Source: Abu Dhabi – Emarat Al Youm
Date: December 17, 2018
The first Arab Digital Economy Conference kicked off yesterday in Abu Dhabi, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and in the presence of Lieutenant General His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.
During the conference, the League of Arab States, in the presence of its Secretary-General, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, launched the Joint Arab Vision for the Digital Economy, along with representatives of Arab countries who attended the launch ceremony on the first day of the conference.
In his speech at the official opening, Aboul Gheit emphasized that Arab countries are working to enhance inter-Arab cooperation in all fields, most notably economics, and have initially established the idea of a Joint Arab Vision for the Digital Economy as an additional means to promote growth and societal stability.
He stated that the selection of the “Arab Digital Economy” as the central theme of this conference truly reflects the awareness of the magnitude of the challenges facing the Arab region, given the pivotal role of modern technology in the development of societies and economies in general.
He added that the League of Arab States always strives to keep pace with the developments taking place around it in all fields and sectors, and to adopt best practices to activate and enhance the performance of the joint Arab action system. In this context, it is worth noting the partnership between the League of Arab States and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, within the framework of the Internet Governance Roadmap Initiative, regionally and internationally, making the Arab Group among the first regional groups working to formulate a roadmap for Internet governance at the regional level.
He pointed out that there is significant progress in some Arab countries that cannot be overlooked. Some Arab countries, including the UAE, occupy a leading position among the world’s countries in terms of internet usage, given the 150-fold increase in cross-border data flow connecting our Arab region to the rest of the world over the past decade. In this regard, several Arab countries have achieved significant leaps in the digital consumption sector, with increased rates of smartphone adoption and social media use.
He expressed his hope that the conference’s outcomes will be a priority and a focus for the Arab League and its various agencies, contributing to the official Arab dimension and momentum of this major effort.
The conference will consist of sessions attended by several representatives of international organizations to discuss the components of the digital economy. The first session focused on the shared vision of the Arab region, and another session discussed global challenges and the need to work within shared agendas.
The conference’s first day addressed the new agenda for the education and labor sectors in light of artificial intelligence, lifestyles in the digital society, and smart cities. Recommendations from the first Arab Digital Economy Conference are planned to be presented to Arab leaders after the conclusion of the second day’s proceedings at the Arab Summit scheduled to be held in Tunisia in March 2019.
