Page 67 - SAMENA Trends - March-April 2025

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATESATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS
REGUL

A SNAPSHOT OF REGULATORY ACTIVITIES

IN THE SA-ME-NA REGION

Algeria

Algeria is setting its sights on artificial intelligence (AI) to and smart cities. This move is part of Algeria’s broader national
contribute 7% to its GDP by 2027, with a strong emphasis on AI strategy, which focuses on enhancing infrastructure through
investment in advanced infrastructure. The Minister of Post data centers and optimized cloud solutions, fostering education
and Telecommunications Sid Ali Zerrouki officially launched the and research through collaboration with universities and
country’s first high-performance computing center dedicated to specialized centers, and promoting industrial applications to
AI in Oran. This strategic move aims to secure digital sovereignty, assist businesses and startups in creating AI-driven solutions. By
providing Algeria with the critical computing power needed for AI reducing dependence on foreign infrastructure, the project ensures
advancements. The minister outlined that this initiative is in line Algeria’s technological independence, bolstering innovation in key
with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s vision of establishing areas such as precision agriculture, energy resource management,
Algeria as a leading force in innovation and digital technology and climate modeling. The center will allow local researchers and
across Africa. The new center will provide valuable access to businesses to access world-class computing resources, paving
cutting-edge technological resources for researchers, startups, the way for a competitive AI ecosystem in North Africa. (March 19,
and academic institutions. Equipped with state-of-the-art graphics 2025) www.meatechwatch.com
processing units (GPUs), the center will support the development
of AI applications in sectors like healthcare, industry, cybersecurity,

Bangladesh

The Bangladesh government is reportedly planning a major governments implementing digital policies that were “inconsistent,
overhaul to the country’s telecoms policy to speed up its transition subpar, and globally misaligned”, the report added. Taiyeb didn’t
to a digital economy and improve service quality. Faiz Ahmad give specifics on what policy changes would be considered or
Taiyeb – the newly appointed special assistant to the chief adviser implemented, but promised the reforms “will be meaningful and
– criticised the current telecoms policy structure, which is designed policies will undergo a thorough transformation,” the report said.
for voice services, not data, and takes an “obsolete” monopolistic Telecom policy expert Mustafa Mahmud Hussain, who also spoke
or duopolistic approach to telecoms infrastructure. Speaking at a at the event, said any reforms would need to include introducing
seminar organised by the Bangladesh Mobile Phone Consumers' fair competition in the broadband sector, and a tiered ISP licensing
Association, Taiyeb stated that a fundamental structural overhaul system to support small providers backed by strict anti-monopoly
was necessary to improve telecom service quality, the report said. regulations. He also said Bangladesh must set a goal of achieving
“The government is determined to dismantle policies that have 100 Mbps broadband for all households by 2030. The government
stifled Bangladesh's data market by allowing certain companies should also encourage adoption of next-gen technologies like AI-
to hold onto the existing fibre infrastructure as if it were a treasure driven networks and IoT, as well as partnerships with global tech
trove,” Taiyeb said. “The more fibre you lay, the more business giants, to drive digital transformation, the report said. Brining
you create.” Taiyeb also said Bangladesh has failed to position its affordable internet access to rural areas is also essential, he
communications sector for the digital and IoT age, with previous added. (March 10, 2025) www.developingtelecoms.com

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