Source: Aletihad Newspaper
We were once again faced with an image of international appreciation for the UAE’s leadership in the fields of digital economy and its role in driving the digital transformation in the Arab world, during the high-level meeting recently held between the Arab Federation for Digital Economy and the leaders of the World Bank. The latter appreciated the UAE’s contribution to developing the Arab vision for the digital economy as a model for innovation and development, which crystallized the Arab Vision for Digital Economy document approved at the Arab Leaders Summit held in Algeria 2022. This vision extends from 2026-2030.
This vision aims to “support digital transformation and innovation in all Arab economic sectors, and the Arab Digital Economy Index, which is a tool for measuring digital progress in Arab countries, and supporting the ability of countries in the region to achieve their development goals.” The meeting was an opportunity to highlight the importance of promoting digital education through the Arab Platform for Education and Training initiative, led by the Arab Federation for Digital Economy, which is essential to empowering Arab youth and preparing them for the digital labor market of the future. The meeting also discussed efforts to improve digital infrastructure in Arab countries to accelerate the pace of digital transformation and expand access to the Internet and data, and ways to enhance financial inclusion through technological solutions, such as developing digital payment and transfer systems, which can empower underserved communities, especially in poor areas.
Emirati efforts and expertise are appreciated and valued by everyone, stemming from the capabilities achieved by the UAE since its early stages, based on the vision of our wise leadership, which paid special attention to digital transformation and digitization. Today, we are witnessing the important pivotal role played by the digital sector in stimulating the business environment in light of the availability of an integrated digital system.
The UAE was also among the first countries to show special interest in telecommunications infrastructure and digital transformation, and ranks first in the world in the Fiber to the Home (FTTH) connectivity index. In this context, the global technology ecosystem “HUB71” in Abu Dhabi provides a dynamic community to promote technology and innovation, expand startups’ businesses and stimulate their growth by attracting talent and benefiting from opportunities to raise capital and access various markets. The ecosystem, which enhances Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading technology hub, includes more than 260 startups covering 22 different sectors, and has raised funding worth AED 5.4 billion in 2023.
The UAE is racing against time and the world to remain the number one and distinguished in a changing and ever-evolving world in a global competition for excellence and uniqueness.
