VMware has opened its first office in Egypt as it seeks to help the country drive digital transformation across a range of sectors, including government, education, healthcare and industry, in line with the Egyptian government’s ambitious Vision 2030 agenda. VMware views the country as a key market in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The new VMware office, located in Cairo, will serve the local and regional market focusing on a range of services including support, commercial and technical sales, project management and cloud consultancy.

To ensure its complete portfolio of solutions is available with full local support for the market, VMware intends to hire more than 130 people in Egypt in the first year of operating the new office.

Having a local presence in-country will support VMware’s vision to help companies build, run, manage, connect and protect any app, on any cloud and any device.

This is especially important in Egypt, which has a large population of young people, creating strong demand for quality customer experience and employment opportunities.

The company is expanding ICT knowledge in Egypt through its partner programs, and through recent initiatives such as its collaboration with Egypt’s National Telecommunication Institute (NTI).

VMware also formed a collaboration with Egypt’s Information Technology Institute (ITI), an affiliate of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) in April 2019, to support Egyptian ICT students with professional training to help bridge the gap between academic studies and the skills needed in today’s competitive job market.

source: sme10x

Thanks to digital technologies, Morocco was able to better manage the health crisis related to the Covid-19 pandemic, says the London-based business intelligence firm "Oxford Business Group" (OBG).

In a report dedicated to digital transformation in Morocco in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, Oxford Business Group analyzes the impact of technology on Moroccan society and economy, showing how the use of these technologies has enabled the Kingdom to best weather the crisis, offering avenues for future development through accelerated digital transformation.

According to the report, the Covid-19 crisis has demonstrated the need for increased digitization, but Morocco did not wait until 2020 to begin its digital transformation. This transformation, which started a decade ago, has been accelerated by major government initiatives, including "Horizon 2020", launched in 2017, and "Horizon 2025", which have set ambitious targets for e-government and training young people in new technologies.

According to OBG, these efforts had already borne fruit in early 2020, when Morocco was ranked fourth among the MENA countries in the European Center for Digital Competitiveness.

For the authors of the report, while Morocco already enjoyed relatively high internet and mobile penetration rates, the Covid-19 pandemic has spurred technological innovation in many sectors, whether in finance, agriculture, or education, noting that confinement has boosted e-commerce and that the habit of contactless payment now seems to be well established among the population.

As a result, online payments grew 31.3% in the first half of 2020, compared to the same period last year, according to the report.

In response to the pandemic, OBG adds, the public and private sectors put in place a series of measures that maintained productivity while respecting social distance.

source: mapnews

A new study has determined that Morocco is the second-fastest in “digital transformation,” in Africa ranking only behind South Africa. 

Morocco’s National Center for Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST) released a report of its recent findings. The study, titled “Scientific Production Relative to Digital Transformation: Scopus and WOS (2015-2020),” concluded that Morocco’s digital transformation is performing well relative to its regional partners.

Morocco ranks second in Africa behind South Africa, and third in the Arab-speaking world behind the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Morocco managed to integrate digital technology into its economy at a fast pace over the five-year span researched in the study, with particular advances in the fields of engineering, telecommunications, and business.

Morocco’s digital transformation efforts involved several international partners, including Canada, Denmark, France, and Spain. 

The study aimed to provide a better picture of Morocco’s digitalization of its scientific efforts and produced a ranking to determine Morocco’s progress on the matter.

Morocco is investing heavily in its scientific community that features renowned international experts such as engineers Rachid Yazami and enthusiastic science communicator Hajar Mousannif. 

Morocco appears to be preparing itself for a new scientific era with a new generation of young Moroccan scientists and the latest technology, such as Africa’s most powerful supercomputer. 

That supercomputer alone will help boost digital transformation according to Mohammed VI Polytechnic University. Its press release announced the new supercomputer could “solve African research problems in both academia and industry and create the next generation of computational scientists and digital entrepreneurs.”

“Research related to digital transformation is relatively recent and topical,” the bibliometric study emphasized as the Watch Department of the CNRST aied to study the evolution on the topic of digital transformation.

source:  moroccoworld news

The licenses that will be awarded to up to 3 companies will allow them to provide e-signature certificates, e-seal, and time stamp services for both individuals and businesses, according to ITIDA

Egypt’s Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) issued on Thursday new licenses for local firms to provide e-signature services.
The licenses, which will be granted to up to three companies, will allow recipients to provide e-signature certificates, e-seal, and time stamp services for both individuals and businesses, according to ITIDA.

