Amir fetes Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Informatics Award winners
Digital transformation necessary to serve development needs: Sheikha Aida
KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah attended and patronized at Bayan Palace yesterday the 18th edition of His Highness Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah’s Informatics Award. His Highness the Amir was received at the event by Chairperson of the Award’s Trustees’ Board, Sheikha Aida Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah. The event was attended by His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Speaker of the National Assembly Marzouq AlGhanem, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad AlSabah, and senior state officials.
Delivering her speech to the event, Sheikha Aida said that the world today was more connected than ever thanks to the huge leap in Information technology and communication. She added that it was integral to coordinate efforts for digital transformation and interactive knowledge to serve Kuwait’s development needs. The digital industry, through the efforts of the youth, will surely play a part in Kuwait’s ambitions to become an economic hub both regionally and internationally, affirmed Sheikha Aida who urged the people of Kuwait to follow the guidelines set by His Highness the Amir of Kuwait in this regard. Sheikha Aida also lauded His Highness Sheikh Salem Al-Ali for his continuous support to the development of the Information Technology (IT) scene in the country.
‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’
Delivering his speech to the event, head of the Award’s high organizing committee Engineer Bassam Al-Shemmeri said that His Highness Sheikh Salem Al-Ali’s Informatics Award was implementing a plan lasting until 2020 to follow up on the latest developments in the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution,’ a term describing the fusion of physical, biological, and digital technologies. Prior to the current event, organizers of the Sheikh Salem Al-Ali’s Informatics Award focused on participating and organizing numerous local and regional meetings, which were attended by IT professionals and technology enthusiast from here and abroad, said Shemmeri who noted that they have also launched a number of competitions to develop interest in technological development. For instance, he revealed that an event sponsored by the award’s committee at the Kuwait international book fair had attracted 1,246 participants with 836 winning prizes during the course of the 11-day event.
ITU grateful
In his award acceptance remarks Houlin Zhao, Secretary-General of international telecommunication union (ITU) said, “I am honored to be here today to receive His Highness Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah Informatics Award 2018. I accept this prestigious award on behalf of all the Members and staff of ITU, past and present.” Zhao added that the ITU was grateful to the
World today more connected
than ever
State of Kuwait for increasing its contribution to the union by an additional two units, indicating that the GCC country has been an active Member of our Union since 1959, playing an important role in our activities and the ITU Council. “Let me congratulate Kuwait on being re-elected to the ITU Council at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2018 (PP-18) in Dubai just three weeks ago,” said the Union’s Secretary General.
At PP-18, ITU Members States adopted new resolutions on important issues like OTTs, SMEs, and the digital economy, which will help foster inclusive economic growth and ensure that ICT can be a source for good and for everyone. “We now have a new Strategic Plan and a new Financial Plan, with ambitious targets for our Union for the next four years”, Zhao said. Our strategy is based on five goals: growth, inclusiveness, sustainability, innovation, and partnership. These goals will guide ITU’s key role in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
“As Kuwait is undergoing its own digital transformation under Vision 2035 - with projects in the areas of ICT infrastructure, cyber-security, and smart cities - I am here today to reaffirm the role of ITU as your partner in this endeavor. This award is a confirmation of our determination to work together to facilitate ICT infrastructure development, provide better ICT services to the people, and deliver on the promise of the digital revolution,” said Zhao, affirming that the ITU would continue to work hard to honor Kuwait’s trust, confidence, and steadfast commitment.
Meanwhile, the Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Informatics Award’s coordinator Dr Thalya Al-Fawzan commended the Kuwaiti leadership for its unconditional support to the event since it was launched in 2001. She affirmed that the award would continue to develop the IT scene in Kuwait to participate in the country’s ambitious development plan Kuwait vision 2035.
Winners honored
His Highness Sheikh Salem Al-Ali AlSabah Informatics Award honored the winners of the 18th edition of this year, 10 projects for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Arab countries, six of them for the government sector and two for private and civil society.
In the government sector, UAE won three awards for ‘MOI UAE’ app for Ministry of Interior, ‘Dubai now’ app for Smart Dubai Government and the third for Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation app. Qatar has won two prizes; one for ‘SAK’ app for Ministry of Justice and the second on the website of the Ministry of Interior Electronic Services Section, while Palestine received one award For ‘Rawafed’ of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. As for the private sector, the first prize was awarded to Kuwait for the ‘Lawyer’ project of the Quality Systems Company, while the second prize went to Palestine on ‘Afandie’ app of Afandie company for technology and consulting. The civil society has also received two prizes, one for the Comprehensive Muslim eLibrary owned by Al-Najat Charity Society and the other to khairi online of Rahma International. — KUNA