ملتقى الاستثمار السنوي 2020 ينطلق بفعاليات وبرامج جديدة مارس المقبل
15 Dec 2019 Written by Admin Adminالإمارات العربية المتحدة، دبي
15 ديسمبر 2019
يسلط ملتقى الاستثمار السنوي 2020، أكبر منصة استثمارية في الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا والذي تنظمه وزارة الاقتصاد، الضوء على المشهد الاستثماري المتطور لضخ المزيد من الاستثمارات الأجنبية المباشرة بين دول العالم، بهدف دعم وتعزيز اقتصاد عالمي أكثر انتعاشاً وتقدماً من خلال ربط فرص الاستثمار الأجنبي المباشر بالاقتصادات الناشئة.
كما تقدم الدورة العاشرة من الملتقى تقييماً حقيقياً لفرص الاستثمار في دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة التي تحتل مكانة اقتصادية رائدة على مستوى منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا وللأسواق الناشئة في العالم.
يُعقد ملتقى الاستثمار السنوي برعاية كريمة من صاحب السمو الشيخ محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم، نائب رئيس الدولة رئيس مجلس الوزراء حاكم دبي رعاه الله ، خلال الفترة من 24 إلى 26 مارس المقبل في مركز دبي التجاري العالمي، تحت شعار"الاستثمار من أجل المستقبل: استشراف سياسات الاستثمار العالمية"، بمشاركة قادة ومسؤولين حكوميين وخبراء اقتصاديين ومستثمرين عالميين ورجال أعمال من أكثر من 140 دولة حول العالم.
وفي هذا الصدد قال سعادة عبد الله آل صالح وكيل وزارة الاقتصاد لشؤون التجارة الخارجية: "ركز ملتقى الاستثمار السنوي على مدار دوراته السابقة بشكل أساسي على الاستثمار الأجنبي المباشر، إلى جانب دراسة وتحليل مستقبل المشهد الاقتصادي العالمي وانعكاساته على الاستثمارات الأجنبية المباشرة ومدى أهمية استقطاب تلك الفرص الاستثمارية من خلال التحفيز الاستثماري وإصدار التشريعات الاستثمارية التي تساعد على ذلك، فضلاً عن بحثه آفاق النمو في الأسواق الناشئة. ويسعى الملتقى خلال دورته العاشرة القادمة على توسعة نطاق البحث والعمل على استحداث باقة من الفعاليات للاستفادة من المميزات والفوائد التي يحققها الحدث عبر خمسة محاور رئيسية وهي: الاستثمار الأجنبي المباشر، الشركات الناشئة، المشاريع الصغيرة والمتوسطة، مدن المستقبل والمحافظ الاستثمارية الأجنبية، بالإضافة إلى مبادرة حزام واحد، طريق واحد.
وأضاف آل صالح:"يشكل الحدث الذي سيستمر على مدار ثلاثة أيام فرصة لاستكشاف القطاعات الأكثر جاذبية للمستثمرين وسبل توظيف الاستثمارات لنقل التكنولوجيا وزيادة القدرة التنافسية لتحقيق الازدهار الاقتصادي للأمم من خلال الاستثمارات المستدامة، وتبادل الرؤى مع الحكومات لإنشاء هياكل اقتصادية متينة للمستثمرين، وربط الفرص بالنمو الاقتصادي المستدام ".
يعمل ملتقى الاستثمار السنوي على تضييق الفجوة الائتمانية لصالح الشركات الصغيرة والمتوسطة من خلال توفير منصة عالمية لها تمكنها من الترويج لمنتجاتها وخدماتها أمام المستثمرين الحقيقيين. في وقت باتت فيه الشركات الصغيرة والمتوسطة الداعم الرئيسي للاقتصادات العالمية، حيث تشكل اليوم ما نسبته 90 ٪ من الأعمال وتسهم بنسبة تصل ل 50 ٪ من إجمالي العمالة في جميع أنحاء العالم، وذلك بحسب تقارير مؤسسة التمويل الدولية(IFC) ، والتي تشير كذلك إلى أن 65 مليون شركة من الشركات الصغيرة والمتوسطة في الدول النامية ما زالت تعاني سنوياً من عدم حصولها على التمويل الكافي والذي يقدر ب 5.2 تريليون دولار كل عام.
