The UAE, represented by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, participated in the Leaders’ Summit organised by SAMENA Telecommunications Council, under the theme "Championing Digital Economic Growth from Policy to Reality".
Several key decision-makers from various regulators in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry, as well as presidents and CEOs from the private sector, took part in the event.
The summit, sponsored by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, focused on the role of broadband networks and advanced digital technologies, such as cloud communications, Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) in achieving the globally defined sustainable development goals, driving digital economic growth and developing a sustainable digital economy.
In his speech at the beginning of the summit, Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director-General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, welcomed the attendees, saying, "We have agreed in previous conferences that we are living in the ICT age and emphasised its significance in supporting and driving development in various spheres, including health and safety. This has been confirmed by the events of last year, and thanks to the significant progress in the sector, today we can innovate, adapt and continue our lives with equal efficiency. Thanks to ICT, a school year was safely finished, and we continued our government work without interruption, and millions of people were able to fulfil their needs through digital commerce platforms."
He added, "Since the ICT sector is the key driver of all digital transformation strategies including the digital government, our wise leadership entrusted us with the task of the UAE digital government, and bestowed us a new name – Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority. We saw change as a responsibility that could not be disregarded, as we began preparing our future strategies and operational plans, which put us at the heart of building for the next 50 years. As you know, the UAE is preparing today to embark on a new journey into the next 50 years toward the 2071 Centennial Vision, which is based on innovation and digital transformation for the happiness and wellbeing of every person living in this generous country."
This year’s sessions of the summit addressed lessons learnt from the past year that have been a driving force for achieving digital transformation and stimulating digital economic growth to get life back on track. The meeting stressed the need for the commitment of all countries of the world to support the development of a sustainable digital economy.
It also stressed that the post-pandemic world needs an innovative approach that would achieve economic recovery, improve wellbeing, make businesses smarter and create a more inclusive world in which everyone has an opportunity to grow and prosper. This requires everyone to cooperate and coordinate more than ever before at the national, regional and global level to forge new partnerships and bridge the digital divide.