Page 7 - SAMENA Trends - March-April 2025

SAMENA COUNCIL ADVOCACY SAMENA TRENDS

and youth and ensure that they can fully “This roundtable has set clear priorities for future col-
participate in the digital economy. Partici-
pating entities in the roundtable included: laboration, including scaling investments in digital
Cisco, CST KSA, CITRA Kuwait, Cullen Inter- public infrastructure, ensuring that AI development is
national, e&, Minister of Somalia, GSMA-
MENA, i2Cat, IFC, ITU, K-Eco, Deputy inclusive and accessible, and that we all need to foster
Minister-MCIT Egypt, Minister of Communi- regional policy harmonization to create a unified digital
cations - Lebanon, Minister of Digital Econ-
omy and Entrepreneurship - Jordan, economy across the Arab States, and the SA-ME-NA
Minister of Post and Telecommunications region, overall.”
- Algeria, Ooredoo Group, Orange Jordan,
SAMENA Council, Smart Africa, TRA Bah- ments in digital public infrastructure, ensur- initiative and ensuring that no one is left
rain, TRA Oman, UNDP, Universal Postal ing that AI development is inclusive and behind as the region works toward a more
Union, Women in AI, and the World Bank. accessible, and that we all need to foster connected and inclusive digital future. This
Bocar BA, in his concluding remarks as the regional policy harmonization to create a SAMENA Council – UNDP collaboration
Chair of the high-level discussion, called for unified digital economy across the Arab was in continuation of an MoU that both
a shift from ideas to concrete actions. “This States, and the SA-ME-NA region, overall.” entities signed in 2024, to help accelerate
roundtable has set clear priorities for future SAMENA Council, in partnership with UNDP, digital development in the region.
collaboration, including scaling invest- is committed to driving forward the D4SD

7 MARCH-APRIL 2025