Page 115 - SAMENA Trends - April-May 2021

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Robert Opp, UNDP's Chief Digital Officer. that we can all take advantage of digital agencies, the Joint Facility also paves the
"The UNDP is proactively investing in the opportunities together." While building on way for wider, longer-term collaboration
key area of digital capacity building so existing collaboration between the two between the UNDP and ITU.

Innovation is Key to Digital Development, note Arab Policy Makers ahead of

World Telecommunication Development Conference

years 2022-2025. Noting the increasing
importance of digital innovation, delegates
at RPM Arab States made use of the
International Centre of Digital Innovation
(I-CoDI), co-funded by ITU and the United
Arab Emirates, to formulate their regional
priorities ahead of WTDC-21. “This
Regional Preparatory Meeting coincides
with the 30th anniversary of the ITU Arab
Regional Office," noted Adel Darwish, ITU
Regional Director for Arab States. “The
meeting also comes at a unique time
as we set the regional priorities for the
Arab region, taking into account digital
and development trends caused by many
factors, including the pandemic."

Digital Trends in Arab States 2021
Over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic
The fourth of six regional preparatory step forward with the recent launch of the has intensified the region's digital divide.
meetings for the ITU World Telecom- Hope – or 'Al Amal' – probe to Mars, led Some 195 million people in the Arab States,
munication Development Conference by the United Arab Emirates, she added. or 45.4%% of the region's population,
(WTDC-21), held on 7 and 8 April, brought “The Mars mission represents the Arab remain unable to connect reliably to
policymakers and experts together to world's first venture into space. It confirms the Internet, which is essential to make
take stock of digital challenges and the region's arrival on the world stage as meaningful use of current information and
opportunities in across the Arab region. a leading pioneer in science and technol- communication technologies (ICTs). A
WTDC-21, set to take place in Addis Ababa, ogy, as well as commitment to ever-clos- report released at the preparatory meeting,
Ethiopia, between 8 and 19 November er engagement and collaboration with Digital Trends in Arab States 2021, noted
2021, aims to highlight innovative the broader international community." steady progress, prior to the COVID crisis,
approaches, encourage new models of Mansour S. Alqurashi, General Manag- on key indicators such as household
collaboration, and promote connectivity er for International Affairs at Saudi Ara- connectivity. At-home Internet access
and digital solutions, particularly in this bia's Communications and Information grew from an estimated 52% of households
final Decade of Action to achieve the Tech-nology Commission, and RPM Arab in 2017 to almost 60% by the end of 2019,
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) States Chair, said: “Innovation is key to our the report says. Yet the urban-rural divide
adopted by the United Nations. Held work and central to the advancement of persists, with 74% of urban households
virtually, the Regional Preparatory Meeting digital development. For this reason, Arab connected, as opposed to just 38% of rural
(RPM) for Arab States gathered 113 countries will focus on innovative thinking dwellings. There is a persistent gender
delegates from 17 countries to ensure and co-creation, as we continue to work gap across the region, with 61% of men
regional coordination ahead of WTDC-21. closely to finalize the proposed regional using the Internet, compared to only 47%
“WTDC-21 comes at a defining moment priorities to be presented for adoption at of women, while women's connectivity in
for the world and for ITU's place in it," said WTDC-21." poorer Arab nations remains chronically
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director of the ITU low. Mobile phone coverage has expanded
Telecommunication Development Bureau. Setting regional priorities rapidly, with 95% of individuals in the
“It also comes at a time of enormous As WTDC-21 aims to provide direction and region now covered by a mobile network
transformation for the Arab region, which guidance to the ITU Telecommunication and more than 90% within reach of a 3G
is already home to some of the world's Development Sector (ITU-D) over the next signal. Affordability, however, remains a
most connected and technologically ad- four years, participants at RPM Arab States major barrier to uptake of digital devices
vanced nations." The region took a bold discussed regional ICT priorities for the and services, ITU data shows.

115 APRIL-MAY 2021