Page 35 - SAMENA Trends - April-May 2021

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

with youth and to encourage them to speak leadership. Under the working group, Zain a digital services provider for consumers,
up and seek support if something makes launched the Child Online Safety Universal businesses, and governments. Six months
them feel uncomfortable.” In October Declaration, which confirmed the working later, the enormous momentum being
2019, Zain published a collective report group’s commitment to protect and enjoyed by the Zain esports brand, has
on child online safety that highlights the educate children on how to navigate digital seen it host multiple successful events and
risks children face and provides actionable technologies and protect their privacy, garnered over 15,000 registered players,
recommendations to address abuse and security and safety online. Zain’s esports 30,000 followers on its Instagram page,
exploitation that children may face online. brand was first launched in late 2020 as and over 600,000 views and 25 million
The report was developed in partnership part of Zain’s concerted effort to evolve impressions on various Zain esports
with Childhood USA and Zain Group from being a mobile-centric operator to channels including YouTube and Twitch.

Zain Partners with PASS to Offer Safe Cities Solutions to ‘Shamiya and

Shuwaikh’

Zain, the leading digital service provider
in Kuwait, signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) with the Kuwait-
based platform PASS. As part of this
joint collaboration, Zain will offer a wide
range of smart cities solutions that meet
the Ministry of Interior’s specifications,
and the solutions will be integrated
with the ministry’s backend systems.
The partnership will first commence at
Shamiya and Shuwaikh Co-op with the
aim of enhancing the efficiency of traffic
safety in the country. The announcement
was made during a press conference
held at Shamiya and Shuwaikh Co-
op’s headquarters with the presence of
Zain Kuwait’s Chief Enterprise Business
Officer Hamad Al Marzouq, Chairman of
Shamiya and Shuwaikh Co-op Abdullah Al East. This will enable us to implement vehicles based on their license plate data,
Othman Al Rashed, and PASS CEO Dhari Al the concept of smart cities with utmost brand, type, and color to automatically
Zayed, along with officials from the three efficiency”. Al Marzouq added: “Without and instantly recognize various traffic
partners. Commenting on the partnership, a doubt, today’s announcement reflects offences such as red line crossing, solid
Zain Kuwait’s Chief Enterprise Business the active collaboration between Kuwait’s line crossing, forbidden lane usage,
Officer Hamad Al Marzouq said: “We are private sector companies and SMEs to prohibited turns, and more in an effort to
thrilled today to announce a new joint achieve the nation’s developmental goals. enhance traffic safety and minimize fatal
collaboration between Zain, Kuwait-based Through this partnership, we affirm our accidents”. Al Marzouq continued: “The
platform PASS, and Shamiya and Shuwaikh pivotal role as a leading national company solutions offered by Zain in collaboration
Co-op. This is yet another step towards in the Kuwaiti private sector by making with PASS will also be able to identify
our continuous efforts to empower digital our tech capabilities available to offer speeding vehicles from a distance of 1 KM,
transformation in the country under the the latest and best world-class services recognize vehicles wanted for theft and
umbrella of the New Kuwait 2035 vision”. and solutions. We are keen on meeting other crimes, as well as offer a wide range
Al Marzouq explained: “At Zain, we are well the digital needs and aspirations of the of mobile tools that allow the authorities
aware of the vital role played by Small and nation’s various entities and empowering to view and analyze data from anywhere
Medium Enterprises in achieving economic them towards digital transformation, and at any time. This will both achieve
and social development in Kuwait. SMEs especially during such unprecedented faster response times and enhance the
represent a big part of the country’s times”. Al Marzouq further explained: “As efficiency of safety systems. The solutions
production channels, and they play an part of this agreement, Zain will offer a meet the requirements and specifications
essential role in the growth of our nation’s wide range of smart cities services that of MOI, and Zain will integrate them with
economy. That is why today we are proud will be first implemented at Shamiya and the ministry’s backend systems”. Al
to partner with PASS, a Kuwaiti tech startup Shuwaikh areas. The services feature traffic Marzouq concluded: “Our collaboration
success story and the first of its kind CCTV solutions offered by PASS. These with this unique Kuwait-based platform
system to identify vehicles in the Middle advanced solutions are able to identify comes as part of our strategy that centers

35 APRIL-MAY 2021