Page 71 - SAMENA Trends - January-February 2023

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Beyond ONE Buys VMMEA

Beyond ONE, an investment firm a part of Priora Management
Holding Dubai, has acquired regional MVNO group Virgin Mobile
Middle East–Africa (VMMEA). VMMEA has MVNO operations
in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait under the Virgin and FRiENDi
brands, plus a licensing arrangement with Du in the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) to allow Du to operate its Virgin Mobile UAE sub-
brand. Previous shareholders in VMMEA included Virgin Group, Gulf
Investment Corporation, ePlanet Ventures, National Technology
Enterprises Company, Dolphin International and Global Telecom.
UK-based Virgin Group has retained a minority stake in VMMEA
and a seat on its board. VMMEA serves around three million
customers across its countries of operation.

Oman Ranks 4th in UN List for E-Govt Services

Oman is ranked fourth in the 2022 been identified, and it is necessary for with the use of new digital technologies
Government Electronic and Mobile each country to deliver them electronically such as virtual reality. He also highlighted
Services (GEMS) Maturity Index issued by for individuals and businesses.’ Reliance the importance of cooperation and shared
the United Nations Economic and Social on e-government services has generally experiences among countries in order to
Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). increased in the Arab region compared avoid duplication of effort, particularly
The index measures the maturity of to 2021, especially in educational and since the report indicates that there is a
government services provided through financial institutions, but more efforts must widening gap between Arab countries,
electronic portals and smart applications be exerted to digitize services in other causing results to range between one and
according to three pillars, which are service sectors such as justice and tourism. These 87 per cent. In addition, the report highlights
availability and development, service use are the key findings of the fourth edition of the role of digital government services
and satisfaction, and the government’s the GEMS index on the Arab region issued in increasing efficiency, reducing waste
efforts to public outreach. Of the 18 Arab annually by ESCWA since 2019. Nawar al and corruption, promoting transparency,
countries that participated in the 2022 Awa, ESCWA GEMS project lead, said that providing accountability and achieving
index, Saudi Arabia was ranked first, there is need to promote the maturity of economic growth. It also mentions the key
followed by Qatar and the UAE. Oman these services at the national level, even in role of digital governments in promoting
improved its year-on-year score from 64 high-assessment states, by keeping pace equality among citizens.
per cent to 69, a growth of 7.8 per cent, and
its ranking by one place, compared to fifth
in 2021, through better performance in two
pillars. The first is the use of the service and
user satisfaction, from 46.35 per cent in
2021 to 58.08 per cent in 2022, and second
in the public outreach pillar, from 67.70 per
cent in 2021 to 72.14 per cent in 2022. A
total of 24 institutions were included in the
evaluation in Oman, along with 84 services
across several sectors, such as commerce
and industry, health, education, transport,
traffic, police, tourism, municipal affairs,
labor and justice. According to ESCWA,
the index is a tool that enables decision
and policy makers to monitor digital
transformation programmes, and it seeks to
bridge the gap in most of the international
indicators, related to service maturity, its
use, user satisfaction, and public outreach.
‘To this end, 84 government services have

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