Page 50 - SAMENA Trends - December 2023

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

goal is to facilitate knowledge sharing, presence and collaborating with MCIT/ an economic growth engine for Egypt.
research cooperation, and best practice ITIDA on mutually beneficial initiatives.” By nurturing highly skilled professionals
exchanges to spur innovation and elevate The MoU was signed by Ahmed Elzaher and fostering innovation, Siemens Digital
Egypt’s standing in the global marketplace. and Hazem El Tahawy, Vice President for Industries Software and ITIDA are actively
Mike Ellow, Executive Vice President of Siemens Digital Industries Software MENA, contributing to Egypt’s strategic goals for
Siemens EDA, affirmed the agreement’s aligning with the national “Egypt Makes economic diversification and sustainable
significance: “Today’s signing marks our Electronics” initiative. This initiative aims development.
commitment to enhancing our Egyptian to transform the electronics industry into

UAE, Indonesia Tie Up to Boost Digital Infrastructure

The Ministry of Investment of the UAE and
the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises
of the Republic of Indonesia have signed
a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU), to propel the digital economy in
Indonesia. The agreement aims to set out
a framework for investment cooperation in
digital infrastructure, with a special focus
on data center projects in Indonesia. The
total capacity of data centers developed
under this MoU can reach up to 1,000
MW. The MoU was signed by Mohamed
Hassan Alsuwaidi, Minister of Investment
of the UAE, and Erick Thohir, Minister of
State-Owned Enterprises of Indonesia.
Data centers, which are critical parts of the
digital economy’s infrastructure, provide
organizations with a secure option to
store critical data and run applications
and have become a priority for Indonesia.
As the fourth most populous country in
the world, Indonesia has a thriving digital to supporting and accelerating all exchange for the subsidiary category,” said
economy driven by a proliferation of start- developmental efforts in Indonesia, and this Thohir. This collaboration with the UAE,
ups. Already today, there are more than 60 agreement will contribute to facilitating an according to Thohir, will accelerate the
hyper-scale data centers in the country, and increase in data centre capacity, with new development of economic infrastructure,
the local data center market is expected to facilities promising to unlock opportunities in line with the sharpening of the strategic
witness a compound annual growth rate that reinforce the country’s path towards digital technological focus that has been
of 14% between 2023 and 2028. Fostering creating a prosperous future.” Thohir said implemented. The MoU builds on strong
partnerships between the public and Indonesia is a leader in the field of data bilateral relations between the UAE and
private sectors in the UAE and Indonesia is centers in the Southeast Asia region. One of Indonesia. Trade volume between the
an area of focus under the agreement. The the programmes carried out is encouraging two countries reached approximately $5
two nations will explore numerous forms PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero), or Telkom, billion in 2022, showcasing an increase of
of cooperation under the MoU, including one of the state-owned companies in around 20% from the previous year, when
investment partnerships, policy research Indonesia, to become the data center it amounted to $4 billion. Following the
collaboration, certification development, leader in Southeast Asia. “Telkom is UAE-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic
innovation and R&D. Alsuwaidi said: “The investing optimally to ensure its data center Partnership Agreement (CEPA) which
agreement underscores the deepening supports Indonesia's digital economy, came into effect in September 2023, annual
bond between our nations and is testament which will be the largest in Southeast Asia. bilateral trade is expected to increase to
to the UAE's commitment to collaborate Telkom is also focusing on infrastructure, $10 billion over the course of the next five
with countries in promising fields such as one of which is Mitratel, which had an IPO years.
the digital economy. We are committed and became the largest IPO on the stock

50 DECEMBER 2023