لذا ستحظى الشركات الصغيرة والمتوسطة والتي تعنى بدمج الاستثمار المستدام في عملياتها وتراعي معايير الحوكمة البيئية والاجتماعية والمؤسسية، أو أي معايير أخرى قائمة على قيم أخلاقية أو معنوية معينة، لتحقيق عائدات مالية طويلة المدى، باهتمام بين المستثمرين الذين يحرصون على تمويل الشركات والمؤسسات التي تعالج المخاوف الاجتماعية والبيئية، وتعمل على إحداث تأثير إيجابي في المجتمع، أو البيئة، أو الاقتصاد ككل.
كما يقدم الملتقى من خلال ركيزة المحافظ الاستثمارية الأجنبية فرصة مثالية لربط المستثمرين وأصحاب الثروات بمؤسسات الأعمال والشركات ذات الأصول القابلة للتداول والعمل على جذب استثمارات الأسهم والسندات من خلال عرض فرص الأسواق التي تضمن عوائد حقيقية، يأتي ذلك بالتزامن مع التزايد المستمر لأفراد طبقة الدخل المرتفع(UHNWIs) ، والتي من المتوقع أن ترتفع بنسبة 22 ٪ على مدى السنوات الخمس المقبلة، مما يؤثر بشكل مباشر على زيادة تدفق استثمارات المحافظ الأجنبية.
وبحسب بيانات صندوق النقد الدولي، فإن أهم الوجهات للاستثمار في محافظ الأوراق المالية الأجنبية هي تركيا وألمانيا وجمهورية التشيك وفرنسا وإيطاليا والمملكة المتحدة وبولندا ولوكسمبورغ والولايات المتحدة وجمهورية مقدونيا الشمالية.
ويستمر ملتقى الاستثمار السنوي بدعم الشركات الناشئة مع توسعة فرص التواصل والنقاشات مع مستثمرين ورجال أعمال إقليميين وعالميين. حيث ستقام سلسلة من المسابقات والأنشطة التنافسية في 80 دولة وستحظى الشركات الناشئة الفائزة في هذه الأنشطة التنافسية بفرصة الحضور إلى دبي، والمشاركة بالمسابقة النهائية خلال ملتقى الاستثمار السنوي. فضلاً عن حصول الفائزين على جوائز يصل مجموع قيمتها إلى 50 ألف دولار مخصصة لدعم مشروعاتهم.
وانضم الحدث المنفصل "ملتقى الشركات الناشئة" إلى ملتقى الاستثمار السنوي ليشكل واحدة من الركائز الرئيسية للملتقى هذا العام، ومن المتوقع أن يحتل موقعًا بارزًا ويحقق المزيد من التمويل الذي بلغ 407 مليار دولار في 2018، بزيادة نسبتها 23.3٪ مقارنة بعام 2017. وحظيت قطاعات التمويل، البرمجيات، fintech ، medtech ، وسائل الإعلام، الترفيه ، والصحة بالنسبة الأكبر من الاهتمام والتمويل بين المستثمرين.
لا يزال التمويل التحدي الأكبر في تنفيذ حلول المدن الذكية، لذا سيسعى الملتقى من خلال ركيزة مدن المستقبل إلى سد تلك الفجوة التمويلية عبر ربط أصحاب المشروعات بالمستثمرين الحقيقيين. كما يوفر إلى جانب استعراضه المشاريع المختلفة، فرصة مثالية لإنشاء علاقات وثيقة مع الشركاء من القطاع الخاص بنجاح.
كما ينظم ملتقى الاستثمار السنوي ضمن فعالياته الدورة الثانية من أعمال مبادرة حزام واحد، طريق واحد. التي أطلقها الملتقى العام الماضي وشهدت مشاركة 200 من أصحاب المشاريع والمستثمرين من دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي.
وتسلط الضوء على الفرص الاستثمارية المتاحة ضمن مبادرة الحزام والطريق الصينية التي أطلقتها الصين عام 2013، وضخت في سياقها تريليونات الدولارات عبر 70 دولة، بهدف تحفيز النمو الاقتصادي وزيادة فرص الاستثمار عبر القارات، بما في ذلك التعاون الإقليمي لتحديث طريق الحرير القديم في الصين.
