Arab world needs to create own technology for growth

The Arab region, where more than 30 per cent of the population is below the age of 30, needs to start creating technology and invest in youth to get the best results out of the region’s unified digital strategy, experts said.

The Arab Digital Economy Strategy, which was launched in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, is an initiative to establish digital inclusion and alignment on legislative and technological infrastructure across the 22-member Arab League.

“Initially there were some benchmarks to catch up on but now Arab countries are aiming to surpass them. But in order to do that, we need a strong push in terms of research and development,” said Richard Kerby, head of the review committee of the Arab Digital Economy Strategy.

“It is very important to start creating our own technology and applications from being just users. There are young men and women, who are IT savvy … more investment should be made in honing their skills.”

Internet penetration in the Middle East reached 64.5 per cent at the end of March while it was close to 55 per cent in the rest of the world, according to Statista.

The UAE and Bahrain boast nearly 100 per cent smartphone penetration versus 80 per cent in the United States.

“There is a huge young population, presenting immense potential for digital adoption,” said Atef Helmy, former communications and IT minister of Egypt.

Information technology spending in the Middle East and North Africa is projected to reach $155 billion by the end of 2018, a 3.4 per cent increase from 2017, according to research firm Gartner.

Hesham Dinana, head of the research team for the Arab Digital Economy Strategy, said that they have kept the human element first while drafting the policy. “The digital economy is not about technology, but it is about creating value. Therefore, we are emphasising on finding innovative ways to create value that puts humans first,” said Mr Dinana.

“Having a more human-centric strategy is more relevant in the Arab world where one of the main wealth is people. They are imaginative, creative and will be the drivers of the digital economy.”

Information technology spending in Middle East and North Africa is projected to reach $155 billion by the end of 2018