ITIDA said that the statement of work will be available at its premise at the smart village through the coming Tuesday, 9 March, for an amount of EGP 40,000.

The statement of work includes the general and financial regulations and conditions stipulated by ITIDA for registration.

It also announced that applicants must be local firms working inside Egypt and meet all conditions and guarantees stipulated in law number 15 of 2004 and its bylaws, in addition to providing all required documents.

The ITIDA is committed to observing all substantive and technical conditions and all the regulations specified by law no.15 for the year 2004 and its executive regulations, according to the statement.

The issuing of additional e-signature services licenses is one of a series of initiatives and policies led by ITIDA that aim to support Egypt’s digital transformation.

ITIDA’s CEO Amr Mahfouz said the issuing of additional e-signature licenses comes in response to the fast development witnessed in the local information technology sector and also to further enhance Egypt’s digital readiness.

Mahfouz explained that the new licenses will enable the spread of high-security e-signature services’ usage to meet the increasing and unprecedented demand across all sectors.

The ITIDA will host a series of Q&A sessions to answer all applicants' queries in March, according to the statement.

After the deadline for submitting bids, the ITIDA will commence reviewing and evaluating all bids by a committee of specialists and experts, and results will be officially announced soon afterwards.

The ITIDA said that it is committed to awarding licenses in a period not exceeding 60 days from the date of submitting license applications, and after the submission of all required documents, unless ITIDA decides to extend applications grace-- period.

The ITIDA licenses will be valid for three years.

The e-signature law was issued in 2004 to support Egypt’s e-commerce industry by securing the internet as a legally viable medium for digital transactions in order to boost digital transformation in all state sectors.

The bylaws of the e-signature law No. 361 of 2020 have been amended under the decision of the communications and information technology minister to accelerate Egypt’s digital transformation adoption, strengthen the central role of e-signatures in developing the efficiency of administrative work, improve government services, and add to Egypt’s competitiveness globally.

In 2020, Egypt was ranked among the top 10 improvers in Roland Berger’s Digital Inclusion Index.

The index measures and analyses levels of digital inclusiveness in 82 countries across the globe based on their scores across four digital inclusion levers: accessibility, affordability, ability, and attitude.

source: Ahramhram

After centuries of analog technology ruling the roost, the modern business world has begun to embrace—after some initial reluctance—the power and potential of digital transformation. The promise of technologies such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, the Internet of Things (IoT), process automation, and others lies in their ability to give businesses greater productivity and profitability than ever before. But to get the most out of these technologies and achieve true digital transformation success, you need a well-developed strategy that goes far beyond downloading the latest apps.

Replacing old technologies and processes with digital solutions takes care, planning, and persistence. But with the right approach and tools, you can build and implement a winning plan for successful digital transformation in your business.

The Rich Promise of Digital Transformation

Empowered and defined by a broad range of technologies, digital transformation is the comprehensive adoption of these same technologies to improve productivity, competitive advantage, operational efficiency, profitability, and innovative strength. It’s a high priority for companies from all industries and of all sizes, from small businesses to mega-conglomerates. A 2018 survey from the Economist Intelligence Unit found that industry leaders were enticed by the significant gains in both efficiency and innovation offered by digital transformation technology, with nearly half of respondents focused on operational (48%) and cost (47%) efficiency improvements as well as new business models (45%) and markets (44%).

Procurement is an area of especially strong potential for savings and value; a 2018 study by research firm The Hackett Group found that world-class organizations who effectively implemented automation and artificial intelligence into their procurement system achieved up to 70% savings per order, and cut process costs by 22% through better decision making, machine learning, and process improvement. The potential savings from a successful digital transformation effort were even greater for mid-range organizations, whose process costs dropped by up to 30% with digital technologies.

Yet despite their promise, digital transformation efforts can be a danger to any company approaching them without a clear-eyed understanding of the work required to transform not just processes and procedures, but corporate culture as a whole. Digital technologies are powerful tools, but they require human intelligence—and enthusiasm—to be used effectively. Without informed and engaged team members across the organization and a long-term digital roadmap built on supporting company ambitions in the digital world, even the most ambitious digital transformation strategy will fail.

