Abu Dhabi hosts a regional workshop on sustainable investment in digital transformation in the Arab region

2024/12/17 3:08:34 PM

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Abu Dhabi, December 17 / WAM / The capital, Abu Dhabi, hosted the regional workshop on sustainable investment in digital transformation in the Arab region, organized by the Department of Sustainable Development and International Cooperation of the League of Arab States and the Arab Federation for the Digital Economy.

The workshop was attended by representatives of Arab countries, representatives of the ministries of sustainable development, digital transformation and artificial intelligence, specialized Arab organizations, specialized Arab qualitative unions, and representatives of the United Nations, the private sector and civil society.

Over the course of two days, the workshop included several main sessions. The first session dealt with digital investment in the Arab region, and included government digital transformation initiatives – strategic infrastructure investments such as: smart cities, digital payment systems, cloud data centers and global trends for investment in digital transformation and its role in achieving sustainable development. In the Arab region.

The second session discussed supporting private investment opportunities and foreign partnerships in digital projects such as successful practices, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, investing in digital skills development, and encouraging technological innovation to achieve sustainable digital transformation.

The third session dealt with supporting the building of strategic partnerships at the regional level and launching a roadmap to achieve a sustainable digital economy 2025-2030 through the Arab Digital Platform for Sustainable Development as a regional digital platform to support all projects in vital sectors related to achieving sustainability, within the framework of following up on the implementation of the Council’s decision. Economic and social.

On the sidelines of the workshop today, Tuesday, the sixteenth meeting of the Arab Committee for Sustainable Development was held, in person and via video conference technology, under the presidency of the UAE, in accordance with the presidency of the Economic and Social Council in its current session.

Representatives of fourteen Arab countries concerned with sustainable development participated in the meeting, in addition to specialized Arab organizations, as well as a representative of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), the United Nations Programme, UNESCO, the Islamic Development Bank, and various civil society organizations concerned with sustainability and media.

The committee’s agenda items, which include 14 items, discussed a number of important topics and initiatives, such as eliminating hunger in the Arab region, the Arab digital platform for sustainable development, sustainable financing in the Arab region, the Arab Vision 2045, achieving sustainable development in countries affected by conflicts, and the regional initiative for climate security. The Arab Sustainability Initiative, the Arab Sustainable Development Indicators Group and the Arab Sustainable Development Week.

The workshop was opened by the Minister Plenipotentiary, His Excellency Nada Al-Agizi, Director of the Department of Sustainable Development and International Cooperation, by welcoming the existing cooperation between the Arab Digital Platform for Sustainable Development and the Arab Federation for the Digital Economy in the project to encourage sustainable investment in digital transformation in the Arab region, which was prepared within the framework of following up on the implementation of the decision of the Economic and Social Council at its session. No. 114 dated September 5, 2024.

She stressed that digital technology and sustainable investment are among the basic pillars of achieving comprehensive and sustainable development, and from here stems the importance of this workshop, which brings together an elite of decision-makers and high-level experts, to discuss a number of vital topics that focus on promoting digital transformation and supporting strategic investments in our Arab region, as well as Discussing the proposal to launch an “Arab road map to achieve a sustainable digital economy 2025-2030” through the Arab Digital Platform for Sustainable Development.

His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Al Darmaki, Deputy Secretary General of the Arab Federation for the Digital Economy, spoke at the opening session, explaining that sustainable investment in digital transformation in the Arab region comes at a time when digital transformation has become an indispensable necessity for achieving comprehensive and sustainable development.

His Excellency added that global economies are moving at a rapid pace towards adopting technology and transforming business models and innovation, and we in the Arab world must keep pace with this march, and even strive to be at the forefront of innovators and investors in this field, pointing out that this workshop constitutes an additional step towards the future. A bright digital vision for our Arab countries, and achieving a qualitative shift that benefits our societies and economies.

For his part, Dr. Ayman Mukhtar Ghoneim, Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab Federation for the Digital Economy, presented an overview of the Arab Food Market Initiative, which establishes a broad alliance between government agencies, the public and private sectors, and the technological sector to create a digital virtual market through which the export capabilities of producers of different specializations can be enhanced, and solutions can be found. Administrative and technological transactions related to export activities.

At the end of the meetings, the Minister Plenipotentiary, Ms. Nada Al-Ajizi, Director of the Department of Sustainable Development and International Cooperation, and the participants thanked the UAE for hosting the workshop and the pioneering role it plays in advancing digital transformation in the Arab world.