Dubai – United Arab Emirates (Emirates News Agency)

Dr. explained. Ali Mohamed Al-Khouri, Advisor to the Council of Arab Economic Unity and President of the Arab Federation for the Digital Economy, in his keynote speech on the second day of the “Seamless 2022” Conference and Exhibition on Digital Economy Technologies, that the general results in the Arab Digital Economy Index report show the need for Arab countries to prepare better for geopolitical changes and geoeconomics in the region and the world through more cooperation and integration in the Arab region and intensification of investments in the development of digital infrastructure, innovation, sustainable knowledge and technology localization, and creating real interdependence and interaction between national strategies, government institutions and citizens.

Al-Khouri congratulated the UAE for being at the top of the list of Arab countries in the Arab Digital Economy Index 2022, which was announced on the first day of the Digital Economy Technologies Conference (Seamless Middle East 2022). He also congratulated the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which was able to climb to second place in the digital economy index report, and that this reflects the fruit of the great efforts striving in the two countries to achieve qualitative leaps in the path of economic development, through ambitious strategies and initiatives.

He also added that, based on what the world is witnessing today, Arab countries need to pay attention to the digital divide, which is the same gap that all economies, including advanced economies, seek to bridge, and because of its impact on the local economic situation and is directly related to the living conditions of citizens.

In his speech, he also referred to the importance of working on the axes of education, infrastructure and legislation to deal with the digital divide and improve the quality of life of the Arab citizen, and the need for these axes to work within an integrated framework that stimulates creativity, innovation, investment and corporate growth.

In his speech, Al-Khouri indicated that the Arab region needs to develop the education system to serve the goal of shifting from consumption to production, to keep pace with and manage a modern digital knowledge economy that serves the purpose and is capable of growth. And that the digital infrastructure depends on international data centers outside the region, and that there is a need to build a network between Arab countries to serve as a driver of information energy between them, and a synonym for any possibilities of disruption of points of contact with the outside world in light of the existing and potential turmoil. And it is necessary to design the Arab infrastructure to allow the launch of major regional projects and the popularity and fluidity of trade between Arab countries.

Al-Khouri also indicated that dealing with legislation should not be limited to societal and political harmonization only, but that its design should take into account the requirements of flexibility and support the growth of Arab companies, especially small and medium ones, and stimulate innovation, development and long-term investments.

Watch the video of the speech of the President of the Arab Federation for Digital Economy at Seamless 2022