Just how difficult can it be? Research firm Mckinsey & Co. found in 2017 that fewer than 30% of companies attempting to implement digital transformation efforts succeed.

Shifting into an “information-centric” business model can take time and considerable effort, especially for companies with a long tradition of analog workflows. In optimizing processes and introducing new technologies across business units, companies inevitably transform their customer experience as well, making a cohesive, comprehensive, and consistent approach to digital transformation even more important.

Achieving Digital Transformation Success

Companies like Hasbro, Best Buy, and Microsoft have all leveraged the power of digital technologies to transform their market position, boost their bottom lines, and enhance their customer experiences. Some, like Amazon, were founded on digital transformation and have built on that base to become titans of eCommerce in the digital age.

While the approaches, and goals, of these companies all vary, their digital initiatives share a certain investment—both figurative and literal—in consistent, complete implementation across their organizations as a whole.

A successful digital transformation strategy is built on, and supported in the long term, by a few simple steps:

1. Build a Digital Transformation Strategy Focused on “The Three Cs”
While specific goals and benchmarks will differ from company to company, achieving and sustaining digital transformation within an organization is much easier with a focus on “The Three Cs”: communication, change management, and continuity.

Communication: From its inception, any digital transformation project, big or small, should be founded on clear and constant communication between the project team, management at all levels, and the organization as a whole. This ensures everyone is in the loop on the focus of the project, their specific roles within it, and the availability of resources to help them perform those roles. In addition, continuous communication helps build a spirit of shared endeavor and ensures everyone has the information they need to address any frustrations, roadblocks, or other challenges that may occur as time passes.

Change Management: The role of change management within digital business transformation is twofold. Firstly, it allows you to track, measure, and analyze the changes being made and produces useful data for further process and production optimization. Secondly, it can be used to implement updates to existing workflows, digitization efforts (e.g., conversion of all documentation, communication, etc. to digital formats to eliminate paper-based delays, expense, and errors) and digital tools in stages. This gives you finer control and allows for a longer adjustment period if staff, management, vendors, customers, etc. need training and additional information to engage fully in the new technologies being used.

Continuity: Like water working a channel into stone, enduring (and effective) digital transformation initiatives require time and patience. Taking the long view in planning, with a clear and consistent approach to achieving long-term goals through incremental change, can often carry you across the finish line more successfully than emphasizing speed or short-term gains.

2. Evaluate Your Existing Situation with Honesty and Clarity

While it can be tempting to deal with the business world’s challenges by throwing money and bleeding-edge tech at them, it’s unlikely the accounting team, senior management, the IT department or your customers will support such a casual digital strategy. Before you can apply digital tools to the problems your company wants to solve, you need a clear and uncompromised view of just how extensive those problems really are.

Depending on the scope of your digital transformation project, it may be necessary to evaluate all of the workflows, procedures, policies, and practices that support the function, business unit, or division you’re looking to transform. A similar evaluation of your entire organization is next, as you’ll need to contextualize project goals within the overarching ambitions of your company—and, if you are taking a continuity-minded approach, having a clear view of your organization’s challenges can help you implement later stages of digital transformation more easily within the framework you build after evaluation.

For example, let’s say your current project is to update your purchasing software in order to achieve deeper savings, reduce risk, and build business value through process improvement. Developing a plan to expand the benefits of automation, cloud-based document storage, and real-time data analysis to the rest of your company will be much easier down the road, including integration with existing accounting or enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions as a stepping-stone to a complete, centralized digital solution connecting all parts of your company and supporting company-wide goals.

Knowing where your company is, and what it needs to do to reach the place it would like to be, is essential to building a roadmap that will get you there.

3. Sell Your Vision to the C-Suite

Digital innovation can be a hard sell to upper management, particularly in companies with a very financially conservative approach and general suspicion toward “the latest and greatest.” But because the C-Suite plays a pivotal role in defining company culture and goals, it’s crucial to bring them up to speed and ensure they have the digital savvy necessary to understand both the immediate and long-term benefits of technologies such as process automation, machine learning, and advanced data analytics. Once they’re sold, they can be a powerful ally in communicating the role of digital transformation in setting and reaching organizational goals.

4. But Don’t Overlook Your Front-Line Staff

The right people in the right place, doing the right thing. It’s possible, with digital transformation. But just as your CIO and other C-level management provide inspiration and leadership, your team members and management provide the day-to-day work “in the trenches.” Getting buy-in from all team members is essential, because they’re the people who will be using the new software, mobile apps, and other digital tools that drive the transformation you seek.

