Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
AWS data centres in Bahrain and the UAE experienced connectivity disruptions after one UAE Availability Zone lost power due to objects striking the facility and causing a fire. Other zones remained operational, with traffic rerouted. AWS reported partial recovery but advised customers to use alternative regions amid ongoing regional tensions.
NTT Data has acquired Dubai-based AWS partner Zero&One to strengthen its cloud and AI capabilities in the Middle East, positioning itself to capture growing regional demand for cloud migration, data analytics, and AI-driven digital transformation.
IBM and AWS are expanding their partnership to host IBM’s software portfolio, including watsonx, on AWS Cloud Regions in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The move supports data sovereignty, compliance, and digital transformation goals while enabling regional organizations to innovate securely and locally.
Amazon Web Services has restored its operations following a major global outage that disrupted platforms like Snapchat, Reddit, and Venmo, as well as several banking services. While operations have largely resumed, AWS said some systems still face message backlogs. The disruption, caused by an internal malfunction, highlighted the world’s growing dependence on cloud infrastructure for everyday digital services.
AWS and e& have launched the “AI Nation – Afaaq” programme to train 30,000 people in AI and cloud computing in the UAE. Supported by $1 billion in strategic investment, the initiative offers free certifications, live coaching, and access to AWS’s global learning tools — strengthening the nation’s AI talent pool and digital transformation goals.
AWS and Virgin Mobile UAE have partnered to implement Generative AI solutions that automate identity verification and customer support, achieving 98% fraud detection accuracy and 25% call resolution through AI. The collaboration strengthens operational efficiency, compliance, and customer experience in UAE telecommunications.
IBM and AWS are expanding their collaboration to accelerate digital transformation in the Middle East, with plans to establish their first joint Innovation Hub in Riyadh. The hub will drive cloud adoption, AI innovation, cybersecurity, and sustainability, while supporting Saudi Vision 2030 and the UAE Digital Economy Strategy.
Absa Group has expanded its partnership with AWS to accelerate cloud adoption, positioning itself as a cloud-native bank delivering secure, agile, and personalized services. The collaboration will modernize infrastructure, boost innovation, and extend community impact through initiatives like Women in Tech, which will provide AWS training to 150 women across five African countries.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is partnering with Orange to roll out its AWS Wavelength technology in Morocco and Senegal, marking the first deployment in Africa. The initiative aims to enhance connectivity, reduce latency, and support industries like telecom and gaming with ultra-low latency applications.
du has partnered with AWS and Nokia to cloudify its Radio Access Network (RAN) in the UAE, leveraging AWS Outposts and Nokia’s anyRAN approach to enhance network flexibility, security, and scalability. This collaboration supports UAE’s digital transformation, accelerating 5G innovation and enabling new use cases for various industries.