In collaboration with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), UNU-EGOV played an important role in the recently launched 2024 UN E-Government Survey. This landmark report highlights digital government advancements worldwide. UNU-EGOV's contribution, particularly through its work on the Local Online Service Index (LOSI), was critical in shaping the evaluation of local government portals.
The partnership between UNU-EGOV and UN DESA focused on applying and refining the LOSI methodology, designed to assess the digital capacity of the largest city in each of the 193 UN Member States. This framework ensures a thorough examination of local government portals, analyzing their digital services and identifying areas for improvement. As more people access public services digitally, the quality and efficiency of local government portals have become increasingly important for enhancing citizen engagement and public service delivery.
“This partnership, which began in 2018, is fundamental for us to understand how local public services are keeping up with the digital transformation efforts of national governments. This evaluation is crucial to reduce the asymmetries in digital development between cities and different levels of governance”. Delfina Soares, director of UNU-EGOV.
The Operating Unit on Policy-Driven Electronic Governance contributed beyond assessment, offering capacity-building support, developing toolkits, and providing technical expertise to local governments. Through these initiatives, local authorities are empowered to implement LOSI's recommendations, driving progress in digital governance at the municipal level.
The cities of Tallinn (Estonia), Madrid (Spain), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), New York (United States of America), Istanbul (Turkey), Berlin (Germany), Seoul (Republic of Korea), and Singapore (Singapore) occupy the top 10 of the ranking.
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The 2024 UN E-Government Survey revealed significant global strides in e-government development, emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration. UNU-EGOV's active participation in the LOSI Network and its work in countries like India, Tunisia, and Brazil demonstrate the potential of targeted interventions to bridge the digital divide and advance sustainable development goals through digital government.
In addition to the survey’s global release, the upcoming edition of ICEGOV, set to begin on 1 October, will feature a regional presentation of the 2024 E-Government Survey for Africa. This event will also include a dedicated workshop aimed at initiating discussions and rethinking the LOSI methodology in preparation for its next application in two years.
The full results of the survey, including UNU-EGOV’s contributions, underscore the importance of enhancing e-government services at both national and local levels, ensuring that no community is left behind in the digital era. Download the full report here. To learn more information about LOSI, download our flyer below.
