SAMENA Telecommunications Council’s annual congregation of Telecoms and multi-industry leaders, “Leaders' Summit 2022” with keynotes and visions statements from H.E. Majed Al Mesmar Director General of UAE’s Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) and the chief patron of the Leaders’ Summit 2022, H.E. Houlin Zhao, Secretary-General, ITU, Eng. Olayan AlWetaid, CEO, stc Group, Saudi Arabia, Mr. Bocar BA, CEO of SAMENA Council, as well as leading private sector members including Mr. Steven Yi President, Huawei Middle East and Africa.
H.H. Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan UAE Minister of Tolerance & Coexistence, Guest of Honor delivered an encouraging message to industry leaders at the Summit, continuing the years-long legacy of inspiring the Industry with his messages and drawing focus on imperatives for future planning for creating the new digital life.
H.E. Secretary-General ITU, Mr. Houlin Zhao in his message drew attention of the Industry to the evolution of the digital infrastructure and commendable efforts by the region’s governments and private sector leaders. “When we started measuring Internet use in 2005, it stood at 16%. In 2022, global Internet use by individuals stands at 63%. The numbers speak for themselves and show the tremendous progress we have made in connecting the unconnected. Among all stakeholders who have contributed to this success, you, the leaders of SAMENA, should be commended”, Mr. Zhao remarked.
The Huawei-hosted SAMENA Council Leaders’ Summit 2022, held in Dubai with the patronage of TDRA – UAE, covered key policy and planning areas relating to Connectivity and the New Digital Life, Full Optical Networking, NBN, OpenRAN, Universal Service Obligation, Infrastructure Funding & Financing Models, Broadband Commission Agenda for Action, ITU’s Take on Re-thinking ICT Policy, Cloud & Network Synergies, FinTech, New Human Experiences & Challenges, Sustainability & Net-Zero Transition, Space-based Platforms & 5G Tech Innovations, , ICT Talent & Expectations of Younger Generation, among other important subject matter.
Mr. Bocar BA, CEO of SAMENA Council in his message stated that “Thriving in the New Opportunity Realm with Resilience is really the overarching imperative for us all. “With increased dependencies of our economic and social systems on digital communications infrastructure and services, it is pertinent to address both persisting and emerging challenges associated with new network trends, approaches, policies, regulation, technologies, methodologies, fiber deployment, stakeholder obligations and collective responsibility toward sustainability across all fronts, ranging from investment sustainability to sustainability of the climate. Our desired outcomes of the Leaders’ Summit 2022 are really to foster new drive in making beneficial utilization of 5G, cloud, and related technologies for improving the human condition and prosperity for people and businesses. We want to see more connectedness to overcome the digital divide in meaningful ways. Our decisions should be attentive to ICT sustainability and to the protection of climate, and we must address Telecom Operators’ issues, ranging from cross-border data flow enablement to overcoming signal interference especially on coastal areas, which impact 5G planning and the region’s aspirations for becoming the IoT hub. And we must rethink taxation in the Industry, and financing and funding of ICT infrastructure development in new light.”
The Leaders' Summit 2022 welcomed Chairmen and CEOs from the private sector, with several one-on-one conversations held with leading personalities and leaders from the region’s and the world’s leading private sector ICT conglomerates, with top decision-makers from regulatory authorities around the region in attendance. The Summit had the full participation of global leaders and entities focused on institutionalizing and fostering cross-sector digitization and collaboration, making the Leaders' Summit the year 2022’s premier virtual destination for leadership, dialogue, demonstration, and for refining future policy and regulation. Trends and synergies shaping the next decade, and perspectives from Operators and entities contributing to sustainable growth and development, such as through Education, were brought under focus. The Summit’s discussions were complemented by technology exhibition by Huawei, particularly focusing on New Technology, New Opportunity, and New Life.
The Leaders’ Summit 2022 concluded with leaders’ reception and dinner at the Atlantis.