PARIS: European aerospace giant Airbus overtook its arch-rival Boeing in terms of aircraft orders last year, but still lagged behind it in terms of deliveries, according to new data published on Monday.
Airbus said in a statement it booked 1,109 aircraft orders and a record 718 deliveries in 2017.
By comparison, US rival Boeing booked 912 orders and 763 deliveries.
“Airbus’ commercial aircraft deliveries in 2017 were up for the 15th year in a row, reaching a new company record of 718 aircraft delivered to 85 customers,” Airbus said.
“Deliveries were more than four percent higher than the previous record of 688 set in 2016.”
At the end of 2017, Airbus’ overall backlog stood at 7,265 aircraft valued at $1.059 trillion (867 billion euros) at list prices, the company said.
“A new Airbus delivery record coupled with our fourth best order intake wraps up a remarkable year for us,” said chief operating officer, Fabrice Bregier.
Airbus flies past Boeing in aircraft orders in 2017
Airbus flies past Boeing in aircraft orders in 2017
Saudi Arabia ranks 2nd globally in digital government, World Bank 2025 index shows
WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia has achieved a historic milestone by securing second place worldwide in the 2025 GovTech Maturity Index released by the World Bank.
The announcement was made on Thursday during a press conference in Washington, DC, which evaluated 197 countries.
The Kingdom excelled across all sub-indicators, earning a 99.64 percent overall score and placing it in the “Very Advanced” category.
It achieved a score of 99.92 percent in the Core Government Systems Index, 99.90 percent in the Public Service Delivery Index, 99.30 percent in the Digital Citizen Engagement Index, and 99.50 percent in the Government Digital Transformation Enablers Index, reflecting some of the highest global scores.
This includes outstanding performance in digital infrastructure, core government systems, digital service delivery, and citizen engagement, among the highest globally.
Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Suwaiyan, governor of the Digital Government Authority, attributed this achievement to the unwavering support of the Saudi leadership, strong intergovernmental collaboration, and effective public-private partnerships.
He highlighted national efforts over recent years to re-engineer government services and build an advanced digital infrastructure, which enabled Saudi Arabia to reach this global standing.
Al-Suwaiyan emphasized that the Digital Government Authority continues to drive innovation and enhance the quality of digital services, in line with Saudi Vision 2030, supporting the national economy and consolidating the Kingdom’s transformation goals.
The 2025 GTMI data reflects Saudi Arabia’s excellence across key areas, including near-perfect scores in core government systems, public service delivery, digital citizen engagement, and government digital transformation enablers. This balanced performance places the Kingdom firmly in the “Grade A” classification for very advanced countries, demonstrating the maturity of its digital government ecosystem.
Saudi Arabia’s progress in the index has been remarkable: from 49th place in the 2020 edition, to third in 2022, and now second in 2025, confirming its status as a global leader in digital transformation and innovation.
The achievement also reflects the Kingdom’s focus on putting people at the center of digital transformation, enhancing user experience, improving government efficiency, and integrating artificial intelligence and emerging technologies across public services.
