey