“The mobile industry’s contribution to socio-economic growth can be amplified with appropriate regulations that support a multiplier effect in ICT investment,” Etisalat chairman Mohammed Omran told the ITU Connect Arab Summit in Doha, Qatar, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) under the patronage His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar.
“Despite having some of the highest mobile penetration rates anywhere in the world, the Middle East and Africa is still in the first wave evolution of telecommunications as it moves from voice mobility to broadband connectivity.”
Omran added that the emerging markets of the Middle East and Africa must create an appropriate policy ecosystem that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship to unlock the economic value of mobile broadband connectivity.
“Mobile communications is a powerful enabler of economic and social development but the benefits of mobility and connectivity can only be effective with the supportive engagement of policymakers and other stakeholders,” Omran, added.
Pursuing and realizing this vision in a country such as the UAE could materialize an ICT industry valued in excess of Dh100 billion by the end of 2016, a more than 130% increase over 2010’s figures.
The ITU Connect Arab Summit, organized in partnership with the League of Arab States (LAS), targets the development of ICT in the Arab World to accelerate economic growth and job creation.
“The vision of a diversified knowledge economy needs a buoyant and innovative ICT sector. We need to train the new generation in the jobs of the future and give them the space and freedom to innovate,” he said.
“We have a huge opportunity to capitalize on the rapid deployment of mobile broadband connectivity to turbo-charge economic growth and social development across the region, but it will take a coordinated effort to realize that potential.”
In addition to discussing the opportunity for the ICT sector to create jobs and power economic growth and diversification, the summit also focuses on the development of Arabic digital content, innovation, infrastructure development and access, and security.
“At Etisalat we have seen how we can improve the lives of people in 17 countries across the Middle East, Africa and Asia through the deployment of innovative and appropriate technology. We help economies develop through the provision of mobile commerce applications to the un-banked and under-banked, and we’re able to save lives through our innovative mHealth platform, ‘Mobile Baby’. This is the power and value of development in the ICT sector,” Omran, said.
The conference was inaugurated yesterday by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar in the presence of a number of world leaders, ICT Ministers and the Arab League Secretary General, Nabil Elaraby. Etisalat’s delegation to the ITU Connect Arab Summit was led by the company’s Chairman, who was accompanied by the Etisalat Group’s CEO, Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar and Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Eng. Ahmed bin Ali.