Page 4 - SAMENA Trends - December 2020

EDITORIAL SAMENA TRENDS

The Aim for Digital Sustainability

Increased network capacity and greater changed connectivity needs and the speed
resilience are a pre-requisite for building a of digitization, other industries (verticals)
sustainable Digital Economy. Key enabling have also been compelled to increasingly
factors, such as public-private collaboration, bank on the power and potential of digital
improved policy and regulatory technologies to manage their pressures to
enablement steps, aligned well with digital deliver and thrive.
transformation goals and digitization
trends across markets and industries, and These are the times when future innovation
sustainable influx in investment in both depends on the sustainability of an open
infrastructure and incubation of innovation, and symbiotic ICT ecosystem, which
play a crucial role as well. should foster improved relationships, such
as between Tech Providers - Operators,
As we have observed, of late, the SA-ME- Operators - Content/App Providers,
NA region, especially the Middle East, is Content/App Providers - Consumers, Tech
demonstrating noticeable progress (and Providers - Consumers, Tech Providers
progressiveness) in ICT development. The - Content/App Providers, Operators - Bocar A. BA
Chief Executive Officer & Board
challenges of the year 2020 have indeed Consumers, Tech Providers - Governments, Member
been good catalysts for the new wave of Operators - Governments, and Governments SAMENA Telecommunications
digitization being observed worldwide. A - Citizens, among others. The relationships Council
major contributing factor, which has been are indeed as complex as they sound. Thus
catalyzed very well over the past year, is new synergies and possibilities among ICT
the heightened focus of ICT Players to players, beneficiaries, as well as technologies which have been repeatedly highlighted
work collaboratively work with Regulators must be created. That is, broadband access, by SAMENA Council across its own
and Policymakers in the fulfillment of the cloud computing, advanced computational as well as both regional and global
over-arching goal of "Universal Digital capabilities, artificial intelligence, intra platforms) that foster innovation
Access". As a result of sound policies, and inter-industry applications and digital and will help attract more end-user
which preceded the 2020 crisis in many services must be harnessed together in a confidence in advanced technologies,
ME countries, complemented by clear ICT meaningful way to create new opportunities including 5G. At the infrastructure level,
goals, investment in ICT infrastructure for business growth as well as for achieving we need to achieve ubiquitous coverage
and subsequent acceleration of digital new milestones in socio-economic well- and ensure optimal user experience
development, the region has done well in being in an inclusive manner. while maximizing network value for
achieving digital progress at a much faster the investors. At the policy-level, this
rate than predicted, earlier. SAMENA Council believes that public- merits further harmonizing policy and
private-people cooperation is essential for regulatory efforts by keeping in view the
Resultantly, new paradigms in digital addressing the digital inclusion and digital multiple aforementioned relationships
value-creation have emerged, whereby sustainability imperatives. Not only are the within the ICT ecosystem.
the power of connectivity, computing, ICT players themselves but other industries
and comprehension will drive further as well are central to the digital world in which May the Year 2021 bring success and
development and digital adoption in we now live and operate. The world now sustainability to all those who have
the post-pandemic era. In this regard, demands better communication services, invested their time, energies, leadership,
partnership, collaboration, digital capacity- enhanced digital experiences, increased and goodwill to support value-creation
building and incubation of innovation business productivity, and improved quality within the evolving ICT ecosystem, and
would prove to be crucial for sustaining the of life, and not to mention, faster recovery. to involve other industries.
digital development momentum. Under the It is thus important that we act upon some
new paradigm shifts, which have abruptly implementable recommendations (some of Happy New Year!

4 DECEMBER 2020