Digital Government Authority (DGA)

The Council of Ministers approved the establishment of the Digital Government Authority, in accordance with Council Resolution No. (418) dated 25/7/1442 AH. The decision stipulates that “the authority has legal personality, financial and administrative independence, and it is linked organically to the Prime Minister,” and that it “is the authority concerned with everything related to digital government and it is the national reference in its affairs. It aims to regulate the work of digital government in government agencies, in order to reach a digital and proactive government capable of providing highly efficient digital services and achieving integration in the field of digital government among all stakeholdert agencies.

Digital Government Authority’s Jurisdictions

Without prejudice to the competencies of the relevant authorities, the authority shall assume the following specializations and tasks:

• Approv the policies related to the Authority’s activities, and the plans and programs necessary for their implementation, and lifting what is required for the completion of procedures in this regard.

• Propose draft regulations related to the authority’s jurisdiction, to propose to amend the applicable ones, and to submit them to complete the necessary legal procedures.

• Participate in preparing the national strategy for the digital government - in coordination with the concerned authorities - in preParation for raising it in accordance with the followed legal procedures, and overseeing its implementation after its approval, developing its implementation plans and following up on compliance with it.

• Coordinat with the competent authorities to work on regulating the work of digital government, platforms, websites, digital government services, government networks, and the unified national portal, and this includes developing plans, programs, indicators and measures related to digital government work, shared digital government services, digital trust services in government agencies, and the market platform Governmental digital system, organizing the operations and management processes and related projects, disseminating them to the relevant authorities, and following up their commitment to them.

• Issu measurements, indicators, tools and reports; To measure the performance and capabilities of government agencies in the field of digital government, and the satisfaction of the beneficiaries with it.

• Follow up on the commitment of government agencies to the decisions and orders issued in the matter of digital government transactions, in accordance with the frameworks and standards set by the authority.

• Governance of the digital government cloud business and clouds related to the digital government sector.

• Rationaliz the costs of digital government services, in order to ensure a better level of service, and setting the necessary controls for that, in partnership with the competent authorities.

• Setting technical standards for digital transformation models in government sectors and following up compliance with them, in coordination with the competent authorities.

• Provide support to government agencies with regard to digital government services, to adopt and enable modern technologies.

• Contribute to building national capabilities specialized in digital government, and participate in preparing educational and training programs related to digital government.

• Conduct studies and research in the field of digital government and encouraging investment in it.

• Contribute to setting standard specifications for digital government products, and overseeing their implementation in cooperation with the competent authorities.

• Provid advice and services in relation to digital government for government agencies and the private sector.

 The Governor –Chief Information Officer (CIO)

His Excellency Eng. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Ali Al-Soyyan

He holds a master's degree in business administration from Prince Sultan University, and a bachelor's in computer science from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, and he worked as the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance for Technology and Development Affairs since 2017, and before that he was responsible for strategic planning and information technology in the Saudi Industrial Development Fund between 2015 And 2017.

His Excellency also held several positions in Etihad Etisalat "Mobily", most notably the Vice President for Application Development and Planning. In addition to his membership in the boards of directors of each of: the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, the Saudi Company for Electronic Information Exchange (exchange), the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, and the Communications and Information Technology Commission. read more …

 

Board of Directors of the Digital Government Authority

Digital Government Authority’s Services

Digital Government Authority’s Services Provided to Government Agencies

The Kingdom empowers government agencies digitally through many programs by the Digital Government Authority to provide citizens with effortless services.

• Applying for a Software License: Allowing government agencies to request a license before taking any actions related to the other governmental services.

• Product Management: This service allows government agencies to manage, classify, and publish their products on the government software deposit platform.

• Uploading a Source Code: This service allows developers of government agencies to deposit the source code of their governmental software in the digital platform for depositing government software, enabling the Digital Government Authority to test, review and approve the source codes. More DGA services for government agencies.

Programs to Support and Empower Government Services

• GovTech : The GovTech Program aims to support all government agencies to adopt the emerging technologies in their products and services to pave the way for an innovative government future.

