UAE: Governments that move fast and stay transparent are gaining public trust and attracting investment, according to the inaugural “Global Bureaucracy Perception Index” (GBPI) unveiled on the final day of the World Governments Summit (WGS).

Covering 13 countries and based on responses from 4,745 citizens and 1,135 businesses, the GBPI offers a first-of-its-kind measure of user experience in government services across five key dimensions: Transparency, Time, Affordability, Predictability, and Accessibility.

Developed through a unique collaboration between Horizon Group and APCO, the GBPI evaluates perceptions of bureaucratic processes across 13 pilot countries: the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Estonia, Switzerland, Germany, Singapore, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, and India.

The index measures citizen and business experiences across 11 high-frequency services using five key indicators, providing comparable country-level scores suitable for annual tracking. Unlike traditional capacity or readiness indices, the GBPI focuses on lived experience at the point of service—whether cases move efficiently, rules are applied consistently, and services are accessible from start to finish. Its launch at WGS highlights the index’s growing relevance to global policymaking and the international push for more responsive and effective governance.

Findings

​​The findings highlight speed, transparency, and predictability as key drivers of trust and confidence in government services.

The UAE leads on service delivery time for both businesses and citizens, recording a score of 81.5 in the citizen survey, reflecting a consistent, speed-first model that supports pro-business execution.

The results also show that many countries are setting benchmarks for rule clarity and digital-first services, reinforcing transparency.

In addition, strong procedural consistency and business predictability emerge as critical signals for attracting and sustaining investment.

The GBPI translates these patterns into practical fixes. Priority actions include standardizing frontline delivery to raise predictability; cutting end‑to‑end time by preventing avoidable back‑and‑forth (clear “complete submission” rules and earlier document checks); and designing accessibility as end‑to‑end usability—clear “start‑here” routing, integrated channels, and visible case status.

Margery Kraus, Founder and Executive Chairman of APCO, said: “As governments confront increasing complexity, bureaucracy remains a decisive factor in how people and businesses experience government services. The GBPI gives leaders a clear view of how bureaucracy performs at the point of service and builds on APCO’s long‑standing commitment to evidence‑based governance. With comparable insight across countries, policymakers can focus reforms on what users value most: speed, transparency and predictable outcomes.”

Dr. Margareta Drzeniek, Managing Partner at Horizon Group, added: “We are proud to collaborate with APCO on this groundbreaking initiative. This partnership meant to create tools that drive real-world policy improvements, through translating complex perceptions into actionable insights. The GBPI brings the user experience into clear focus. By measuring how citizens and businesses navigate key services across Transparency, Time, Affordability, Predictability, and Accessibility, the index shows where friction arises and why it differs across user groups. This gives governments a grounded diagnostic.”

Samer El Hachem, President of APCO MENA, said: “The GBPI highlights what users experience in practice, where services move efficiently and where friction still slows delivery. For governments across the region and beyond, this evidence offers a clear basis to strengthen execution, improve consistency, and make day‑to‑day interactions with the state faster and more reliable.”