According to the report, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman are the top five among Arab states and within the top 60 in the IDI, a composite measure that ranks 166 countries according to their level of ICT access, use and skills.
Worldwide Denmark leads the rankings, followed by South Korea in second position. Among the Arab states, Bahrain has been ranked number one, but globally it has been placed at 27th. While, UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman are placed at 32nd, 34th, 47th, and 52nd rank respectively. Almost all countries surveyed improved their IDI rankings, with the CIS and Arab states demonstrating the highest improvements in regional IDI averages.
Jamil Ezzo, director general, ICDL Arabia, said, “These are exciting times for the ICT sector as the world is shifting towards a smarter society characterised by the integration of fresher technologies, the adoption of new standards and legislations on digital advancement, and the emergence of products and solutions for mobility, business and the likes. The recent UN study demonstrates that GCC is playing a leading role in the technology shift, with five GCC states joining the world’s top 60 countries in ÍCT development. The UAE in particular has made a significant improvement, jumping 14 positions to its current global ranking of 32.”
ICDL Arabia, the governing body and certification authority for the ICDL certification program in Egypt, GCC States and Iraq.
