Meeting discusses strategy to boost Dubai’s digital economy

Over 100 industry experts shared their insights and recommendations for supporting the growth of digital companies in the emirate on the first day of the Dubai Digital Economy Retreat on Tuesday.

The two-day retreat, organised by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, supports the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai into the capital of the global digital economy.

The event will culminate in the development of an action plan based on feedback and inputs from the participants, which will be used to develop a new roadmap for advancing the emirate’s digital economy.

The first day of the event was attended by Omar Bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Teleworking Applications, and Chairman of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy; Hamad Buamim, President and CEO of Dubai Chamber, and members of the advisory board of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy.

The event featured several interactive workshops on the topics of talent, financing, infrastructure and legislation. Participants discussed several important issues facing industry players related to the need for specialised talent and venture capital funds, support for local investors, reduction of business costs, access to capital for digital companies and business-friendly regulations.

The Retreat also explored new ways to position Dubai as a global digital economy capital, foster public-private sector cooperation to accelerate the growth of industry players and boost the sector’s contribution to Dubai’s economy.

Addressing participants, Al Olama elaborated on the various objectives of the retreat, including the creation of an action plan for driving the growth of digital companies in Dubai, which will be used to develop a new roadmap for advancing the emirate’s digital economy.

He stressed the importance of involving players from the private sector as strategic partners to the public sector. He said the private sector is playing a key role in developing new strategies for driving long-term sustainable growth and boosting Dubai’s economic competitiveness.

Global Business Forum Africa: Heads of state, plus more than 30 ministers, high-ranking government officials and prominent influential business leaders from Africa, have confirmed their participation in the sixth edition of the Global Business Forum Africa (GBF Africa), on 13th and 14th October, 2021, at Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo 2020 Dubai.

Dubai Chamber is organising the event in partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai under the theme “Transformation Through Trade”.

The high-level event is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The forum aims to build bridges between UAE and African business communities and explore untapped trade and investment potential. The discussions will involve heads of state and government officials, including Filipe Nyusi, President of Mozambique, Felix Tshisekedi, President of Congo, and Dr C.G.D.N. Chiwenga, Vice President of Zimbabwe. They will be joined by the Chief Minister of Jersey and more than 30 ministers and high-ranking African officials, including five ministers from Ghana, four from Angola, six from Ethiopia, two from Uganda, Zimbabwe and Liberia respectively, along with ministers from Kenya, Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Senegal, Seychelles, Congo and the Kingdom of Lesotho, as well as government officials from Rwanda and Kenya and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Secretary-General.

Commenting on the upcoming forum, Reem Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director-General of Expo 2020 Dubai, said, “Countries from across the world that are participating in Expo 2020 are eager to deepen their ties with Africa, and GBF Africa will be a crucial forum where the continent can share its plans and achievements, seek investments and solutions to its challenges and forge new relationships across the globe.

“Expo 2020 will bring together 191 nations plus millions of visitors, leveraging the convening power of World Expos and the UAE’s unique position as a global centre for trade to drive international collaboration and boost access to high-growth markets such as Africa.” This six-month experience - one of the first of this size and scale to take place since the start of the pandemic and the first ever to be held in the MEASA region - will be a beacon of hope for the global business community. It represents an unprecedented opportunity for businesses of all sizes, international organisations, and government entities from across the world, to come together to foster a more diversified and resilient global economy, inspire a vibrant business environment and drive sustainable growth.

WAM