استقطب الملتقى عام 2019، 16051 زائراً من 143 دولة بالإضافة إلى 150 خبيراً اقتصادياً في مجال الاستثمار الأجنبي المباشر و 66 من كبار الشخصيات و 436 عارضاً وتمت تغطية فعالياته بواسطة 256 من وسائل الإعلام المحلية والدولية. لمزيد من المعلومات والتفاصيل حول إمكانية المشاركة أو عن جدول أعمال الحدث وميزاته يمكنكم زيارة الموقع الإلكتروني https://www.aimcongress.com/.
UAE's new insolvency law to create a 'safe environment for personal loans'
01 Dec 2019 Written by Admin AdminThe new framework is set to encourage small and medium-sized investments, according to the MOF
With UAE Cabinet’s approval an insolvency law that regulates cases involving individuals facing financial difficulties, the legal framework is now set to better ensure the rights of both creditors and debtors, according to the Ministry of Finance.
“This law creates a safe environment for personal loans to the satisfaction of both the creditor and the debtor, as it provides the balance to ensure the rights of both creditor and debtor,” Younis Haji Al Khoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, told reporters in Abu Dhabi.
“The law thereby encourages increased cash flows and attracts small and medium-sized investments to the state,” he added.
These are the key details of the law, based on additional information from the Ministry of Finance:
- The new legislation is expected to make it easier for individuals to obtain loans, as there are clear and easy-to-apply rules for the collection of bad debts and rehabilitation of debtors financially.
- This improves creditor banks’ confidence in retail lending and encourages individuals to engage in calculated borrowing.
- The law ensures the protection of the debtor’s dignity as a natural person (that is, an individual, rather than a company or organization) and helps create an opportunity for them to reduce their financial burden.
- The law provides two means to address the insolvency of individuals: first, by possibly settling financial obligations, and second, through insolvency and liquidation of funds.
The debtor can file an application with the court for an opportunity to settle their financial obligations, and the court will appoint one or more experts to assist them during these proceedings.
- When preparations begin on a plan to reorganize and settle financial obligations, the settlement plan shall be voted on by the creditors.
- The debtor may choose the second option (of liquidating their funds to pay their debts) if they have stopped paying any of their debts on the due dates for more than 50 consecutive working days due to financial inability.
- In the event of liquidation of funds, a trustee shall be appointed to control and facilitate the liquidation of the debtor’s funds.
- Funds excluded from liquidation procedures are pension or social benefits provided to the debtor as well as funds required by the debtor to meet their basic needs and those of their dependents. The latter amount is specified by the court.
- The period for the execution of the financial liability settlement plan may not exceed three years from the date of the ratification of the plan by the court.
source: zawya
GCC insurance sector to reach $36bln in 2024; UAE remains biggest market
01 Dec 2019 Written by Admin AdminFrom 2013 to 2018, the GCC insurance industry grew at a CAGR of 8.9%
The GCC insurance market is projected to grow at a moderate pace of 4.3 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to reach $36.1 billion in 2024 from $29.2 billion in 2018, Alpen Capital said in a report.
The outlook for the GCC insurance industry remains positive, “primarily led by a sustained economic growth, diversification of the economy, increase of the population as well as the implementation of mandatory insurance,” Krishna Dhanak, Executive Director at Alpen Capital said during a media roundtable.
From 2013 to 2018, the GCC insurance industry grew however at a higher CAGR of 8.9 percent from $18.4 billion to $28.2 billion, the Alpen report showed.
The market share of each GCC country is expected to remain constant through 2024 according to Alpen Capital. The UAE will continue to maintain its position as the largest market in the region.
The gradual slowdown of the insurance industry that was witnessed in the last two years as various players adapted to new regulations such as solvency requirements, minimum capital requirements and pricing policies, is likely to continue until 2024, Dhanak said.
Dhanak said that M&As in the sector remained active over the past two years as companies sought to build stronger balance sheets to sustain the stringent reserve and solvency requirements.
“In addition to interest from foreign players, we expect to see continuing M&A activity as companies develop technological capabilities to broaden their product offering and improve profitability,” he added.
According to the report, insurance penetration (ratio of total insurance premiums to GDP) in the region is expected to remain between 1.8 percent and 1.9 percent from 2019 to 2024, below the global average of 6.1 percent, offering scope for growth in the sector.