Your staff can be an invaluable source of feedback, too, improving decision-making as you tweak your long-term implementation efforts to ensure everyone has access, information, and complete understanding of their obligations within the new system.

5. Build a Project Team That Can Stay the Course

Connect the C-suite, management, staff, and project personnel, as well as any third parties such as consultants and vendors, to form a project team. This group will take the inspiration and leadership provided by executive management, connect it to the goals of the digital transformation project, and engage the company as a whole.

It supports The Three Cs by consistently communicating with all stakeholders, managing change in line with project and company goals, culture, and capabilities, and ensuring the project’s long-term goals are never compromised by or lost to short-term adjustments.

6. Team up with the Right Technology Providers

With any digital transformation initiative, the technology partners you choose are much more than vendors, especially if—to return to the purchasing software example—the transformation your project supports is both broad and deep. The learning curve for moving from analog, pen-and-paper purchasing workflows to automated processes built around continuous improvement can be significant. That’s why it’s important to choose tech providers who can also give your staff and IT team the training and support they need to weather the digital transformation successfully.

Tech providers can also offer insights from their own experience to help guide you as you define your project’s goals, timeline, and scope, and thus become partners in shared success.

7. Develop and Communicate Your Short and Long-Term Schedule

Into every life, and project, a little rain must fall. But even the most torrential downpour is no match for a well-defined list of priorities, responsibilities, and benchmarks once they’ve been established.

Frequent communication of project goals, milestones, and timeframes helps maintain engagement and enthusiasm across the board.

Clear definition of responsibilities and roles, and the ways in which they support the project, help minimize delays, errors, and omissions.

A straightforward, but adjustable, timetable allows for breathing room while still establishing measurable and visible progress.

source: planergy

The digital economy of the Middle East, including online shopping, online education and online healthcare, has seen significant growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has become a highlight of regional economic development.

Analysis shows that the digital economy in the Middle East has broad development prospects in the future, as the number of young consumers in the area is huge and the use of internet infrastructure is gaining increasing popularity.

The latest statistics, released by Egypt's Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade in December 2020, showed that the electronic commerce market in Egypt has reached 40 billion Egyptian pounds ($2.54 billion). It is estimated that the annual growth of Egypt's electronic commerce consumption will reach over 30 percent between 2019 and 2022.

Turkey is now establishing software platforms to allow shopping centers to open online pages, offering non-contact shopping services for customers. The initiative is expected to create more than 6,000 jobs in the delivery business.

Noon Academy, an online learning platform started in Saudi Arabia, has recently seen an increase of 3 million in its student numbers, following deals signed with the education departments of countries throughout the Middle East. In June 2020, it received $13 million in a new round of financing.

The Digital Cooperation Organization was set up by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Pakistan, aiming to promote cooperation in innovation-driven fields and speed up the growth of the digital economy.

The Gulf Information Technology Exhibition took place in the United Arab Emirates in December 2020. It attracted representatives of 1,200 companies from more than 60 countries and regions around the world to carry out discussions on the development of digital technologies spanning artificial intelligence, smart cities and 5G.

The rapid development of digital economy industries and relevant companies has shown proof of the flexibility of digitization schemes when facing new markets born out of crises. It is expected that the digital transformation of the economy will play an important role as countries in the Middle East pursue economic diversification.

Several Middle Eastern countries have increased policy support to facilitate digital transformation during the COVID-19 epidemic, by taking initiatives such as expanding the construction of internet infrastructure and building an excellent business environment for the digital economy.

The Egyptian government has allocated 12.7 billion Egyptian pounds during the 2020 to 2021 fiscal year to support digital transformation, and has launched a "Digital Egypt" project.

Telecom Egypt has announced it is to build the largest international data center in the country in the western part of the capital Cairo. The center is scheduled to be put into operation at the beginning of 2021.

Banks and network operators in Egypt are now promoting "e-wallets" on television and online, and have released discounts to encourage merchants and consumers to use QR codes for payment.

The country will also set up an electronic system to trace cargo and handle cargo tariff issues. The system is expected to begin experimental operation in April 2021.

According to the economic revival project released by the UAE, the government will encourage investment in the digital economy over the long term. Particular attention will be paid to the development of advanced technologies such as 5G and AI, to promote digital transformation and economic revival after the pandemic.

