The Arab Federation for Digital Economy participated in the activities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Conference and Exhibition “Seamless Riyadh”, which is being held from the 17th to the 19th of this month at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Front, under the auspices of the League of Arab States, and organized by the Arab Federation for Digital Economy in cooperation with Terrapinn Middle East Conferences and Exhibitions Company.
The Union was represented at this regional event by Dr. Hani Hosni, a member of the Union’s General Assembly, who delivered a speech in the main session addressing the rapid developments in the Arab digital economy and the strategic role of digital indicators and regional partnerships in supporting this path.
Highlights from Dr. Hani Hosni’s speech
In his address, Dr. Hani emphasized that digital transformation is now the primary driver of economic, social, and governmental development in the Arab world. He noted that the success of any strategy depends on meticulous planning, objective measurement, and continuous monitoring. He then reviewed the most prominent efforts of the Arab Federation for Digital Economy, which constitute a shared Arab framework for developing the digital economy, including:
- The Arab vision for the digital economy, adopted by the Arab Summit in 2022, represents a working methodology for building an Arab digital economy based on knowledge and innovation.
- The Arab Digital Economy Index is a scientific tool that enables decision-makers and investors to monitor progress levels and identify areas for development across dimensions that include digital infrastructure, institutional transformation, innovation, skills, and digital trust.
- The global position of the digital economy, valued at more than $16 trillion today, with cross-border digital trade expected to reach $8 trillion by 2030, reflects the need to develop Arab digital infrastructures and enhance countries’ capabilities in modern technologies.
The speech also addressed the Union’s projects to support Arab digital cooperation, with Dr. Hani highlighting the practical initiatives led by the Union to develop joint digital work, including:
- Unifying Arabic digital standards and references.
- Developing advanced digital skills.
- Expansion into cloud infrastructure and data centers.
- Empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through cross-border digital platforms.
- Supporting cybersecurity initiatives and building digital trust
Dr. Hani called on companies and investors to enter into joint Arab partnerships based on knowledge transfer, technology localization, and building sustainable value chains, in order to support the competitiveness of Arab economies and keep pace with digital transformation plans.
At the conclusion of its participation, the Union stressed the importance of investing in the “Seamless” platform to support partnerships between the public and private sectors, and to develop joint Arab action in the field of the digital economy, in a way that contributes to building a more inclusive and sustainable Arab digital economy and meets the aspirations of Arab countries towards a more prosperous future.
