Page 76 - SAMENA Trends - June-July 2020

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Oman 5th Most Advanced Arab Country in E-Government

The United Nations rated the Sultanate as guaranteed conformity of those plans with
the 5th Arab country that is most advanced domestic development plans, and at times
in the field of electronic government, merging/incorporating them within Oman
according to a new report on countries of 2040 Vision’s updates. The report said
the world issued by the UN Economic and that the Sultanate is among the countries
Social Affairs Administration and published that use drones to monitor roads, deliver
in its website. The Sultanate ranked 50th medical supplies and sanitize public
globally in the index, which covers 193 places. It pointed out that Royal Oman
countries, after receiving 0.7749 points Police uses drones to guide citizens and
(overall). Oman got 0.8529 points in the residents to stay at home and avoid going
index’s subsection on internet services, out unless extremely necessary to avoid
0.6967 points in the telecom infrastructure infection with coronavirus (Covid-19)
index and 0.7751 points in the human pandemic. Denmark was in the lead of the
capital index In its report, the UN pointed rating, followed by South Korea, Estonia
out that the Sultanate scaled up the list and Finland. The report indicated that,
of “advanced countries” in e-government given the Covid-19 lockdown in the world,
till it reached the level of “most advanced most countries implemented electronic
countries” during the period from 2018 to government strategies and many
2020. The latter was the list of countries innovative initiatives, but a large number of
like Turkey, Brazil, Czech Republic, Hungary people around the world still lack access emergencies, governments devised new
and Latvia, whose performance ranged to the internet. A UN official from the instruments, such as Covid-19 information
from 0.75 points to 1 point. The UN rated Economic and Social Affairs Administration portals, collaborate software modules
the Sultanate among the 13 countries pointed out that Covid-19 underscored (hackathons), medical supply e-services,
of the world that have very extremely the role of electronic government, both virtual booking for appointments, self-
advanced human capital (Turkey, Brazil, in the traditional use of electronic diagnosis apps, electronic permits to ban
Mexico, Kuwait and the UAE), noting services or in the creation of innovative movement, tracking apps, online work and
that Oman endorsed national digital crisis management risks. He explained online.
transformation plans in a manner that that, in the case of response to health

Egypt Spends US$1.6B to Increase Internet Speed

"The government's plan for information with these speeds. The minister pointed or participating in a package of projects
infrastructure to develop the internet in out that the government also seeks to through contracting with the Ministry
Egypt is proceeding according to the plan, continue development and capacity of Communications and Information
as about $1.6 billion was spent to increase building, and to provide many services Technology directly, or participating in
the speed of the internet," stated Minister through mobile applications and other competitions between workers in small
of Communications and Information services that have developed significantly and medium companies to obtain training
Technology Amr Talaat. During a meeting in Egypt. Talaat explained that the ministry opportunities in the field of data science
with members of the American Chamber will launch an initiative in cooperation and artificial intelligence at the expense
of Commerce in Cairo, a number of the with ITIDA and other institutions to train of the ministry. The training opportunity is
chamber's leaders in Washington and workers in small and medium companies set to end with a contract with the winning
members of the Egyptian-American Joint in the communications and information companies. The minister pointed out that
Business Council, the minister added that technology sector to sharpen their skills. He the implementation mechanism will be
the government is targeting to connect noted that small and medium companies through the platform "Our Opportunity ...
the internet to 2 million homes at a cost can participate in the implementation Digital", which is set to provide upon its
of $400 million. Talaat stated that the of digital transformation projects in a launch dozens of opportunities in digital
average internet speed in Egypt increased way that ensures the achievement of transformation projects with an estimated
from 5.7 Mbps in June 2018 to 15.5 governance and transparency through value of the volume of businesses offered
Mbps. “We are trying to reach 20 Mbps three tributaries. The tributaries include to small and medium-sized companies by
at the end of 2020, and 40 Mbps in 2021,” participation in implementing projects about LE 100 million.
he explained, stressing that all internet no less than 10 percent of the projects
companies in Egypt provide the service assigned to the main operators' companies,

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