Saudi Arabia's cabinet approved the country's digital economy development plan in December 2020. The plan establishes detailed targets in areas spanning establishing digital platforms, promoting innovation, cultivating talents and opening markets.

Saudi Telecom Company has started first-phase construction of three large-scale data centers in Riyadh, Jeddah and Medina at a cost of 1 billion riyal ($266.67 million) with the aim of helping governments and private organizations achieve digital transformation while offering infrastructure support for the development of the local digital economy. Four more data centers will be built during the second construction phase.

The Algerian government has also launched its digital transformation plan, noting that digital service platforms for the public will be built by linking data from different government departments, in order to increase efficiency in handling affairs.

Oman will spend the next five years looking at online education, taking measures such as digital platform construction, personal training, and the research and development of lessons.

The website of Gulf Business, a business magazine from UAE, pointed out that the pandemic has had a big impact on industries such as tourism, aviation and hotels in Middle Eastern countries, but the digital economy has gained great momentum against this trend, making regional countries realize the urgency and necessity of developing their digital economies.

The website of an Egyptian business newspaper said that China has taken the lead in developing the digital economy around the world, and has gained a lot of advanced experience in areas such as e-payments and digital ecology.

"We are looking forward to carrying out more communication with China on the digital economy and to deepen exchanges and cooperation," said the UAE Ambassador to China, Ali Obaid Al Dhaheri.

Fruitful outcomes have already been achieved in digital economic cooperation between Middle Eastern countries and China.

Huawei has now signed technical protocols with more than 10 telecom operators from countries including Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to build their 5G networks.

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority has signed agreements with relevant Chinese companies and institutions to conduct cooperation in areas such as smart city construction and the development of AI technologies in Arabic.

Egypt's Ministry of Education teamed up with Net Dragon Websoft Holdings Ltd, a company from China's Fujian province which manages online gaming and mobile internet industries, to launch a suite of online education products, offering support to more than 22 million students and one million teachers all over the country when schools were closed due to the pandemic.

Exhibitions such as the China-UAE Economic and Trade Digital Expo and the China-Middle East & North Africa (Morocco) International Digital Trade Fair have been held in quick succession, using advanced technologies and new models including the internet, online exhibitions and online negotiations to deepen the digital economy cooperation between China and the Middle East.

Media outlets from the Middle East have widely recognized that the cooperation potential between the Middle East and China is huge.

source: wuzhenwic

The year 2020 has seen profound and far-reaching change throughout society and the global economy. It seems that every industry and sector has been upended in some way, creating a shift that has changed the trajectory of large, small and emerging businesses.

The pace and extent of digital transformation in 2020 has experienced some of the most furvert change as compared to any other year.

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have seen technological transition occur at a breakneck pace, whether that is pushing forward digital transformation for businesses, connectivity in the shape of 5G, advances in artificial intelligence and augmented reality, and greater use of digital automation to help enable business to run smoothly in times of crisis.

However, there is often a tendency to focus on broad or advanced digital change risks, while overlooking the emotional component of the global pandemic-enforced transformation.

For me, the real story is that of the smaller businesses and entrepreneurs in the region and the need to help them empower themselves.

Earlier this year, in a matter of a few weeks, entrepreneurs and micro-businesses were forced to pivot their traditional business approach to factor in the online world. Breaking the traditional face to face, physical communications and in-person sales model, to quickly understand how to connect and engage online – not as a consumer, but as a business.

There is no doubt that a lot of people knew the value of digital and were planning to make the plunge one day soon, but it became a necessity almost overnight - and that was the real challenge.

More consumers in the region have begun shopping online and in greater frequency. According to studies in the US, the global pandemic has accelerated the shift from physical stores to digital shopping by about five years.

This seismic shift has forced businesses to rapidly pivot to digital channels such as e-commerce to drive traffic, sell online and remain competitive.

Deciding on the right products to invest in to help ensure businesses meet current market demand and more importantly, keep pace with the evolution of e-commerce technology and new ways of doing business, can often slow down the process of digital transformation. Yet it need not do so.  A variety of online tools available today are designed to help set an online store, easily and more affordable.

The success stories of our customers during these unprecedented times are inspirational to others looking to start their own small business. Many startups that have transitioned to adding e-commerce online transactions, home delivery, and expanded digital marketing during this pandemic can help others with their own stories.