Insurance density (ratio of premium underwritten to total population) in the GCC is expected to increase from $502.9 in 2019 to $555.8 in 2024. Life insurance gross written premium (GWP) is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.9 percent to reach $4.7 billion in 2024.
The non-life segment will continue to comprise 86.9 percent of the total insurance market at $31.4 billion in 2024, the report noted.
In the next 5 years, the UAE’s insurance market is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 4.2 percent while the Saudi Insurance market will grow at a CAGR of 5 percent and the Kuwaiti insurance market is anticipated to grow at the fastest annualized average pace of 8.2 percent.
In 2018, the UAE recorded the highest insurance penetration and density at 2.9 per cent and $1,194.7 respectively, the report said.
One of the challenges facing the sector is its exposure to risky assets according to Alpen Capital, as insurance firms in the region have a relatively high exposure to capital markets, making them more prone to volatility in equity markets.
Another challenge is weak profitability. With 200 insurers operating in the region, the sector remains highly fragmented, pushing companies to face profitability pressure due to mounting competition, high regulatory costs and strict accounting standards, the report said.
source: zawya
Dubai's FDI more than doubles to Dh46.6 billion in first half of 2019
29 Oct 2019 Written by Admin AdminNew FDI law and economic incentives help increase foreign capital inflows by 135%
Dubai attracted foreign direct investment (FDI) of Dh46.6 billion in the first half of 2019, up 135 per cent on the same period last year, according to the Dubai Media Office.
In a statement published at the start of Dubai Investment Week, the Dubai government said it ranked third in the world for attracting FDI, both in terms of the capital value flows and number of greenfield projects.
“A new FDI Law, numerous economic incentives and concerted efforts to deepen cooperation and partnerships with the private sector have all contributed to Dubai’s record FDI achievements,” said Sami Al Qamzi, director-general of Dubai Economy.
“The FDI results of the first half of 2019 is a testament to the Dubai economy’s competitiveness and resilience in the face of global shifts and challenges that have adversely affected the flows of FDI globally in recent years,” he added.
In the first half of 2019, Dubai attracted 257 FDI projects with 61 per cent of total projects being greenfield, 27 per cent new forms of investment, 6 per cent reinvestments, 5 per cent made via mergers and acquisitions, and the remaining 1 per cent through new joint ventures.
In terms of investment sources, 34 per cent of the capital invested came from the US, 28 per cent from China, 11 per cent from the UK, and 5 per cent from both France and Singapore, according to the Dubai FDI Monitor.
These five countries together accounted 83 per cent of total FDI capital flows into Dubai in the first half of 2019.
Notable FDI deals recorded in Dubai during the first half of 2019 include Uber's acquisition of Careem and Mastercard's investment in payment processor Network International.
Around Dh13bn of capital flowed in through such investments.
Major FDI projects announced during the first six months included Zhejiang China Commodities Group's investment in the new ‘Merchant Market’ joint venture and China Co-Op Group's investment in a new food processing plant in Dubai.
Both projects amount to Dh12.5bn in greenfield FDI.
There were also increased corporate reinvestments in Dubai, such as HSBC's new Middle East headquarters worth an estimated Dh918 million, Siemens’ new Solar Hydrogen Facility worth Dh248m and the BMW Training Centre project worth Dh29m, among others.
The FDI flows and rankings results were revealed by Dubai Investment Development Agency (Dubai FDI), which is part of Dubai Economy, the emirate's economic development arm.
source: thenational
This new record represents a growth of 135% compared to the same period last year, Sheikh Hamdan, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, announced.
The Emirate of Dubai has witnessed exceptional growth during the first half of 2019, with foreign direct investments, FDIs, reaching a record-breaking AED46.6 billion, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, announced on Sunday( 29 october).
This new record represents a growth of 135 percent compared to the same period last year, His Highness added, noting that this FDI growth within the emirate is "a testament to global confidence in Dubai's economy." During the first half of 2019, Dubai has continued to progress in global rankings of the most attractive cities for FDI, ranking third in the world in attracting FDI, in terms of both capital flows and the number of greenfield projects.
"Dubai is among the top three global FDI locations thanks to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, who created a global investment environment in Dubai that keeps pace with the aspirations of investors, entrepreneurs and technology shifts in the region and the world," Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed continued.. The FDI flows and rankings results were revealed by Dubai Investment Development Agency, DUBAI FDI, an agency of Dubai Economy, based on the Financial Times’ fDi Markets, a global online platform that monitors data on capital flows and greenfield FDI projects around the world and the ‘Dubai FDI Monitor’ data.
