Page 66 - SAMENA Trends - January-February 2025

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Bahrain’s Minister Advocates Global Digital Cooperation and AI Governance at

DCO General Assembly

Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Minister of governance of artificial intelligence (AI). The minister highlighted
Transportation and Telecommunications, participated in the fourth Bahrain’s advanced regulatory and investment environment, which
General Assembly of the Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO) supports technological innovation and digital entrepreneurship.
held in Jordan. During the meeting, he emphasized the importance He also reiterated Bahrain’s commitment to enhancing digital
of global digital cooperation, particularly in the development and cooperation, promoting AI adoption, and advancing sustainable
digital growth. Furthermore, the minister called for global
cooperation in responding to the proposal of His Royal Highness
Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime
Minister of Bahrain, for an international treaty on AI governance.
This highlights Bahrain’s proactive role in advocating for
responsible AI development and deployment on a global scale.
The DCO General Assembly served as a platform for discussions
on various initiatives, including digital investment, training, and
the empowerment of startups, youth, and women in the digital
economy. The meeting also saw the election of Kuwait as the next
DCO chair in 2025, the distribution of the Digital Prosperity Awards,
and the launch of the International Digital Cooperation Forum.
Bahrain’s participation in the DCO General Assembly demonstrates
its commitment to international cooperation and its proactive role
in shaping the future of the digital economy. The minister’s call for
global collaboration and responsible AI governance underscores
Bahrain’s leadership in promoting a sustainable and inclusive
digital future.

Tunisia’s Major Telecom Operators Launch 5G Services

Orange Tunisia, Ooredoo Tunisia, and Tunisie Telecom all launched Ooredoo Tunisia—received their 5G licenses from the Ministry
their respective 5G mobile services last week, just three months of Communication Technologies and Digital Economy at the end
after receiving their 5G licenses. The launches mark a significant of November 2024. The licenses grant each operator 5 MHz of
milestone in the country’s telecom landscape. Orange Tunisia, duplexed spectrum in the 700 MHz band and 100 MHz of TDD
which unveiled its 5G service on Friday, is offering both mobile 5G spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band. Additional frequency bands for 5G
and a fixed wireless access (FWA) router with Wi-Fi 6, along with a are expected to be released in future phases.
“Turbo option” aimed at gamers and streaming users. The operator
has already activated 400 5G sites in multiple regions, with plans
to expand coverage to all governorates. Additionally, Orange
Tunisia has opened a 5G Lab near its Orange Digital Center in the
Berges du Lac district of Tunis, showcasing potential enterprise
use cases such as Industry 4.0, health, and education. Ooredoo
Tunisia also introduced a 5G FWA service called “Fix Jdid 5G” for
homes and offices, offering data speeds of up to 100 Mbps. CEO
Mansoor Rashid Al-Khater emphasized that 5G would not only
offer higher speeds but would also enhance the digital economy
and create a more connected society. Tunisie Telecom highlighted
the extensive fiber infrastructure backing its 5G deployment. CEO
Lassâad Ben Dhiab shared that the company has rolled out over
61,000 km of optical fiber, linking 90% of its 4G base stations.
This infrastructure, he stated, would provide a solid foundation
for its 5G network, which already boasts near-complete coverage
in urban areas and impressive speeds in remote regions. The
three telecom operators—Tunisie Telecom, Orange Tunisia, and

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