Page 133 - SAMENA Trends - September 2019

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

The GCC e-Government Executive Committee Concludes its 21st Meeting

with the Participation of TRA

The 21st Meeting of the Executive
Committee of the e-Government of the Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC) concluded in
Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with the
participation of the United Arab Emirates
represented by the Telecommunications
Regulatory Authority (TRA). The
participating delegations discussed 13
topics on the agenda of the meeting, in
addition to the latest developments in the
Gulf region regarding the e-government
sector. During the meeting, the GCC
representatives reviewed the report of the
General Secretariat on the implementation
of the Ministerial Committee’s resolutions
and progress reports on the implementation
of the joint initiatives emanating from
the e-Government Guidance Strategy,
which was developed in recognition
of the importance of e-government as
a tool for sustainable development to on the other.” The meeting discussed the of the 16th Meeting of The GCC Committee
achieve the well-being of the people initiative to develop the GCC portal, which of National Centers for Computer
in GCC countries and its importance in was launched by the UAE. The discussions Emergency Response. The discussions
supporting integration among the GCC included the development of the portal included a review of the Executive Plan
countries. The E-Government Executive using the UX Lab at the UAE Centre of for the GCC Cybersecurity and Safety
Committee aims to develop e-government Digital Innovation (CoDI), in addition to Strategy, an update on the “IP Reputation”
at the national and Gulf level, enhance simplifying the steps to obtain information, system developed by the UAE, the data
cooperation among the GCC countries, developing the portal design in line with leakage protection service, sharing of
support e-integration between GCC the latest international developments, information and methods of Cybersecurity,
countries and use e-government as a activating e-participation on the portal and new Cybersecurity newsletters. During
tool for sustainable development and and including participation topics such as the meeting, the MoM of the Public Key
enhance GCC competitiveness in the field e-advice, blogs, enriching the portal with Infrastructure Working Group meeting was
of e-government regionally and globally. success stories and Gulf experiences in reviewed, which included determining the
On this participation, H.E. Salem Al digital transformation projects and digital requirements and action plan necessary
Housani, Acting Deputy Director General governance services, and developing and for the use of digital certificates, setting
for Information and e-Government Sector, updating digital content according to a the coordination mechanism between
said: “The UAE is keen to participate actively joint GCC mechanism . The meeting led the GCC national centers of digital
in all initiatives and events emanating to the approval of the feasibility study certification, compatibility of e-signature
from the GCC, as it embodies the strong for the GCC top-level project submitted systems and standards among the GCC
relations that bind the GCC countries, and by the UAE. The study has taken into countries, and the trust lists approved
contribute to the consolidation of security account the global developments and the for digital certification service providers.
and stability in the region and the well- requirements of “ICANN” in the registration The UAE gave a video presentation that
being of its people. During the meeting, of the domain, focusing on the possibility reviewed the list of trusts for digital
we reviewed the two initiatives of the UAE of investment in the .GCC domain. The authentication providers within the
aimed at enhancing the online presence project aims to create a generic top-level country, and the services that the list
of the GCC countries, namely the top-level domain on the Internet that represents and will provide to regulate and increase the
domain (.GCC) initiative to preserve and strengthens the Gulf identity in the field of reliability of electronic transactions. The
enhance the Gulf identity, and the GCC information technology, contributes to the meeting discussed the outcomes of the
portal initiative to meet the aspirations of development and dissemination of GCC first meeting of the Unified Software and
the GCC citizens. We are keen to activate websites, offers new options to the GCC Hardware Procurement Team. It focused
the portal in line with international best Internet community, and supports online on reviewing the experiences of the GCC
practices on the one hand, and to enhance innovation. The meeting also discussed countries in the areas of general framework
the level of the GCC countries e-presence the Secretariat’s memo regarding the MoM agreements and the need to benefit

133 SEPTEMBER 2019