His Highness pointed out that Dubai has been particularly successful in attracting advanced technology and specialised talent in the first half of 2019.
"This is a proud achievement for Dubai. With the growth of talent and technology, Dubai will accelerate its drive to become the smartest and most sustainable city of the future.
" According to ‘Dubai FDI Monitor’ data, FDI projects with High and Medium Technology component reached 47 percent of total FDI projects in the first half of 2019, based on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, classification criteria.
Moreover, FDI projects with a high and medium technology component were at the forefront of creating new jobs with a 48 percent share of the 24,294 new jobs created by FDI projects in the first half of 2019.
Sheikh Hamdan noted that according to the Financial Times’ fDi Markets data, the emirate ranking ninth globally in job creation through FDI.
"This achievement will further strengthen Dubai’s position as one of the most attractive destinations for promising talent, thanks to our leadership’s initiatives to develop legislative frameworks that enhance the role of talent in building a knowledge and innovation economy in Dubai and the UAE," he concluded.
source: zawya
Arab Bank Switzerland Launches BTC and ETH Trading and Storage Services
29 Sep 2019 Written by Admin AdminThe Swiss subsidiary of Arab Bank, a banking giant in the Middle East, is starting to provide trade and storage services for BTC and ETH.
Thanks to this initiative, large-capital clients serviced by Arab Bank Switzerland, including business leaders and family entrepreneurs, can now access digital assets.
“We strongly believe that the blockchain will dramatically change the financial industry, and we intend to be one of the first banks to offer digital asset services for customers in a safe and regulated environment,” said Arab Robin CEO Serge Robin .
Regarding custodial services, the bank has partnered with Taurus Group, which has integrated its cold storage solution called TAURUS-PROTECT with the bank’s infrastructure.
Taurus notes that the solution uses the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2, Certified Equipment Security Modules (HSM) Level 3, and “some of the safest hardware in the world”
“We now have a fully regulated and scalable infrastructure that we will use to provide our clients with institutional-grade digital asset services in addition to our traditional asset and credit management solutions,” said Rani Jabban, a member Board of Arab Bank Switzerland.
In February this year, the Swiss bank Julius Baer and SEBA, with the participation of the cryptocurrency company SEBA Crypto AG, began offering digital asset services.
source: omnia
Dialing the future: Road ahead for telecom firms in UAE and Saudi Arabia
29 Aug 2019 Written by Admin AdminThe sector is the second largest in terms of market capitalisation on the Dubai and Abu Dhabi stock markets and is the third largest on the Saudi market
A mature telecom sector in the UAE and Saudi Arabia faces different challenges and growth opportunities in both countries.
A slowdown in the UAE markets has weighed on telecoms, but analysts told Zawya that they are optimistic about the second half of 2019, as the government increases spending ahead of Expo 2020.
In the Kingdom, market saturation could dent growth, but government initiatives and a decline in the number of expats leaving the country are positives for the sector.
The sector is the second largest in terms of market capitalisation on the Dubai and Abu Dhabi stock markets and is the third largest on the Saudi market.
Earlier in August, the UAE has been ranked first in the Arab region in Government Electronic and Mobile Services (GEMS) Maturity Index, according to a report issued by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). (Read more here).
Here we take a look at how the leading telecoms in the UAE and Saudi Arabia performed in the last two quarters and the pointers that could prompt growth for the rest of the year.
UAE
Du and Etisalat are the two listed telecom companies in the UAE. A slowdown in the economy has affected the performance of both the companies.
“The local market has been very challenging due to a slowdown in the economy and a telecom sector that is already matured, seeing population growth and high demand drivers in the last couple of years,” Omar Maher, vice president of equity research at EFG Hermes told Zawya during a phone interview.
“However, in the past 6 months demand has been slowing,” he added.
Dubai’s Du posted a 5.4 percent drop in net profit after Royalty payments for the first half (H1) of 2019.
The company’s revenue fell 5.3 percent during the period.
Abu Dhabi-based Etisalat, the UAE’s biggest telecom operator, posted a 3.1 percent increase in consolidated net profit for H1 2019 and a 1.27 percent drop in revenue.
