Page 22 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2023

LEADERS' SUMMIT 2023 SAMENA TRENDS

"Digital trust and confidence in the use of new ICT are crucial and require multi-stake-
holder efforts. No single entity can address the range of challenges on their own. This
includes adopting national cybersecurity strategies, establishing national incident and
responsibility, and developing international security standards.”

- Mr. Adel Mohamed Darwish
Director, ITU Regional Office for Arab States, Egypt

Technology Officer, stc Group. side is the users, and the other side is the stakeholders called the ‘AIDE framework’
government, the digital service providers, which covers Access, Innovation,
Mr. Jawad Jalal Abbassi, Head of Middle and the telecom operators and ICT Development and Environment to
East & North Africa, GSMA highlighted vendors. All these different entities need promote digital inclusion, skills and create
the core issue saying “A major challenge to collaborate and share responsibility to sustainable growth.
remains in the usage gap that 400 million develop governance protocols, policies,
people around the world still not near procedures that can guide responsible use The WSIS “Enhance Digital Trust for a
enough to a mobile network. There are of technology.” Sustainable, Connected, Intelligent World”
3.2 billion people who are able to connect seminar, which was sponsored by Huawei,
to a mobile network, but still not using the In her remarks, Ms. Nora Cao, Vice concluded that digital multi-stakeholder
internet. Imagine the economic and social President of Global Government Affairs, collaboration is essential in order have a
benefits of enrolling 4.2 billion people Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd proposed an structure that creates an open and
in using digital technology, which is the approach for overcoming the challenges transparent environment for the sustainable
biggest impetus to tackle the issue.” faced by governments and private-sector development of ICT and connectivity.

Eng. Mohamed Ben Amor, AICTO Director
General responded that “ICT development “A major challenge remains in the usage gap that 400
needs good policies, especially for less million people around the world still not near enough
developed countries.” Dr. El-Sayed Azzouz,
Senior Consultant in ICT Industry shared to a mobile network. There are 3.2 billion people who
“The key recommendation for ICT and are able to connect to a mobile network, but still not
digital trust building is to have official
intervention to boost collaboration, using the internet. Imagine the economic and social
investment, education and plus common benefits of enrolling 4.2 billion people in using digital
standards for cybersecurity, which gives
the ecosystem a clear baseline to follow.” technology, which is the biggest impetus to tackle the
Eng. Adel Rashed Almehairi, Director of issue.”
aeCERT at TDRA summed up digital trust
by saying “It’s like a coin has two sides, one Mr. Jawad Jalal Abbassi, Head of MENA, GSMA

22 MAY-JUNE 2023