Page 8 - SAMENA Trends - Oct-Nov 2023

SAMENA COUNCIL ADVOCACY SAMENA TRENDS

ITU RDF-ARB

Sustainable Investments, Innovation, and New Collaborations are Critical
for Arab States’ Digital Transformation & Digital Reformation, Says
SAMENA Council During ITU’s RDF-ARB

SAMENA Council, earlier this week, transformation is an evolving reality and BDT], and I believe we can really accelerate
participated in the high-level panel at the the Arab region is committed to it. Moreover, digital transformation through ITU’s
ITU Regional Development Forum for Arab from what SAMENA Council has witnessed continued engagement in the region.” One
States (RDF-ARB). RDF-ARB was organized and advocated throughout October to date of the aims of the November 2023 RDF-ARB
by the International Telecommunication this year, digital transformation in the was to report on the progress that was
Union's Telecommunication Development region is in fast gear. This view is in made towards the implementation of the
Bureau (BDT) and hosted in Manama by the alignment with the Council’s recent outcomes of the World Telecommunication
Ministry of Transportation and advocacy efforts with respect to 5G Development Conference 2022 (WTDC-22)
Telecommunications of the Kingdom of advancements and their role in meeting held in Kigali, Rwanda in June 2022.
Bahrain. Represented by CEO, Bocar BA, global connectivity needs, shift to 5G Emphasis was given to the five Regional
SAMENA Council described the state of Advanced to unearth new digital Initiatives for Arab Region, which include:
digital transformation in the Arab countries. possibilities, the need to make regional Regional Initiative 1: Sustainable digital
“Digital transformation in the region is at a IPv6 transition balanced, implementing the economy through digital transformation.
stage where sustainable investments, 10Giga society concept, and just last week, Regional Initiative 2: Enhancing confidence,
innovation, and greater collaborations will protecting the cyberspace through new security and privacy in the use of
play a critical role in advancing digital priorities. Digital transformation, however, telecommunications/information and
transformation, followed by continuous now necessitates ITU’s much closer communication technologies in the era of
digital reformation”, stated BA during his engagement in the region, especially on the new and emerging digital technologies.
intervention in the high-level panel, innovation and entrepreneurship fronts. Regional Initiative 3: Developing digital
moderated by BDT Director, Dr. Cosmas Bocar BA also stated: “The opportunities infrastructure for smart sustainable cities
Luckyson Zavazava. SAMENA Council is of and the challenges we have discussed and communities. Regional Initiative 4:
the opinion that the current pace of 5G today [in RDF-ARB] can be seen through the Building capacities and encouraging digital
deployments and how 5G is being lens of the new Innovation and innovation, entrepreneurship and future
embedded as a part of a national digital Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital foresight. And Regional Initiative 5:
systems processes, show that digital Development, [launched recently by the Developing means of digital regulation.

8 OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2023