“Du has been more affected than Etisalat. Etisalat managed to protect its subscriber base better and has been more proactive on the commercial side in the last couple of years,” Maher said.
Etisalat Group’s subscriber base reached 143 million at the end of June 2019, a year-on-year (y-o-y) increase of 2 percent compared to H1 2018.
Du’s mobile subscriber base dropped 8.9 percent to 7.22 million at the end of June 2019, compared to 7.92 million at the end of H1 2018.
The company’s fixed line subscribers reached 773 thousands at the end of H1 2019, a 2.38 percent increase from H1 2018’s subscribers number.
“Etisalat has core operations in the UAE, Morocco, Egypt, Pakistan and KSA.
Performance in Egypt has been better and Maroc Telecom (owned by Etisalat) as a group has done much better in the past six months.
Also Saudi Mobily (owned by Etisalat) is doing much better due to a recovery in demand in Saudi Arabia as well as support from the regulator and the government,” Maher noted.
“We might see an uptick for both UAE telecom players in the second half of 2019 because of the additional spending by the government ahead of the expo 2020,” he ended.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Telecom Company (STC), Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily), Mobile Telecommunications Company Saudi Arabia (Zain) and Etihad Atheeb Telecom constitute the telecom sector on Tadawul, with a total market capitalisation of 12.34 percent in the index.
Al Rajhi Capital that tracks telecoms in the kingdom said market saturation and pricing regulations could dent growth going forward.
“Sector growth may be unlikely to revise upwards because of already high penetration and firm regulatory control over prices,” Pritish Devassy, head of equity research at Al Rajhi Capital told Zawya in an email statement
“Impact of reversal of royalty fee, IFRS 16 impact and high top-line y-o-y growth were the key notables in H1 2019 results,” he added.
At the end of 2018, Zain, STC and Mobily reached an agreement with the Kingdom’s ministries of finance, communications and communication and information technology to reduce the annual royalty fee that each company pays to 10 percent, from 15 percent, retrospectively from January 2018.
The trio also reached a deal with the government to settle all old disputes in connection to royalties up to the end of 2017.
“All the companies reported healthy top-line growth rates coming from a low base with STC up 8.4 percent y-o-y as compared to Mobily’s 13.0 percent and Zain’s 24.2 percent,” Devassy said.
“While the new calculation for royalty fees was expected to deliver a negative set of results for Mobily and a positive set for Zain, it was the other way round with better than expected results for Mobily and a lower gross margin for Zain KSA,” he added.
Zain reported a net profit after zakat and tax of 260 million Saudi Riyals for H1 2019, while Mobily recorded a net profit of 105.02 million riyals for the period and STC saw a net profit of 5,598 million riyals for H1 2019.
According to Al Rajhi’s Devassy, the key drivers for the sector continue to be data pricing and promotional offers.
“Pricing is tightly controlled by the regulator and hence a material increase is not easy in our view,” he said.
“On the positive side of things, rate of decline in expats could decline as already a large chunk of expats have left. Lifting of ban on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), being in existence for more than one and half year could also lower the cannibalization on an annual basis especially now as data contributes to a large part of earnings for companies,” Devassy added.
source:zawya
The UAE has ranked first in the Arab region according to the 2019 Government Electronic and Mobile Services, GEMS, Maturity Index.
Issued by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, ESCWA, the indicator is a measuring tool of progress at the national level in achieving transition to digital services. It was carried out across 13 countries including, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Oman, Palestine, Iraq, and Lebanon, amongst others.
The GEMS Maturity Index is measured across three sub-indices - Service Availability and Sophistication, Service Usage and Satisfaction, and Public Outreach.
According to the ESCWA report, the UAE achieved a 90 percent score in the 'Service Availability and Sophistication' category. This category uses various metrics to provide insights on what government services are available online or via mobile applications, and also measures accessibilty of government data via these channels.
Despite scoring 79 percent in the 'Public Outreach' category -- which determines what governments have done to make citizens aware of digital services in vital sectors -- the UAE scored 51 percent in the 'Service Usage and Satisfaction' index. The latter measures how frequestn government digital services are used, as well as end-user satisfaction with the digital service.
The GEMS index is measured across 84 core services. According to ESCWA, these services offer a fair representation of government services and illustrate the potential consequences if they are not provided effectively. Core services range across the health, education, work, transportation, tourism and social welfare sectors, among others.
