in telecommunications in the Arab world
Huawei’s Global Communication Index reveals the widening of the digital divide between countries over the past three years
Google + LinkedIn Facebook Twitter
According to the 2017 version of the Global Communication Index (GCI) issued annually by Huawei , digitally developed and digitally developing countries continue to record strong economic growth and are allocating more investments to support ICT, while less developed countries have low growth rates , Which greatly increases the digital divide between the countries of the world.

Huawei reviewed the results of the fourth edition of the “Global Telecommunication Index” on the sidelines of its participation in the Summit of the Leaders of the Telecommunications Industry 2017. The report compares the achievements of 50 countries in the process of digital transformation with 40 different criteria covering five of the most important areas affecting In providing technologies such as broadband networks, data centers, cloud services, mega data, and Internet stuff technology.

Countries can digitize their economies by allocating investments in support of these five important technologies. Through central planning, communication can be improved and the positive growth of local economies will be supported by the potential of the ICT sector.

Commenting on the results of this year’s index, Sami Nashwan, Vice President of Strategy at Huawei Middle East, said: “The GCI report measures the relationship between the volume of ICT investments and the growth rate of GDP. The indicator shows that every $ 1 increase in investments to support ICT infrastructure is offset by an increase of US $ 3 in current GDP growth rate and US $ 3.70 by 2020, and jumps in 2025 to 5% American dollar. These results provide a clear indication of the importance of increasing ICT investments, while reflecting that countries that invest in the ICT sector are gaining cumulative benefits over time, with double positive impacts and an opportunity to outperform competition and thus increase the digital divide Among countries “.

The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia maintain the top position in telecommunications in the Arab world. According to the GCI of 2017, the world is making significant progress in the digital economy. This year’s index rose by four percentage points compared to 2015. This year’s report also shows that ICT has become the driving force behind the economic development process. Based on the results of the assessment of 50 countries that contribute to 90% of the world’s GDP and the population is 78% of the world population.

It is worth mentioning that the index has evaluated the achievements of 50 countries, including 16 countries from the leading countries in the field of technology, 21 countries of technology support countries and 13 countries starting in this field. These groups reflect the progress that countries are making in the process of digital transformation. Most of the leading countries with a GDP of up to $ 50,000 each consist of developed economies that are constantly seeking to support the user’s digital experience based on massive data and Internet Internet technology to provide smarter and more efficient communities.

Supporting countries with a GDP per capita of US $ 15,000 are focused on increasing demand for ICT to facilitate digitization and economic development. Start-up countries with a GDP of US $ 3,000 each provide key pillars of ICT infrastructure and seek to provide more ICT solutions and services to give individuals access to the digitizing age.

“Regional ICT investments, particularly in the areas that accelerate digitization, are contributing to the Arab world’s ability to shift towards digital economies and sustainable development to ensure the future of future generations. Countries in the region need to understand that increasing the size of the digital divide will negatively affect the economy and society and will limit the state’s ability to provide food, education and jobs to its people. ”

The Summit was held this year under the theme “Unifying visions to meet the demands of the digital world”, which was hosted by the Samina Communications Council and hosted by Huawei for the fourth consecutive year. This year’s edition of the Summit focuses on bringing together stakeholders and unifying their vision to empower the regional digital economy on the ground. Sector leaders are expected to address key themes in this year’s event: ways to implement effective corporate digitization and ways to establish comprehensive ecosystems that provide digital services and receive support from the open and shared sector.