GEC NEWS WIREGemalto continues to deliver enhanced digital services in the Middle East as UAE gears up to provide world-class infrastructure and facilities as the host country of the EXPO 2020
With Expo 2020 just around the corner, how well is UAE faring on the digital landscape?
As the host country of the Expo 2020, the UAE is expected to provide world-class infrastructure and facilities. IT will be a key enabler of capacity, flexibility and capability in the lead up to the large-scale global event. The country is expected to make investments in security as the region continues to see a surge in cyber-attacks, directly impacting revenue streams, data and, ultimately, organisational reputation. We see more businesses engaging in digital transformations and increasing their ICT spend, and we expect this trend to continue in the lead up to Expo 2020 and beyond, with the UAE government placing innovation at the core of its economic growth. Investments are also being made in key areas of cloud computing, big data, network virtualization, IoT and smart government initiatives. It is predicted that the software and services market will outperform primary IT markets as organisations prioritise solutions surrounding optimisation, automation and transformation.
The UAE’s regulatory bodies and government institutions provide the vision and support needed by the public and private sectors alike to address the challenges of Expo 2020. The event will also support Dubai’s vision in becoming a smart city leveraging IoT to automate key functions in the city including traffic, parking, safety waste management etc. Dubai also needs to forge public-private partnerships and collaborate globally to develop localized regulations and adopt the best-of-breed technology to enable Dubai’s transformation to a smart city. Government departments under the Dubai Smart City initiative are embracing new digital transformation strategies and streamlining service delivery through digital channels to enable this transition.
UAE will be home to over 10 mega world-class infrastructure models within the next 5 years? How are you planning to cash in the opportunity?
We see great opportunity in the lead up to 2020 to deliver on Gemalto’s promise to create seamless and secure transactions. With our world constantly changing, driven by the evolving needs and expectations of end-users and millennials seeking constant connectivity and instant services, we as businesses must gear up to meet these demands and deliver enhanced digital services. With greater urbanisation, increased demands on public infrastructure and services, digital strategies are being deployed to cater for future demand. Expo 2020, for example, will test the infrastructure and Smart City initiatives along with greater digitisation of services will alleviate this pressure.
IoT is another key driving force that has transformed the technology sector in the region. With billions of connected devices, IoT brings convenience to end-users with services available anytime anywhere. While there’s plenty of business potential in these expanding connections, there is a big downside however – with security vulnerabilities growing exponentially. Gemalto continues to protect the region’s digital transformation by securing connections, transactions and ensuring data privacy for people to truly enjoy the convenience of this new digital world.
In this hyper-connected world, with billions of connected devices, managing the life cycle of each connected ‘thing’ is also a challenge. This is why Gemalto designed its On-Demand Connectivity solution, giving OEMs, mobile network operators and service providers the capability to securely manage the lifecycle of cellular subscriptions, enabling them to activate subscriptions in real-time and modify them as needed, therefore delivering out-of-the box-connectivity to provide a ubiquitous user experience and service continuity for connected consumer electronic and industrial devices.
Which sector shows the highest growth and maturity in adoption of technology?
The utilities and transportation sectors in the UAE appear to be on the most promising growth trajectory. Both these sectors have grown, not just in process automation but also in addressing the threats of climate change by adopting technologies such as Smart Metering, Smart Grid and Smart Transport. These sectors are investing in IoT ecosystems that provide a level of intelligence to the data allowing for more informed decisions on service delivery and capacity planning. Closer to Expo 2020, we also expect to see growth in the travel, tourism, real-estate and retail sectors. Overall the event will be a major catalyst for the UAE’s economic diversification and growth.
