The BRI Frontline|Cruising the Digital Silk Road: UAE aims to become digital hub

21世纪经济报道 21财经APP 谢鸿州 阿联酋报道
2023-09-28 20:03

南方财经全媒体记者谢鸿州 阿联酋报道

Dubai, a mega city, modern port, and global business hub, is widely recognized as one of the most luxurious cities in the world. But now, it's aiming to become one of the world's most digitally connected cities.

The Gulf is almost synonymous with oil wealth. However, the region is not complacent and seeks to diversify away from the liquid gold. One of their priorities is the digital economy. Last year, the UAE announced its ambitious goal to double the contribution of the sector to its GDP, increasing it from 9.7% in 2022 to nearly 20% within 10 years.

As the country's leading business hub, Dubai is at the forefront of this digital revolution. It has taken the bold step of creating the region's first chamber of digital economy, with the aim of ensuring the digital economy accounts for 20% of GDP by 2030.

 “Dubai has accelerated the path of digitization, Dubai and the UAE, over the past few years. The UAE is a pioneer in terms of digital development, mainly putting citizens and consumers at the heart of digital development,” says Bocar Ba, CEO of SAMENA Telecommunications Council.

The Digital Silk Road is an integral part of the Belt and Road Initiative, and Dubai's ambition has attracted a growing number of Chinese digital companies looking to expand their presence in the region.

 “Recently, the entire market between China and the United Arab Emirates, including Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, has created a very good business environment, from the upper-level relationship to all aspects of the market. Therefore, the entire market in the UAE, including the Middle East, has shown a lot of development opportunities,” notes Colin Wang, Managing Director of China Mobile International Middle East & Africa. 

 “I think the cooperation between China and UAE is well-known. The technology, which is provided by China, is very competitive and has a good warranty and efficiency. This makes life easier,” adds Mohammed Manea, Business Development Manager at Hikvision MENA.

The UAE is one of the earliest adopters of the Belt and Road Initiative. With its active involvement in trade, infrastructure, and now the digital economy, it is, without a doubt, on its way to becoming one of the most vibrant node countries along the Silk Road.

(作者:谢鸿州 编辑:和佳)