Page 40 - SAMENA Trends - September 2023

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Cloud’s Contribution to Kuwait Economy Could Reach US$16.8 billion by

2033

Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com, Inc. company new opportunities for economic growth and social development."
(NASDAQ: AMZN), commissioned a new report quantifying The study demonstrates that the economic impact of cloud
the relationship between cloud computing adoption, national computing is guided by returns to scale - greater adoption of cloud
productivity, and economic growth in the Middle East and North computing will lead to proportionally greater productivity gains
Africa (MENA) region. The report highlights the potential for and economic impact. “The widespread adoption of cloud has
Kuwait to unlock USD 16.8 billion in additional economic value already led to increased efficiency, cost savings, and job creation
over the next decade (2023-2033). The study, performed by in various industries. As more businesses and organizations
Telecom Advisory Services LLC, and directed by Raul Katz, continue to migrate to the cloud, the economic benefits are
Director of Business Strategy Research at the Columbia Institute expected to grow even further,” added Yasser. The report identifies
for Teleinformation (Columbia Business School), provides a four key advantages of cloud computing. First, it enhances
cutting-edge econometrical method for calculating the aggregate business efficiency and effectiveness, streamlining processes and
productivity gains realized by economies that adopt cloud improving outcomes. Second, it offers access to a wide range of
computing. It extends previous economic research focused on services, enabling businesses to leverage advanced technologies.
firm-level productivity by establishing cloud adoption as a driver Third, it boosts productivity by facilitating collaboration, mobility,
of national productivity and economic growth. Unleashing the and agility within the workforce. Fourth, cloud computing promotes
Economic Power of Cloud Computing in Kuwait In 2021, public environmental sustainability by reducing carbon emissions per
cloud adoption made a significant impact on Kuwait's economy. unit of data transmitted.
According to the report, it contributed 0.59% to the country’s GDP,
generating an economic value of USD 798 million. The report finds
that a 1% increase in cloud adoption by Kuwait organizations will
result in a 0.05% (USD 63.86million) average GDP growth. Yasser
Hassan, Managing Director, Commercial Sector (MENA and Turkey),
at AWS, said: "The findings of our report highlight the tremendous
opportunity for Kuwait to harness the potential cloud computing in
line with the government's strategic initiatives. As cloud computing
continues to gain momentum, it is imperative for Kuwait to invest
in infrastructure and develop a skilled workforce to enhance the
country's competitiveness on a global scale. With the support of
AWS, Kuwait can accelerate its digital transformation and unlock

Egypt Pushes Digital Transformation Agenda

than 70 online services for citizens and businesses including
issuance of national IDs, renewal car licenses, paying taxes, and
applications for subsidies Developing a national broadband plan,
which aims to increase internet penetration and provide high-
speed internet access to all public institutions, schools, and health
facilities Establishing a digital identity system enabling citizens
to verify their identity online using biometric data and a unique
national number, and access various e-government services
Promoting e-commerce and supporting small and medium
enterprises to adopt digital solutions and platforms Enhancing
digital literacy and skills - Egypt has launched several initiatives to
train students, teachers, workers and entrepreneurs in the use of
Digital transformation is a key component of Egypt’s Vision 2030 digital technologies Supporting and enabling these achievements
strategy. Along with other key initiatives (ICT 2030 and Digital has been the government investing "heavily in upgrading and
Egypt) it is expected to further accelerate the development of the expanding telecommunications infrastructure, particularly fiber
country’s digital economy and potentially provide a blueprint for optic networks and mobile broadband services,” explains Hussein
other African countries. Egypt has made significant strides in digital Abaza, CEO and managing director, Commercial International Bank
transformation in recent years. Some of the notable achievements (CIB). The government has also initiated projects to connect public
include: Launching a digital services portal, which provides more buildings to high speed internet access through the Digital Egypt

40 SEPTEMBER 2023