Looking ahead to the rest of the year and beyond, we think it’s vital that businesses reinforce their online brand identity and presence. In practical terms, this means honing your website, social channels, and other online properties.

These elements are your virtual shopfront and it is essential to continually keep them updated and interesting to help your business grow. They need to be integrated, not just from a traffic flow point of view, but also in terms of their look and feel.Here are a few tips to consider:

• Online visibility is crucial as it can help the brand build a connection and trust with its customers. Differentiate yourself from the competition and convey a professional look and feel that will attract customers and help grow the business.
• In terms of communication, maintain good online engagement to help ensure website visitors are aware of the quality of your products and services, by connecting with them on a regular basis.
• Ultimately, you want to create a seamless and enjoyable customer experience online. In practical terms, this means ease of discovery, intuitive navigation for your website, simple online shopping (especially payment options and application of offers) and comprehensive post-purchase communication for those making online orders.

This year has shown us that a functional and integrated digital platform has become even more essential.

source: wamda

Speakers and experts at an international conference revealed that an estimated 1 million jobs are expected to be created in the Kingdom over the next five years, due to the acceleration of digital transformation in several industries and sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nasser bin Suleiman Al-Nasser, chief executive of the STC Group and head of the Digital Transformation Working Group of the Saudi B20 business group, participated in an interactive session titled “Digital Transformation: The Future After the COVID-19 Pandemic,” which was held recently and included the participation of representatives from the B20 business group in 20 countries.

Al-Nasser explained that future jobs will depend entirely on technology and innovation, noting the gender disparity in the field of technology. It is therefore significant to empower women entrepreneurs and work together with governments to create targeted employment programs, designed to involve and qualify women in the technical sector while encouraging their promotion to leadership positions.

“We need to ensure that young women receive training and guidance when they enter the job market or start their own businesses, and the Kingdom has adopted many initiatives and investments to qualify young men and women through education,” he said. “In 2019, the Kingdom allocated SR1 billion ($266 million) to support universities in preparing students for the job market.”

The Saudi B20 and OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) organized a virtual meeting, where a number of key government actors and G20 members presented recommendations and exchanged experiences on future investments, digital transformation, sustainability and 5G-based digital solutions.

The Saudi business group is committed to providing recommendations that promote the implementation of robust policies through transparent dialogue and constructive cooperation with all relevant parties, supported by a group of international organizations that act as knowledge and communication experts. It is the official platform of the business community at the G20 summit, and plays a representative role for the private sector before the group.

Maadad Al-Ajmi, head of the working group of the B20 Saudi Arabia Integrity and Compliance and vice president and general counsel for legal affairs at STC, participated in a session dedicated to compliance and integrity. Nasser Al-Jareed, head of the Workers’ Communication Group of the B20 and director of the Workers’ Committees Support Program at STC, was also a participant.

The Kingdom has taken qualitative steps toward ensuring a speedy development toward digital transformation through the adoption of state-of-the-art telecommunications and ICT technology, thereby facilitating the transformation toward a knowledge economy and e-commerce. These efforts ultimately aim to achieve higher satisfaction rates and quality of living for both citizens and residents, facilitating their everyday lives.

source: albawab

Digital connectivity in the time of COVID-19 is no longer about traditional communication and the search for information; it has become a lifeline for using data, consuming content and engaging in digital applications by individuals, governments and businesses to ensure continuity of economic and social activities in light of social distancing and the complete lockdown in most countries of the world.

In the MENA region, the demand for broadband services and data has increased significantly during the pandemic. 

 Countries that are not ready for the surge of demand have seen network congestion, decline in average Internet speed and deterioration of service quality even in relatively mature markets.

Unequal access to quality broadband connectivity may jeopardize stability and increase social inequality between those who can use digital connectivity to secure business continuity and observe social distancing and those disadvantaged groups, including the refugees, without adequate access to the Internet to hook up to the new normal.

Network congestion during COVID-19 was a serious concern for many countries.

There are five main reasons why networks were not able to cope with the pent-up demand:

1. Intensive use of the network during daytime in residential areas (networks were not designed for peak-time service). This led to congestion of "last mile" networks that provide access to the user
2. Increasing demand for video and other high-bandwidth entertainment services
3. Increasing demand for videoconferencing and cloud services
4. Distance learning by students of all ages
5. Lack of sufficient capacity for consumers through international gateways (i.e., access points where Internet enters the country).

