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Abu Dhabi /Â WAM
The UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) and the Department of Economic Development of Dubai (DED) recently signed a collaboration agreement to enhance their co-operation and co-ordination efforts in the field of joint national indicators of the Network Readiness Index (NRI), a key indicator from the World Economic Forum, WEF, to measure how countries are doing in the digital world.
The terms of the agreement include the formation of a joint working group between the TRA and the DED to achieve the NRI objectives, as well as working on the implementation of initiatives that enable the raising of sub-indices of NRI in the business sector, on which one or both parties have a direct effect, said a statement from TRA.
The working group will develop working plans, strategies, and methodologies of information and expertise sharing within the scope of the agreement. The working group will also organize workshops and events that serve the objectives of the indicator, and provide information on key performance indicators.
This vital step reflects the importance of co-operation and co-ordination between the two parties on national indicators. It reflects the two agencies’ keenness on maximising the potential of their expertise and capabilities to improve the UAE’s results on the NRI, TRA said.
“The telecom regulatory authority adopts a clear strategy to reach the top ten positions on international level in many indicators related to the telecommunications sector by 2021,” said Majed Al Mesmar, the deputy director general of telecommunications sector at TRA.
The NRI includes 53 sub-indices, he said. “We have an international leading position in four sub-indices, which are: the government success in enhancing ICT, the ICT usage and the government efficiency, the importance of technology in the government vision, and the mobile coverage ratio for the population.”
Khalid Al Kassim, the assistant director general for economic affairs, Dubai DED, described the agreement as comprehensive as it covers all possible areas of cooperation, and will enhance the efforts of both sides to create sustainable development and integrated infrastructure.”
Dubai DED, he stated, seeks to provide a diverse and integrated range of innovative services in accordance with the business interest, in addition to providing all the services that meet the needs of investors and entrepreneurs. The partnership deal was sealed on the sidelines of the recently-held Dubai International Government Achievements Exhibition.