Page 9 - SAMENA Trends - June-July 2020

SAMENA COUNCIL ACTIVITY SAMENA TRENDS

SAMENA COUNCIL ACTIVITY

SAMENA Council Leaders' Summit 2020 Unveiled Cross-Industry
5G Readiness and Identified Transformative Priorities for the

Decision-Makers across the Public and Private Sectors

SAMENA Telecommunications Council were among the most prominent
conducted its annual Leaders’ Summit thought-leadership contributors in Participating UN Broadband Commissioners'
2020 on July 9th as the world's the leadership congregation, virtually Insights
first-of-its-kind digital remote- attended by hundreds of participants
collaboration experience among global across the globe. During the Leaders' Mr. Scott Gegenheimer, CEO Operations - Zain Group
Connecting the unconnected is key to enable
•
and regional industry leaders and Summit, the United Nations Broadband better preparedness for the next crisis. To
decision-makers, spanning multiple Commission for Sustainable achieve this, we need to move from 2G to 3G to
geographies and time zones. Global Development was represented by 4G to connect the rest of the world first. 5G won’t
bodies of renown, including special 15 Commissioners, some of whom solve our issues – it is not a crisis solver.
ICT development agencies of the proactively spoke during the Leaders' • Issues that are key to address across the MENA
region for better preparedness include: Digital
United Nations, international financial Summit 2020, virtually attended by Identity, Privacy and Security and Regulatory
institutions and inter-governmental leaders and participants from 64 Sandboxing
economic cooperation organizations countries.
Professor Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, Columbia University
During the Leaders' Summit, the United Nations • Sustainable Development is the vital concept for
Broadband Commission for Sustainable Develop- better preparedness and a more inclusive and
equitable future
ment was represented by 15 Commissioners, some • 5G and other Digital Technologies, in turn, are vital
as a key elements of Sustainable Development
of whom proactively spoke during the Leaders' • To reduce inequalities and the Great Divide, it is
fundamental that we address the GAPS first
Summit 2020, virtually attended by leaders and • The gaps can only be addressed through provision
participants from 64 countries. of Universal Digital Access as a Public Good. This

9 JUNE-JULY 2020