Saudi Arabia has soared up in UN rankings on digital government and e-government, jumping 25 places in the latest UN E-Government Development Index (EGDI) 2024. Not only that, but Riyadh city is - amazingly - now ranked 3rd GLOBALLY among 193 cities worldwide. The high rankings are welcomed in Saudi Arabia, but for residents and regular visitors, it is not all that surprising. The Kingdom’s e-government services across a variety of platforms are impressive, efficient and reliable - and used with ease in everyday life in Saudi Arabia.

In EPISODE 28, Hanaa leads a DEEPDIVE on the newest rankings and talks about the role of the Digital Government Authority (DGA) in driving these changes, the new 'Platform Code' initiative, and the comprehensive report on digital transformation strategies touching on governance, efficiency, and critical data management and security challenges.

Before the DEEPDIVE, the hosts catch up on holiday season preparations, discuss upcoming travel to the region and discuss Dubai as a place to visit with Children.

After the DEEPDIVE, the hosts get to some of the latest and most interesting news on Saudi Arabia, including, of course, the news that Saudi Arabia is finally confirmed as host for the 2034 FIFA WORLD CUP (!), a flurry of activity on sustainability in Saudi Arabia, Tim Cook’s visit to the Kingdom and the opening of the first Apple store, and the RED SEA FILM FESTIVAL with a notable face missing from the action on the red carpet.

📈 The TWENTY30 is the #1 podcast on Saudi Arabia in English. Subscribe for free wherever you get your podcasts:

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0uuKNWrgbQPMBIx3XY6YGU

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-twenty30/id1742574206

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@thetwenty30

Get episodes and exclusive content delivered to your email inbox free:

https://thetwenty30.com

📧 You can also email the show’s hosts with their first names (Lucien @TheTWENTY30.com) or (Hanaa @thetwenty30.com) or email Hosts @ TheTwenty30.com.