Out of the 84 core services sectors, the GEMS Index report revealed that the UAE has a total of 70 that provide electronic services. It noted that e-Government services could be improved in the judicial and immigration services mechanisms -- each of which registered only two e-services provided within the country.
Commenting on the results, Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, TRA, Director-General, said, "Smart and advanced services are the key to customer happiness, therefore, we develop our government services in the UAE, inspired by the directives of our wise leadership, which emphasise on people as the goal and aim of the overall process of digital transformation."
"Achieving the first position in GEMS Maturity Index is the result of the collective efforts of the UAE Government towards full digital transformation," he added.
The Index allows to track the progress in the transition to e-channels for government service provision, by annual comparison of the national performance.
Salem Al Housani, Acting Deputy Director-General for Information an e-Government Sector, said, "This achievement comes one year after announcing the TRA as the entity responsible for smart government and digital transformation of the UAE’s model of digital government maturity."
"The UAE model of digital government maturity is a unified reference for electronic/digital government in the UAE, which guides the work on the various pillars of digital transformation, and measures the capability to create a digitally mature government and maintain its stability. TRA has launched the Digital Government Maturity Model to achieve the National OSI, and to reach the first position globally in OSI," he added.
According to the TRA, the UAE Government provides about 3,730 federal and local online services through its official portal. It also provides more than 270 procedural services at the federal level.
source: wam
تعتبر القدرة على الوصول الى خدمة الانترنت من اهم محددات التحول الرقمي، اذ لا يمكن الحديث عن نمو الاقتصاد الرقمي دون التوسع في انتشار خدمة الانترنت، اي انه يوجد ارتباط رئيسي بين مدى انتشار خدمة الانترنت وامكانية التحول الرقمي. ولقد شهد العالم العربي في السنوات الاخيرة نموا كبيرا في معدلات انتشار الانترنت وتدفق البيانات. كما وصلت كل من قطر والامارات العربية المتحدة إلى قائمة أفضل عشرة دول من حيث سرعة الانترنت.
يوضح الجدول التالي اعداد مستخدمي الانترنت في العالم عام 2019 ونسبة المستخدمين الى عدد السكان، ومستخدمي موقع "الفيسبوك" الذي يتصدر مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي من حيث الانتشار في العالم العربي.
تعد نسبة انتشار خدمة الانترنت في العالم العربي الى اجمالي عدد السكان مرتفعة لاسيما اذا ما قورنت باقاليم اخرى، كدول افريقيا جنوب الصحراء، فيما تعتبر نسبة انتشار الانترنت في دول الخليج العربي من اعلى النسب في العالم، فهي توزاي تلك النسبة الموجودة في اكثر الدول تقدما، كالولايات المتحدة الامريكية (96%) وفرنسا (92 ٪) وألمانيا (96 ٪) وغيرها من الدول المتقدمة. إلا أن انتشار الخدمة الانترنت لا يعني بالضرورة ازدهار الاقتصاد الرقمي، فالامر مرتبط بمجموعة من المحددات المتصلة بهذه الخدمة، كمدى جودة خدمة الانترنت نفسها، ومدى تفعيل الخدمات الحكومية الرقمية في الصحة والتعليم والخدمات العامة، والى اي حد تنتشر ثقافة التعامل الرقمي بين المنتجين والمستهلكين، كل تلك المحددات وغيرها تلعب دورا في ادخال عملية انتشار خدمة الانترنت في اطار التحول الرقمي، اي تجعل منها عملية اقتصادية.
يمكن العودة إلى سلسلة " العالم العربي خطوات نحو التحول الرقمي" لمعرفة المزيد من الاحصاءات والمعلومات حول واقع الاقتصاد الرقمي في العالم العربي وخطوات التحول.
Mashreq 2.0 Boosting growth & creating jobs through digital transformation
01 Jul 2019 Written by Admin AdminThe force of digitalization is driving the global economy, creating distinct groups of leaders and laggards. Through institutional reform that leverages the advantages of digitalization, the Mashreq can become a vital hub in international data networks.
Furthermore, digital transformation can assuage pressing challenges. It can deliver higher transparency, accelerate lackluster productivity and increase economic opportunities for all, especially the youth of this region. A new report, Mashreq 2.0, charts the roadmap for the region to capitalize on this rapidly emerging opportunity, and assesses the prospect of a digitally integrated regional market.
