Page 109 - SAMENA Trends - January-February 2025

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATESATORY & POLICY UPDATES
REGUL SAMENA TRENDS

A SNAPSHOT OF REGULATORY ACTIVITIES

IN THE SA-ME-NA REGION

Afghanistan

The Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Alam, the provincial capital. The Fiber to the Home Internet project
Technology of Logar Province has announced the imminent launch is one of the key national infrastructure initiatives by the Ministry
of the Fiber to the Home (FTTH) Internet project in Pul-e-Alam of Telecommunications and Information Technology, aimed at
city. According to Bakhtar News Agency, Mawlawi Matiullah Abid, delivering high-quality internet services directly to households
the Director of Telecommunications and Information Technology through fiber optic networks. He added that practical work on this
in Logar, stated that the project, to be implemented by Afghan project will initially commence in the provincial center and later
Telecom, will cover 11,781 meters across six districts of Pul-e- expand to the districts of the province. (January 7, 2025) www.bakhtarnews.af

Algeria

The Algerian Ministry of Post and Telecommunications has governance, digital economy, and digital society, is set to position
launched a national awareness campaign dedicated to protecting Algeria as a regional leader in innovation and governance. Despite
children from the dangers of improper internet use. Under the the ambitious vision, challenges remain, as Algeria ranks 116th
theme “The Internet is a Vast Ocean – Let’s Help Our Children out of 193 countries in the UN E-Government Development Index
Navigate Safely,” the campaign runs from February 8 to 14, 2025, (EGDI) as of 2024, improving from a score of 0.5611 in 2022 to
and brings together a broad coalition of government bodies and 0.5956. However, the country’s focus on e-administration and
institutions to ensure a comprehensive and effective approach digital governance through platforms like ‘Bawabatak’ reflects
to online safety. This high-stakes initiative is being carried out in Algeria’s commitment to streamlining services and aligning
coordination with the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of with global digital trends. The ongoing efforts demonstrate the
Interior and Local Assemblies, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Ministry government’s progress in establishing a robust digital framework
of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Ministry of National for the future. (January 9, 2025) www.meatechwatch.com
Education, Ministry of Vocational Training, Ministry of Culture and
Arts, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of National Solidarity Hicham Sifer, Chairman of the Committee on Legal and
and Family Affairs, Ministry of Communication, and Ministry Administrative Affairs and Freedoms at the Algerian People’s
of Health. Additionally, key organizations, such as the National National Assembly, emphasized Algeria’s commitment to
Cybersecurity Agency, the National Gendarmerie, the General advancing digitization and artificial intelligence during a workshop
Directorate of National Security, the National Observatory of Civil at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF 2024) in Riyadh, Saudi
Society, the High Commission for Digitalization, the Supreme Arabia. Sifer stressed the importance of Algeria’s initiatives to
Council for Youth, and the National Authority for the Protection of develop its digital infrastructure and AI technologies. He noted that
Personal Data, along with the National Authority for the Protection the country is leveraging international experiences to enhance its
and Promotion of Childhood, are actively contributing to the local capabilities and mentioned the extensive digital connectivity
campaign’s success. (February 10, 2025) www.dzair-tube.dz efforts underway across Algeria. The Chairman also highlighted
that the Algerian Parliament is working to create a legislative and
Algeria is accelerating its digital transformation with a bold plan regulatory environment that supports digitization. He referenced
to implement over 500 projects between 2025 and 2026 as part legislation such as the bill on auto-entrepreneurs as an example
of its ‘Digital Algeria 2030’ initiative. Meriem Benmouloud, the of how the country is fostering a conducive framework for digital
High Commissioner for Digitalization, unveiled the strategy at progress. Sifer further pointed out the adaptation of Algerian laws
a Government-Walis meeting held at the Palais des Nations in to the needs of artificial intelligence, including the enactment of
Algiers. Benmouloud emphasized that Algeria is undergoing a a law on cybercrime. He emphasized that Algeria’s legislative
significant digital transformation and urged collective efforts to approach to digital technology not only promotes the digital
position the country as a leader in global digital rankings. The economy but also sets the stage for significant economic growth
five-pillar strategy, encompassing infrastructure, training, digital in the tech and AI sectors. (December 23, 2024) www.meatechwatch.com

109 JAN-FEB 2025