UAE digital transformation on track

Sajjad Ahmad, Gulf Today

In the wake of Fourth Industrial Revolution, the UAE is introducing smart initiatives and transforming its core sectors to digital systems to prepare for future opportunities and align its society with the fast changing world. The UAE’s Vision 2021, which focuses on transforming the country’s economy into one that is based on knowledge is the clear example of its commitment to innovation.

According to IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2019, the UAE as the first in the Arab region and 12th globally among highly competitive countries.

To accelerate region’s digital transformation ambitions, Microsoft invited region’s IT community to attend its flagship conference, Microsoft Ignite The Tour Dubai, which opened on Monday. Over 350 industry experts highlighted opportunities in the region.

Speaking to Gulf Today on the sidelines of the conference, Mohamed Arif, Regional Director for Modern Workplace & Security, Microsoft UAE, said that the UAE is leading the way in Mena region in the domain of digital transformation and constantly up-skilling its core sector to compete with the advanced world. The country’s wise leadership had taken many initiatives to transform both the private and public sectors on digital lines for more seamless growth.

Arif said, “Microsoft is engaged with various organisations in the UAE to enhance the process of digital transformation in the field of AI and IoTs, today’s conference is an example of the company’s dedication towards region IT industry to boost its skills.”

He added, “The skill gap offers opportunities for companies to help people to leverage the technology. WEF report says 75% employees in organisations will need up-skilling to engage in the digital economy.”

 “We have programme for Middle East and Africa called Cloud Society offering online course and training. For the UAE, we have Microsoft reactor programme which is the part of the Hub 71. The big challenge to the growth of digital transformation is unavailability of local cloud in the public sector to leverage the benefit of technology. Now we have local centre in UAE that provides all assistance,” he said.

 “This tech conference is an integral part of Microsoft’s commitment to lifelong learning, offering technology and non-technology professionals the opportunity to skill, upskill and reskill, so they can remain relevant in the global digital economy,” Arif concluded.