Page 4 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2023

EDITORIAL SAMENA TRENDS

Priority Digital Services & Affordability in

Digital Ecosystems

In the last two months, two very important to setting new milestones and aspirations of
industry activities have taken place, and both seeing a newer version of themselves, such
have placed the need to refocus on digital as those portrayed in the "We The UAE 2031"
development and sustainable connectivity vision, and while the Industry itself prepares
under new light. for another wave of evolution in technology
(for example, from 5G to 5.5G and beyond),
First, during May in Dubai, it was the it is no coincidence that more reasons now
SAMENA Council's Leaders' Summit 2023, exist for stakeholders from the government,
where leaders of the Industry congregated private sector, and the civil society circles, to
from across the world, representing 30-plus be more committed to progress-making on
countries, in pursuit of paradigm shifts in all three fronts described above. It truly is a
how business leaders, policymakers and time for each stakeholder group to reaffirm
regulators should engage with each other, support and collaboration with the other.
especially who have varying missions and
agendas, but who also share common Fortunately, in June, the Global Symposium
goals in achieving universal connectivity, for Regulators (GSR-23) held in Sharm Bocar A. BA
Chief Executive Officer
developing future ICT infrastructure, and El Sheikh, helped reiterate such an & Board Member
who are committed to making cyberspace affirmation. Multi-stakeholder discussions SAMENA Telecommunications
secure and trust-driven. led by SAMENA Council during the IAGDI- Council
CRO meeting during the GSR-23 helped
Three key terms in this year’s theme of the reaffirm the private sector's commitment
Leaders' Summit 2023 were of particular to supporting governments, particularly are emerging, the shifts and
significance, with each term relating to a regulators, during today's volatile and ever- transformation taking place in the
unique set of challenges of varying degree, changing environment. Moreover, The Best overall digital service landscape of the
inclusive of the need to achieve benefit Practice Guidelines adopted at the GSR- region, and how new collaboration
for all, be fully representative of every 23 have underpinned how new regulatory imperatives are being identified. It is
stakeholder group's interests and needs, and economic incentives to stimulate the thus essential to be upfront about real
and still remaining objective and inclusive deployment of digital infrastructure for all requirements of where we need to be
enough to foster and facilitate a forward people everywhere are critical, and need and how the Private Sector, the
momentum on progress: “sustainable to be materialized to fulfill sustainable Policymakers, the Regulators, Global
connectivity” (which implied we need to connectivity requirements, foster Industry Bodies, and relevant
focus on investment, enabling environment, sustainability in the emerging ecosystem, stakeholders can better unite in building
digital trust-building, unlocking new capital); and to develop a thriving digital economy. an enabling, predictable, secure, and
“emerging ecosystem” (which meant how sustainable environment suitable for all
diversity is growing in the digital realm, with Leaders who have contributed extensively stakeholders and supports our long-
innovations and new visions and digital on these fronts and have helped voice term vision of ensuring and preserving
players emerging), and “digital economy” imperatives and needs over the last two sustainability in investments, value-
(which is reflective of a new age of human months, are to be thanked tremendously. creation, meeting grand challenges
endeavor). We now have a far better understanding of such as device affordability, and
the evolution and the expansion of the digital accelerating growth propelled by
With regional governments already on the way ecosystems, the complex value-chains that digitalization.

4 MAY-JUNE 2023