Jordan moving forward in digitisation to boost its competitiveness — gov’t

AMMAN — The development of the ICT sector helps boost all vital sectors in society and pushes them further towards desired development, the government said on Monday.

Jordan has launched several strategies towards the digitisation of the economy and smart services and will continue efforts in this regard to boost its competitiveness in the digital world, ICT Minister of Majd Shweikeh said at the opening of the Zain Technology Conference on behalf of Prime Minister Hani Mulki.

Addressing more than 500 experts in the sector from several countries, including executives of major companies, the minister referred to Jordan’s 2025 Reach Initiative, saying it will help attract 7,000 businesses in the field and create some 150,000 jobs.

Shweikeh underlined the need for support to entrepreneurs in the sector, adding that Jordan has laid down the necessary infrastructure and ecosystem for supporting entrepreneurship and driving innovation in the field.

She stressed the importance of holding the event in Jordan, which is a leading regional ICT hub.

The minister also underlined the significance of public-private partnerships to advance the sector.

Ahmad Hanandeh, Zain Jordan CEO, said participants at the event will shed light on the challenges and opportunities telcos face, noting that the event provides a platform for exchange of expertise.

Experts at the event looked into the impact of the ICT sector on all industries, and the opportunities it is creating.

“ICT is driving a new industrial revolution where big data and artificial intelligence are core,” Yun Lan, director of Middle East Carrier Business at Huawei, said at the conference.

He said the size of the digital transformation market is expected to reach $15 trillion by 2024.

By then, the number of smartphones is expected to be 8.5 billion, with 6.5 billion users of ICT services, Lan explained.

“More cooperation is needed between partners in the industry to face challenges,” he added.

Discussions at the three-day event are also expected to cover entrepreneurship, energy efficiency in the sector, the fifth generation and data analytics.