Actions taken by MENA Governments to improve broadband network and services

Governments in the MENA region have been fast to act to respond to the need for improved broadband networks and enhanced internet services.

Several examples actions include flexibility of payment to prepaid users allowing them to pay after consumption (Egypt, Tunisia and Palestine).

Some countries increased the bandwidth of Internet packages and speeds for users without additional cost (Lebanon, Iraq and Bahrain), others covered the additional cost of upgrading monthly packages for subscribers (Egypt). Moreover, some countries have unblocked Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) applications (UAE and Oman), others provided more spectrum to telecom companies (Jordan and Saudi Arabia), and secured free cloud applications for companies (Vodafone in Egypt).

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the government has managed to secure continued access to various e-government services thanks to its continuous investment in modern digital infrastructure and digital government platforms over the past two decades.

Improving e-learning platforms and online education: E-learning platforms have been developed in many countries of the region, like in KSA, where the national education portal "Ain" has become the main channel of education for more than 6 million users.

This digital education platform has provided 30,000 devices for students in need, in addition to providing more than 100,000 interactive digital learning hours for undergraduate students. The Egyptian, Saudi and Palestinian governments have also provided free Internet services to university professors and free SIM cards for students to access learning platforms through their devices. In Tunisia, Morocco and Bahrain, operators have provided free access to online education platforms. In Jordan, new platforms have been developed in the wake of the pandemic to host teaching materials such as "Darsak," "Idrak," "Jo Academy" and "Abwab".

In countries where network conditions were not able to handle the surge of e-learning applications, governments have used Television to broadcast lessons to students to ensure that the kids' education is not impacted.

Main digital connectivity challenges faced by the region

Despite these government solutions and initiatives, there are several bottlenecks that the sector witnessed during the pandemic and several risks that need to be addressed. These include

• Inability of several telecom operators to continue their business for operations, requiring physical presence of their employees at work sites as they needed to respond to lock down requirements.
• Disruption of global trade, especially with countries exporting telecom equipment, affecting the availability of devices and equipment for broadband networks and services,
• Increasing incidents of theft and vandalism of communications equipment
• Increasing cyberattacks, fake news and incidents of digital fraud that exploit the public panic and uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19.
• Privacy and personal data protection concerns for the use of CDR and mobility data for contact tracing and tracking to flatten the curve and prevent the spread of the virus.

Priorities for MENA to leverage digital solutions for recovery

With the transition to recovery and countries re-opening slowly and cautiously, and as economic activity picks up again, MENA countries should work to increase the capacity of broadband connections, manage network congestion, ensure continuity of vital public services and enhance digital financial technologies.  This is important as demand for electronic services such as health care and mobile payment systems, food delivery services and e-commerce are likely to rise significantly.

This is why the World Bank continues to emphasize the importance of digital inclusion both in terms of universal access to affordable high-quality broadband internet, and in terms of financial inclusion as part of the Marrakech commitments ahead of 2021.

Governments of MENA countries should reinforce their efforts to achieve the following objectives based on the COVID-19 early lessons:

• Objective 1: Increasing capacities and reducing network congestion to prevent disconnection and ensure sustainability
• Objective 2: Ensuring continuity of public services to enable citizens to make use of digital technology to complete their transactions
• Objective 3: Developing electronic financial services such as digital payments and cash transfers from governments to individuals to support companies and the poorest and most vulnerable groups, while emphasizing the importance of providing beneficiaries with proof of identity (IDs) to ensure their access to services
• Objective 4: Promoting e-learning initiatives to ensure education continuity.

As the Governments continue to work on creating an enabling environment to increase network capacity, improve service quality, and develop innovative services following global best practices, a number of priority actions in the short, medium and longer terms are important to emphasize. These include:

• Eliminating obstacles to private sector investment and facilitating entry of new operators into the telecommunications market by encouraging competition, reducing licensing fees and sharing revenue
• Regulating corporate tariffs
• Promoting regional cooperation to establish new submarine cable systems
• Facilitating access to basic infrastructure
• Adopting open-access policies to connect all operators to communication infrastructure on a non-discriminatory basis
• Sharing infrastructure by operators, including in the transport, energy and telecommunications sectors
• Allowing use of globally common services such as VoIP

In conclusion, it is important that governments look at digital development more broadly than the ICT sector. 

