The 19th United Nations Internet Governance Forum is currently being held in Riyadh, focusing on building a digital future. Hosted by Saudi Arabia, the forum features over 10,000 participants and 1,000 speakers. Key themes include digital innovation, human rights, and fostering digital governance, aligned with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
The PTCL Group showcased two talented women entrepreneurs from the Ba-Ikhtiar program at Expand North Star. Farhat ul Ain and Marrium Hussain, former local embroidery artists, have transformed into tech-enabled entrepreneurs through the program, highlighting their inspiring journeys and the initiative’s role in empowering women in digital entrepreneurship.
Bahrain and Algeria are advancing discussions on an Arab framework agreement to establish unified regulations for AI and digital technology. The talks, held during the 2024 UN Internet Governance Forum, focus on creating common standards to ensure ethical AI practices and foster collaboration across the Arab region in the evolving tech landscape.
The Bangladesh Mobile Consumers Association (BMCA) proposed 17 reforms to the BTRC, advocating for better consumer rights, service quality, and regulatory independence. Their suggestions include making internet access a human right and improving the transparency of tariff setting and infrastructure standards.
Egypt has achieved the highest landline internet speeds in Africa and ranks second continentally, fifth globally, for affordable high-speed internet at $8.31 monthly. These advancements, reported by Speedtest and Business Insider, are due to infrastructure upgrades by the Ministry of Communications and the Egyptian Telecom Company using fiber optic technology.
Orange Money has partnered with Mastercard to enable millions of users to access digital payments via Mastercard’s global network by 2025. Customers can obtain virtual or physical debit cards linked to their Orange Money wallets, allowing local and international transactions, thereby promoting financial empowerment in underserved communities across seven African countries.
Ooredoo Oman is advancing its customer experience through its “Mega Digital Transformation” programme, enhancing real-time services, improving billing systems, and aligning with Oman’s Vision 2040. The transformation focuses on seamless digital integration, optimizing telecommunications infrastructure, and modernizing IT systems for superior CX.
e& UAE has partnered with Airbus to deliver advanced communication solutions to the UAE’s enterprise market, emphasizing mission-critical push-to-talk and video services to drive digital transformation and enhance operational efficiency.
e& Egypt has partnered with the National Company for Telecommunication Services to leverage the Tiba 1 satellite for delivering advanced telecom services across Egypt, particularly targeting remote areas to enhance connectivity in sectors like petroleum, mining, and tourism.
Exhibition World Bahrain (EWB) is set to host a series of prestigious exhibitions and conferences from October 2024 to early 2025, further establishing Bahrain as a leading hub for global business tourism and MICE events. Notable events include Fintech Forward, Jewellery Arabia, and the Bahrain International Garden Show.
