UNDP launches framework for Arab countries to boost digital inclusion

Arab states are facing uneven progress in digital transformation: The use of e-government services, for instance, hovered at 45 percent in 2024. To address this, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recently launched a new program with the help of Qatari telecommunication company Ooredoo Group, designed to boost digital infrastructure and economic growth across the region.

The three main pillars of the Digital Policy Framework for the Arab States are expanding digital infrastructure and connectivity, including telecommunications; capturing and aggregating data through digital identity, data sharing, and digital finance; and, finally, introducing advanced digital systems that unlock productivity and innovation.

The initiative is part of broader regional efforts to promote digital collaboration, and includes partners such as mobile communications industry organization GSMA, Qatar’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and other stakeholders from the private sector and academia.

The Framework especially targets  low- and middle-income Arab countries (LMIACs) and enables them to assess their digital maturity and digital skills and where reforms and investments are needed.

“The proposed Digital Policy Framework provides a practical tool for governments across the Arab States region to design comprehensive policies that balance innovation, development, and equity, harnessing technology for the benefit of people and societies,” says Abdallah Al Dardari, UN assistant secretary-general and director of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Arab States.

The digital ID plan for Arab states

The document recommends that LMIACs start with the first pillar – developing connectivity, while laying the groundwork for digital ID, including governance, privacy and security, interoperability and enrollment models.

Once broad access is in place, digital ID becomes the foundation for Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) agendas under pillar number two. This includes integrating public and private, such as government databases with banking, SIM card registration and Know Your Customer (KYC) processes.

Digital ID systems also support financial frameworks, including instant payments, remote onboarding and identity verification, which are central to expanding financial inclusion.

“Digital Identity plays a foundational role in enabling inclusive participation in the digital economy and access to essential services,” says the paper.

Once digital identity systems are in place, work can begin in developing the third pillar in which digital ID systems act as catalysts for innovation and economic growth. New applications arise, including online education, e-health, smart agriculture and AI.

According to its estimates, AI adoption could add between US$21 billion and $35 billion annually to GDP to countries within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This represents 1.7 to 2.8 percent of non-oil GDP.

At the same time, digital IDs foster “trust, security, and accountability” within digital ecosystems.

“In LMIACs, where informal economies dominate and barriers to participation are high, Digital ID can unlock new pathways for entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, and cross-border trade.”

​The Framework also provides an overview of policy levers that can be used to reach digital development targets and specific international examples, including the Indian Aadhaar system, Saudi Arabia’s Nafath (Unified National Access) platform, Singapore’s Singpass services and the EU’s eIDAS framework.

Article Topics

digital identity  |  digital inclusion  |  digital public infrastructure  |  GSMA  |  Middle East  |  Ooredoo Group  |  UNDP