Digital technologies bring about fundamental transformations in our economies and countries and affect all sectors of the economy such as agriculture, education, health, government and financial services. 

 Reaping the benefits of digital transformation requires an ecosystem approach focusing on digital infrastructure, digital platforms, digital skills, and applications in vital use cases across the economy, while ensuring protection of personal data and aiming for a truly inclusive digital economy for all.

source: worldbank

It would be an understatement for me to say that COVID-19 has changed the world and indeed the way many of us live. In Australia, though tragic in terms of the lives lost to date, we have been fortunate to avoid the significantly higher rates of infection and associated mortality that other nations have endured. As we have seen in the United States and Europe however, the key common thread has been the dramatic impact on local and global economies alike.

The reality is that many good businesses may not survive, and those that do will find their operations permanently changed. From small businesses in hospitality and tourism through to multinational entities, all businesses will need to reassess how they operate moving forward given the flow-on effects of global challenges such as unemployment and disrupted supply chains.

In the startup world, many have also been forced to put operations on hold or temporarily scale back their plans just in order to survive. But as we emerge from the crisis, some of these more agile small businesses and start-ups who have adapted to change may be better placed than larger less nimble incumbents to not only survive but thrive in this new world.

Evolving in Order to Prosper

While the federal government has begun implementing its three-step plan for how COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted across Australia, there will still be a lengthy transition period as global travel remains limited and other economies are at varying stages of recovery.

Startups by nature are growth minded – it’s part of their DNA. Solving problems, spending money on growth (also known as investment), and therefore creating jobs as a result, make start-ups a prime ingredient in our country’s plans for economic recovery. They adapt, they identify opportunities for change, and grow off the back of them. This will be vital for succeeding in the new, and as-yet-unknown, world we are emerging into.

But while making considerations around change, companies no matter how large or small should also keep sight of what matters and what drives them. Investor and entrepreneur Ray Dalio underlines the importance of this in his book Principles where he talks about developing strong foundational principals to guide decisions when faced with challenges and opportunities. In his book, Dalio also notes, “evolving is life’s greatest accomplishment and its greatest reward” and “adaptation through rapid trial and error is invaluable.”

Adapting to New Technologies

COVID-19 has been described by many as a catalyst for significant change. This is best illustrated in the rapid adoption of new technologies by companies in response to the changing economic and social landscape. It also demonstrates the need for companies to not only move faster to adopt new technologies but also to learn how to make decisions at pace. If you asked an Australian G8 university before the pandemic how long it would take for their entire operation to transition to an all online learning model, many would have estimated four to five years. When the crisis came, it took them a matter of weeks. If we look at healthcare with the introduction of widespread telehealth, the population has adapted and we will now likely see telehealth becoming a key component of our country’s much envied healthcare system.

Digital transformation is therefore no longer an option but a necessity. It has already been forced upon many organisations and their staff, and this momentum should be allowed to continue. Without a “reset button” –  companies will need to adjust and balance their risk aversion with the need to adopt technology to improve efficiency and ultimately deliver new ways of working.

Whether it be through addressing the needs of procurement or IT departments in organisations, the ability to move at pace and finding that right balance between risk and necessity will be a key asset to any organisation now and into the future.

Setting New Employee Expectations

The way we view work has likely changed forever.  Even as a temporary measure, remote working has opened people’s eyes and minds to a different way of operating. During COVID-19 lockdowns, people have had more flexibility and spent more time with family than ever before. As a result, employers must take this into account when anticipating what the needs and demands of an employee will be post-pandemic.

Entrepreneur and author Reed Hoffman wrote about the concept of future employers hiring someone for “a job to be done” rather than simply to fulfil a role. This is an idea that may likely come to fruition off the back of COVID-19. With a large number of employees working from home, employees are likely to have been held less accountable to what they’re doing, and hopefully more accountable to what they’ve achieved. For myself personally, I can’t see every single one of my hundreds of staff on Zoom every minute of the day, but I know they’re working well, and trust them to get the job done.

The future won’t be easy, but I am optimistic as we welcome the emergence of the “new normal” and how new ways of working will evolve. Startups provide a key ingredient to accelerate our country’s economic recovery with the opportunity for big business adapt a similar growth mind-set. Technology and innovation will sit at the centre of this shift, and companies will need to adapt if they are to not only survive, but prosper in this new age.