• Digital Consulting Program: Provide digital advisory services to government entities to accelerate the government's digital transformation and adoption of innovative solutions

• Digital Government Award: The Digital Government Innovation Award aims to improve the quality of life and achieve beneficiaries' satisfaction by building an integrated digital society in Saudi Arabia which provides proactive digital services.

• OSS: "OSS" aims to avail the governmental open-source systems code which is aligned with organizing roles of OSS

• Q.Ttech: QTECH aims to raise the governmental capabilities in digital transformation through development programs and knowledge activities to build an active and efficient digital society.

• Digital Transformation Measurement (Qiyas): Tool to measure the digital transformation level achieved by a certain government agency.

• Information Technology Leadership Portal: An interactive portal for government agency technical leaders is available to enable standards about national services and applications provided by the Digital Government Authority to support KSA’s digital government. It also allows information technology managers to use services effectively and to update them directly.

 

Digital Government Authority’s Services Provided to the Citizen

Unified National Platform GOV.SA

The Kingdom launched the Unified National Platform, dedicated to providing all government services through a unified experience, making services accessible to citizens, residents, entrepreneurs, and visitors through multiple channels. These actions contributed to improving the status in digital governance as it advanced the Kingdom by 12 positions jumping 12  ranks  in  the  UN’s  2022 EGDI (E-Government  Development  Index),  to  be  globally, implementing  governmental  services  allowing  citizens  return   from   abroad   through   the   platform   during   COVID-19  pandemic  crisis, launching  an  interactive  and  informative  website  for  distance learning, which contains all the required links and instructions for working remotely., launching the National Profile for citizens and residents, in which a citizen’s  information  is  made  available  to  government  entities  for  viewing, handling  and  providing  more than  30  services in the National Profile, launching the COVID-19 national reference platform, launching “Morajea” App, for booking appointments to visit government entities and apply social distancing and increasing government digital services to increase the beneficiaries’ satisfaction rate.

 

Citizen Interaction Center (AMER)

 

Thousands of citizens use the electronic government agency services daily. Therefore, the Citizens Interaction Center (Amer) was launched to respond to all inquiries related to many communication channels of the electronic services:

• Toll-Free

• Text messages

• Instant chat

• Email

• Fax

• Social media channels

The center also visually interprets services in sign language for the deaf, maintaining the privacy of women with female interpreters

Coordinating and cooperation for digital transformation

The governance of digital transformation covers not only the introduction of digital technologies, but also the proper collaboration and cooperation among many stake holders. The information extends over different sectors. The different government authorities in charge of the development of these sectors assume independent planning and management. It is logical and pragmatic that the intergovernmental cooperation combined with coordination of several government stakeholders will be of paramount impact on success.   In different ways, allocation of tasks, use of new skills and arrangements to realize efficiency savings and others new dimension of the concept of national transformation. Policy makers focus on the strategic responses to the direct issues relating to digital transformation – strategic direction and priorities, involvement across levels of government, collaboration, and partnerships with the private sector, as well.

 

A strong directive and modality of cooperation and coordination exists between several stake holder Saudi digital transformation–related authorities, government entities, as well as the national private sector. This coordination is adopted and maintained by DGA in its strategic action plans.

 

This policy of operation helps the operatives to be involved with the right groups of people from the outset of any digital transformation project. These include citizens, public servants; sector professionals and people at all levels of government; maintain strong communication practices, through communication networks specific to the project and sharing information.  

 

DGA adheres strongly to the United Nationals roadmap for Digital Cooperation that was launched in 2020 by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. Hence cooperation and collaboration in the field fo digital transformation is not limited to national stakeholders, but share and welcomed internationally.

National Actors

There are several actors in the Kingdom who are directly or indirectly involved in the digital transformation. process. These actors have their strategies, policies and action plans. They are listed here. This list is not exhaustive and other actors exist in different level of involvement and impact. 

• the Kingdom’s Vision for 2030 (Vision 2030)

• National Digital Transformation Unit (NDTU)

• Research, Development and Innovation Authority (RDIA) 

• National Center for Digital Certification (NCDC)

• Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence (SDAIA )

• ICT Strategy: Ministry of  Communications and Information technology (MCIT)

• Communications, Space and technology Commission (CSTC)

• National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA)