Page 45 - SAMENA Trends - January 2022

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REGIONAL NEWS

UAE Launches ‘Big Data for Sustainable Development’ at Expo 2020

The UAE’s government has announced
the launch of the United Nations (UN)
platform, “Big Data for Sustainable
Development“, as part of their efforts to
meet the data and technology needs of
the Middle East and North African (MENA)
region. The UAE was one of four countries
chosen to host a regional headquarters for
the platform. The official announcement
was made during the ‘Mobilizing Big Data
and Data Science for the Sustainable
Development Goals’ forum, which is
currently being held at Expo 2020 Dubai,
in cooperation with the United Nations.
Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister
of State for International Cooperation and
Chairperson of the National Committee
for Sustainable Development Goals, said
that the UN’s decision to make the UAE
the MENA headquarters of the platform
was testament to the country’s stature
and will enhance the UAE’s position as a Teleworking Applications, stated that data ideal infrastructure for the platform. The
global hub for technology and big data. Al is the true wealth of governments of the UAE will aim to establish an environment
Hashemy also said that it reflects the UAE’s future and the main tool for developing conducive to fostering talents in advanced
commitment to attaining the sustainable the next-generation government services. data to achieve the UN’s SDGs, by focusing
development goals (SDGs) through the The UAE cooperates with several countries on improving the efficiency of AI and big
use of AI and big data. The UN’s SDGs and international organizations to align data utilization across vital sectors. The
include supporting comprehensive and data protection efforts, by drafting new centre will manage 578 national
sustainable manufacturing and promoting legislation and establishing partnerships statistical indexes and is connected to
innovation, Al Hashemy noted, adding that to ensure aligning laws issued by over 40 authorities to ensure data security,
the Ministry of Industry and Advanced countries that produce digital technology she added. Bill Scudder of AspenTech
Technology has adopted a strategy aimed and social media platforms, he added. recently wrote an editorial for ITP.net on
at fostering innovation and adopting Hanan Mansour, Acting Director of the the importance of big data and the role it
advanced industrial tech solutions. Omar Federal Centre for Competitiveness and can play in improving operations.
bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Statistics, said that the center’s experts
Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and collaborated with a UN team to create the

Turkcell Seeking Foreign Partnership

Turkish operator Turkcell is actively Superonline [fiber broadband operations] could be offered to foreign partners in the
seeking strategic foreign partnerships for to investors. Funds from the United States, coming months. Turkcell has authorized
its subsidiaries, its CEO Murat Erkan told Asia and the Middle East have shown JP Morgan to find investors for payment
newspaper Hurriyet during the Consumer interest in our companies. We are not processing company Paycell, with talks
Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. looking for financial investors, but partners ongoing with around ten potential partners.
‘We have opened up our subsidiaries to speed up expansion abroad,’ he said,
Paycell, Bip [OTT communications] and adding that individual stakes of up to 10%

45 JANUARY 2022