Page 44 - SAMENA Trends - September 2021

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Gulf Spend on Digital Infrastructure to Hit US$70 Billion By 2024

The Gulf region’s ICT spending in digital lives globally by 2025 through affordable The questions we must address is how
infrastructure is expected to be over and accessible digital solutions. With can we ensure regulatory and investment
US$70billion by 2024, said experts at a an estimated 47% of people worldwide frameworks are clear, transparent, and
global forum, citing a recent report by offline, and the cost of available broadband compelling enough to accelerate this
the Middle East Institute. Spending in exceeding affordability targets in 50% investment?” Badr Jafar also emphasized
Saudi Arabia was expected to exceed of developed countries, Badr Jafar, an the need to also address the digital divide
$37 billion in 2020. Meanwhile, the UAE’s appointed Champion of the Edison Alliance, through a business lens, considering
ICT spending is estimated to reach $23 stressed that digital inclusion is a means to the significant and widening digital
billion by 2024, while Qatar’s spending will an end. “Addressing the global challenges gap between small and medium-sized
amount to approximately $9 billion. The that humanity and our habitat faces is of enterprises (SMEs) and larger businesses.
World Economic Forum EDISON Alliance course the ultimate goal. Technology is a As an EDISON Alliance partner, Crescent
discussion on Boosting Digital Inclusion means to that end, and it isn’t the agent of Enterprises aims to focus efforts on
featured Crescent Enterprises CEO Badr change, either. We, the connected people, scaling up the digital capacities of SMEs
Jafar alongside Hans Vestberg, Chairman are the true agents of change. And history in the Mena region, in which SMEs account
and CEO of Verizon and Chairman of will judge us on whether we really used for over 90% of all businesses and are a
the EDISION Alliance, Ruth Porat, Senior these tools for the collective betterment major source of much-needed job creation
Vice-President and CFO of Google, and of humanity and our planet,” Jafar said. and economic growth. The EDISON
Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe, Co-Founder On innovative investment models needed Alliance Boosting Digital Inclusion panel
and CEO of the Motsepe Foundation. The for digital inclusion, Jafar highlighted was held as a part of the World Economic
discussion, moderated by Quartz Media that the business case for connecting Forum’s virtual Sustainable Development
Editor-in-Chief Katherine Bell, was hosted the unconnected is inarguable, with an Impact Summit 2021. The Summit, hosted
by the EDISON Alliance, a global movement estimated 70% of new value created in in parallel with the United Nations General
of private and public sector Champions the economy over the next decade to be Assembly, convenes global leaders across
committed to prioritizing digital inclusion based on digitally enabled platforms. sectors, disciplines, and geographies
for the achievement of the United Nations Jafar said: “Today, with trillions of dollars to exchange knowledge, innovative
Sustainable Development Goals. The of capital chasing yield in a zero interest approaches, and promising ideas to
discussion was held against the backdrop rate environment, long-term stable tariff- accelerate post-pandemic recovery on
of the EDISON Alliance 1 Billion Lives based investment opportunities, like the road to achieving the United Nations
Challenge, a challenge to improve 1 billion digital infrastructure, is super compelling. Sustainable Development Goals.

Saudi Arabia Ranks 2nd in Digital Competitiveness Among G20 Countries

register their online platforms and websites through the authority’s
website within 90 days, a DGA statement said. On June 30, DGA
approved the first regulatory framework of the digital government.
DGA is seeking to issue regulations, policies, and standards that
contribute to creating a regulatory environment, which enables
reaching advanced levels of maturity in the government's digital
transformation. It has instructed all government agencies
to reinvigorate their platforms to better serve the public and
improve their digital presence. The authority has also ordered the
suspension of a total of 106 inactive domains. A deadline has also
been set for government agencies to comply with the authority’s
instructions. The objective of the move is to regulate government
Saudi Arabia has been ranked second among G20 countries in domains on the internet, preserve the rights of registered entities
the Digital Competitiveness Report 2021 issued by the European and link them to official platforms and websites. DGA Gov. Ahmed
Center for Digital Competitiveness, the Saudi Press Agency bin Mohammed Al-Suwayan said the authority seeks to improve
reported. The report is based on data issued by the World the regulatory and investment environment in the Kingdom and
Economic Forum and backed by statistics issued by the World ensure reliable and efficient digital services. He said the authority
Bank and the International Telecommunication Union. In a bid will assess all existing platforms, apps, and websites according to
to further improve digital performance, the Kingdom’s Digital the regulatory framework.
Government Authority has called on all government agencies to

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