Outside the dominant paradigms that portray the region in popular media, the Mashreq is the epicenter of the world’s fastest growing data transit market. Data traffic growth within the region will increase at a precipitous 42% compounded annual growth rate from 2016 to 2021.
Influenced by historically intertwined geographic and cultural ties, MENA-Europe data exchange grows at over 50% per year.
The Mashreq’s potential in the digital economy is also evidenced by the many unicorns that have been incubated in the Arab region. Hallmark cases include Maktoub and Souk.com, born in Jordan’s capital, Amman. These digital platforms indicate an evolution in consumer behavior, embracing digital consumption. Another example is Magnitt, an Iraqi startup now hosted in Dubai, which is a marketplace for investors that links 5,500 startup firms with investors across the region.
These examples signal a bright future for the region, but crucially, broadband internet infrastructure is not yet equipped with the capacity to realize this potential. While mobile phones are ubiquitous in the Mashreq, broadband internet paints a different picture. Mashreq countries have a similarly stark disparity between mobile and broadband penetration: Iraq has 95% mobile penetration but only 28% for broadband; Lebanon is less glaring, with 75% mobile penetration and 71% for broadband. Mobile access is also rather uneven in the region: The gender gap in mobile ownership is 11% in Iraq and 21% in Jordan, but only 2% in Egypt or Turkey. Creating a significant bottleneck, all countries in the Mashreq also have a lower fixed download speed than the global average of 55Mbps: Jordan is at 29 Mbps, Iraq at 13 Mbps, and Lebanon at 7Mbps. Mobile download speed is relatively better off: the global average is 25Mbps, and Lebanon is at 40Mbps, Jordan at 15Mbps and Iraq at 6Mbps. Even so, they fall behind best in class examples such as Romania, that has successfully introduced competition and market contestability to achieve 131Mbps (fixed download speed) and 34Mbps (mobile download speed).
The ability to absorb new communications technology is another source of disparity: 4G connectivity is only available to 25% of Iraq’s population, though present in 95% of the population in Jordan and Lebanon. Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) also present a largely untapped opportunity.
To provide Internet connectivity that can augment the data economy, significant investments in key areas of the infrastructure value chain are necessary.
In Iraq, it is estimated that a total of IQD 660.5 billion (US$558.8 million) will be needed to build a robust fixed network in areas afflicted by conflict.
Investment in the ”last mile” broadband infrastructure is also lagging more generally.
Investments to bring high speed broadband access to 30% of the population of the Mashreq (about 13 million households) through fiber access is estimated to be between US$ 4 billion and US$ 5.2 billion. A large part of the investment needed for this fiber buildup can be provided by the private sector, through competitive entrants, or strategically using Private Private Partnerships (PPPs). A good example is Jordan’s planned PPP on the National Broadband Network (NBN), which may crowd in at least $100 million of additional private investment leveraging an existing government fiber network. Considering the significant potential in the region, unlocking such a high quantum of investment is not beyond possibility. In addition to “last mile” broadband infrastructure, improving IXPs in the region can strengthen regional data exchange networks, and unleash at least US $200 million in investment.
Digital ecosystems can leverage high level of education in the region, including digital literacy, and a strategic geographic position as a central node in advanced service trade. Boosting broadband penetration alone by 10% would have a significant impact on GDP growth, estimated to be as high as 1.4%. This could give a significant boost to economic growth and trade integration in the region. However, this is only one piece of the puzzle.
Where the Mashreq’s regional and backbone broadband infrastructure is extensive, it remains sub-optimally used, due to intricacies in the political economy context, and lack of credible rules and institutions. Institutional reform to increase contestability is essential. Compelling priorities include: a) deepening competition to eliminate rents; b) strengthening regulatory institutions; c) creating regulatory incentives, including a Fiber Regulatory Package (FRP), to facilitate fiber investment; and d) ensuring universal access to broadband through proactive use of the public sector, and fast-track a timetable towards frontier technologies such as 5G.
Implementing these reforms would position the Mashreq to become a digital hub for the region, leveraging the full potential of the new digital economy for MENA, fully embracing innovation and entrepreneurship, creating opportunities for its technology savvy youth.
source: .worldbank
