Government spending on information and communication technologies in the Middle East and Africa region will surge at a compound annual growth rate of 4.8 per cent to reach $15 billion (Dh55.05bn) by 2023, up from Dh46.97bn last year, predicted International Data Corporation.
"Governments across the region are under mounting pressure to become both efficient and effective," said Jyoti Lalchandani, IDC's group vice president and regional managing director for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa.
However, this is proving to be a “troublesome task” as many government organisations are simply not prepared for digital redesign, said Mr Lalchandani, adding that whether it's finding ways to integrate “5G, artificial intelligence, and blockchain or protect against intrusions, government agencies have a whole new set of IT skills to learn."
Digital transformation initiatives will be the main drivers behind this expenditure growth, with government spending in this space forecast to grow at a CAGR of 17.6 per cent in the region, found the Massachusetts-based researcher.
With ICT spending touching Dh51.38bn, South Africa is currently the biggest IT market in the region. It is followed by Saudi Arabia (Dh44.77bn) and the UAE (Dh31.19bn).
Governments throughout the region are also increasingly looking to incorporate various technologies such as blockchain within their digital transformation initiatives. This technology is becoming a powerful government tool for reducing fraud, boosting security and establishing new relationships with citizens.
While MEA governments spent only Dh77.07 million on blockchain last year, IDC expects that figure to cross Dh385.35m in next four years, growing at a CAGR of 49.2 per cent.
Blockchain, the technology also behind cryptocurrencies, is a digital chain of transactions that are linked to each other using cryptography - a mechanism for secure communications - on an open ledger.
Whereas, government spending on AI in the region is forecast to grow at 22.2 per cent annually over the coming years, said IDC.
The UAE is projected to benefit the most in the region from AI adoption. The technology is expected to contribute up to 14 per cent to the country’s gross domestic product – equivalent to Dh352.5bn – by 2030, according to a report by consultancy PwC. The UAE will be followed by Saudi Arabia, where AI is forecast to add 12.4 per cent to GDP.
Investments in AI across MEA will be driven by a wide range of usage, particularly in three cases: automated customer agents; IT automation and automated threat intelligence; and prevention systems, said IDC.
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
On Instagram: @WithHopeUAE
Although social media can be harmful to our mental health, paradoxically, one of the antidotes comes with the many social-media accounts devoted to normalising mental-health struggles. With Hope UAE is one of them.
The group, which has about 3,600 followers, was started three years ago by five Emirati women to address the stigma surrounding the subject. Via Instagram, the group recently began featuring personal accounts by Emiratis. The posts are written under the hashtag #mymindmatters, along with a black-and-white photo of the subject holding the group’s signature red balloon.
“Depression is ugly,” says one of the users, Amani. “It paints everything around me and everything in me.”
Saaed, meanwhile, faces the daunting task of caring for four family members with psychological disorders. “I’ve had no support and no resources here to help me,” he says. “It has been, and still is, a one-man battle against the demons of fractured minds.”
In addition to With Hope UAE’s frank social-media presence, the group holds talks and workshops in Dubai. “Change takes time,” Reem Al Ali, vice chairman and a founding member of With Hope UAE, told The National earlier this year. “It won’t happen overnight, and it will take persistent and passionate people to bring about this change.”
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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