UAE excels in digital transformation

The global trend is such that going digital is no more a choice but a necessity. The UAE has a stated goal of becoming a leading global hub and an open lab for the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s applications.

The country has been pressing the right keys when it comes to introducing Smart initiatives. The positive results are there for one and all to see.

The ranking of the UAE as the first in the Arab region and 12th globally among highly competitive countries in the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2019 adds another feather to the cap of the nation.

A report by the IMD World Competitiveness Centre has acknowledged that the UAE has advanced five positions from the previous year’s ranking, to be ranked 12th globally and first in the Arab Region.

The UAE has also progressed to achieve the first rank in the Arab Region in all three main factors of the report, namely the “technology” factor, in which the country achieved the second rank globally, advancing by five ranks from last year, and the 9th globally in “Future Readiness” factor, progressing from the 12th rank last year.

The UAE advanced one rank in the “knowledge” factor to be the first in the Arab Region and 35th globally.

As stated by Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, TRA Director-General, the UAE progress in the Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2019 is a new global testimony added to the UAE record of achievements and teamwork.

The analysis prepared by the Competitiveness Strategy Team at the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority for the factors and sub-factors of the report showed that the UAE achieved outstanding performance in a large number of factors and sub-factors.

Mansoori has rightly highlighted the key role of federal and local government entities and the private sector in achieving the vision, aspirations and goals set by the wise leadership for the continuous development and improvement of technological infrastructure, as well as supporting training and development initiatives for national capacities in the field of information technology, and encouraging research and development in ICT and advanced science.

Visionary initiatives have helped the nation move on the fast track in digital transformation. For example, in May 2013, the UAE initiated an ambitious journey to move from eGovernment to mGovernment within two years.

The target was set at 100 per cent to make priority services available online through two channels: websites and mobile phone applications.

In 2015, the UAE had achieved a remarkable rate of mobile governance. 96.3 per cent of the UAE government’s most used 337 services made the transition to mGovernment and mServices within 730 days and with the support of 41 government departments.

The UAE also ranked first in the Middle East in the transition to Internet Protocol Version 6, according to statistics from Ripe NCC, Akamai Technology and Google, less than two years after it has been launched in the country by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.

The transition to IPv6 will have a significant positive impact on the implementation of 5G mobile technologies and digital transformation in the UAE on the back of the inability of IPv4 to meet the growing demand in light of the rapid growth in Internet use.

Innovation is the key for success and cooperation among individuals, federal and local government entities in the development of solutions, and as Al Mansoori stated, future foresight plays an accelerating role of this innovation and thus improve the country and society.