Presenting at dg.o 2025 – Exploring E-Government in Post-Conflict Libya
Last week, I had the privilege of presenting my first peer-reviewed paper at the 26th Annual International Conference on Digital Government Research (dg.o 2025). The conference, organized by the Digital Government Society, took place at Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul in Porto Alegre, Brazil, a milestone event, as it marked the first time dg.o was held in South America.
My paper, titled "Drivers and Barriers in Libya’s E-Government Implementation," investigates the critical factors influencing the development of digital government in Libya’s public sector, a sector that operates in a uniquely fragile and post-conflict environment. Drawing on contextual analysis and institutional observations, the study sheds light on the challenges and opportunities that exist at the intersection of governance, technology, and development.
The research outlines several key insights:
- The urgent need to build institutional capacity within the Libyan public sector to manage and sustain digital transformation.
- The importance of investing in ICT infrastructure, especially in underserved regions.
- The role of inter-institutional and cross-sector partnerships in filling capacity and coordination gaps.
- The necessity of digital literacy initiatives to ensure that both civil servants and citizens can meaningfully engage with e-government platforms.
- The impact of outdated legal frameworks and fragmented public sector policies hinders progress.
While focused on Libya, the paper’s findings hold broader relevance for other developing and post-conflict countries navigating similar governance and technological transitions. As governments around the world strive to make their services more efficient, inclusive, and resilient, the lessons from Libya offer both cautionary tales and emerging pathways for reform.
Beyond the academic setting, being in Porto Alegre was a deeply moving experience. The city and its people are still healing after the catastrophic floods that swept across Rio Grande do Sul just a year ago. Walking through neighbourhoods in recovery and engaging with locals brought a renewed appreciation for the role of governance, community resilience, and adaptive capacity, not just as abstract policy goals, but as lived experiences. The setting underscored how digital government, when implemented equitably and strategically, can contribute to crisis response, infrastructure rebuilding, and long-term societal resilience.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this critical conversation and to be part of a vibrant global community advancing the frontiers of digital governance research. My thanks to the organisers, fellow presenters, and all those who continue to support digital transformation in the face of complexity and uncertainty.
If you’re working in — or interested in — digital governance, public sector innovation, or capacity-building in developing contexts, I’d be glad to exchange ideas and explore synergies. Read the paper here