Page 45 - SAMENA Trends - April 2020

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

REGIONAL NEWS

Smart Dubai Department Launches New Data Sharing Toolkit

The Smart Dubai Department launched a Data Sharing Toolkit in decision points correspond to six questions that need to be asked
partnership with globally renowned innovation foundation, Nesta, ahead of making data-sharing decisions: Why share data? What
to help unlock the value of data by creating trusted and ethical data to share (private/public sector, individual, open data)? What
mechanisms for individuals, as well as public and private sector is the overall governance structure (i.e. top-down or bottom-
organizations, to share data. The new initiative was launched on up)? Who to involve? What is the appropriate data infrastructure
International Open Data Day on 7th March, 2020. Designed to (centralized, decentralized, or federated)? And finally, how is data
be used by individuals or teams, the toolkit presents a flexible accessed (open, restricted, or no access)? The second element is
decision-making tool that provides useful guidance and resources the Project Foundation, which identifies the conditions required
for public or private sector organizations to prepare for and to move forward with a data-sharing project. Once the key
design data-sharing initiatives and helps define the correct set decisions are made, a data-sharing model (or more) will emerge.
of options to the specific context of any circumstance. Younus Al The important question then becomes how to turn that vision
Nasser, Assistant Director-General of Smart Dubai, CEO of Smart into a reality. There are two sets of considerations in this phase:
Dubai Data, said, "The Smart Dubai Department is steadily moving First, a checklist to go through the considerations that need to
forward along its mission to harness the power of technology to be addressed before initiating the partnership, and second,
make people’s lives easier and happier, and we firmly believe that additional requirements, such as legal, financial, and technical
no smart transformation can be achieved without harnessing conditions. The toolkit has been launched in English first, and the
the power of data – the ‘oil of the future’. Our progress will only Arabic version is scheduled for release in mid-April 2020.
continue if we work to ensure we are capable of efficiently opening
and sharing our collective data." The toolkit was designed with
four categories of users in mind: First, innovators interested in
exploring data-sharing initiatives and looking for a tool to spark
the right discussions, anticipate issues and find new collaborative
approaches to data-sharing. Second, international organizations,
public institutions, businesses and non-profits; third, individuals
or entities that are familiar with data and/or have previously
been involved in traditional data-sharing, and fourth, individuals
and entities who are experiencing a slow or failed progress in
activating data-sharing collaborations on a bigger scale or dealing
with complex initiatives. The Smart Dubai Department conducted
extensive research in the course of developing the Toolkit, which
analyzed a wide range of data-sharing models to determine their
basic common traits and components. The outcomes of the
research served as the basis for developing the toolkit – a flexible
decision-making instrument that underlines two components as
the core of all data-sharing initiatives: First is the Decision Matrix,
which identifies six key decision points, promoting a discussion
about all key elements of a data-sharing arrangement. These six

Salaam Launches 4G in Kabul

State-owned operator Afghan Telecom, which offers mobile Coverage is currently limited to parts of the capital but the
services under the Salaam brand, has launched commercial 4G operator plans to extend its 4G footprint to all provinces, albeit
services at 15 locations in Kabul. Local news outlet Tolo writes ‘slowly’ – no timeframe for the expansion was given, however. The
that the company also intends to invest a further USD20 million launch makes Salaam the third of Afghanistan’s mobile providers
in developing and promoting internet services. Deputy Head to launch the service after Afghan Wireless Communications
of Aftel Mohammad Sharif Sharifi was cautious about raising Company (AWCC) in May 2017 and Etisalat in February last year.
expectations for the new system, however, saying: ‘We need MTN Afghanistan and Roshan have each confirmed plans to
some time to develop our system and to improve our services.’ introduce the technology but have yet to do so.

45 APRIL 2020