The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in the UAE has achieved significant progress in global ranking from the 6th to 2nd, according to the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) 2019 issued by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

This report is considered one of the most important global competitiveness reports that countries rely on to measure the performance of their sectors.

The ICT sector ranked first among other sectors in the country in the level of progress in the global ranking. The GCI also measures the efficiency and competitiveness of the ICT sectors in the world through the “ICT adoption” pillar, which includes a number of global competitiveness indicators that measure the sector’s performance.

The UAE remained the first globally in the mobile broadband subscriptions index, in addition to the second position in mobile-cellular telephone subscriptions. The UAE advanced to the fourth position in fiber Internet subscriptions, and fifth in the rate of Internet users.

The UAE advanced 35 ranks in fixed- broadband internet subscriptions reaching the 27th position globally.

Commenting on these achievements, Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director-General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, TRA, said, “The UAE’s achievements in global indicators are cumulative milestones towards the goal we all seek to achieve the country’s global leadership in all fields, especially the ICT sector due to its exceptional importance as key of progress in all sectors.”

“In the UAE, under the directives of the wise leadership, we are keen to create and provide an advanced infrastructure capable of achieving the highest positions in the ICT indicators. We are working to create suitable conditions to accommodate advanced technologies, including Artificial Intelligence technologies and the Internet of Things, in order to reach the principle of sustainability and increase the happiness of society,” he added.

In turn, Tariq Al Awadhi, Executive Director of Spectrum Affairs and the Leader of the National Agenda Team at TRA, said, “TRA continues to work with the operators to raise the country’s ranking in global competitiveness indicators by developing the telecommunications infrastructure. This would raise the sector’s readiness to meet the needs of the rapidly evolving telecommunications technology to ensure smooth and fast adoption of modern technology in the country, especially as we are on the threshold of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which requires preparedness to keep up with future technology such as autonomous vehicles, robots, blockchain, 3D printing and more.”

Furthermore, the UAE also advanced from 25th to 2nd position globally in the Telecommunication Infrastructure Index, TII - a global competitive index issued by the United Nations in 2019 - surpassing many developed countries in the sector, and reflecting the level of development of the ICT sector in the UAE.

TRA is working to achieve the first position in this index in order to achieve the goals of the National Agenda to be the first in the world in TII by 2021.

The Global Competitiveness Index, first published in 1979, provides a comprehensive overview of the economic expectations for 141 economies. Based on these results, the report stimulates economic growth across the world, leading to improved living standards.

The UAE is the most attractive Information Technology market in the Middle East and Africa region, thanks to its economic diversification efforts, according to a new Fitch Solutions report. The UAE, second biggest economy in the Arab world, has scored 68.4 points out of a potential 100 points in a Fitch index.

“The UAE’s IT market remains buoyed by economic diversification efforts mapped out in the country’s Vision 2021 strategy as well as with the demand from the enterprise, retail and construction sectors ahead of Expo 2020 Dubai,” said the report.

Rising oil prices and ongoing economic diversification initiatives, pursued by regional governments, have supported the IT industry growth in MEA.

Of the 12 markets surveyed, Kenya was least attractive market.

The report added despite downward revisions to some markets’ industry and country risk scores, the region’s IT risk/reward index has remained relatively stable.

Smart city initiatives in the region are attracting huge chunk of IT investments. Technology investments, related to smart city initiatives across MEA, is predicted to reach $2.7 billion in 2022, with Dubai and Riyadh leading the way, according to Massachusetts-based researcher International Data Corporation.

WAM/Agencies