The 1st Arab Webinar on: ICT fighting COVID-19 “Arab initiatives and success stories”
Tuesday, 16 June 2020 at 11 am - CAIRO Time.
The Arab Information and Communication Technologies Organization “AICTO” organized in cooperation with the Technical Secretariat of Arab ICT Ministers Council and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia “ESCWA”, the 1st Arab Webinar on ICT fighting COVID-19 – “Arab initiatives and success stories” on Tuesday, 16 June 2020 at 11 am – CAIRO Time.
High-level speakers from 11 Arab countries took part in this important event, from the following countries: the Republic of Tunisia, the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Sudan, the Republic of Iraq, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Palestine, the Republic of Lebanon, the Arab Republic of Egypt, The Islamic Republic of Mauritania and the Republic of Yemen. In addition to high-level experts from Arab and international organizations and authorities and AICTO’s partners from the public and private sectors, such as the China Satellite Navigation Office CSNO and Huawei Technologies.
HE. Eng. Mohamed ben Amor – Director-General of the Arab ICT Organization has inaugurated the work of this webinar with a welcoming speech, during which he thanked Arab ICT Ministers and AICTO’s partners and speakers for accepting the invitation and for their contribution to enrich and furnish the works of this important forum. During his keynote speech, He highlighted the role played by the organization during the spread of the Coronavirus and notably AICTO’s initiative which aims to shed light on each of the Arab countries’ plans and measures taken to contain the repercussions of the COVID-19 through ICTs.
The next speech was presented by HE. Ambassador Dr. Kamal Hassan Ali – Deputy Secretary-General of the League of the Arab States and Head of the Economic Sector through which he stressed the important role of technology that is no longer a luxury but a necessity, especially in such critical times where teleworking and telehealth have emerged.
This webinar lasted around 5 hours and included, in addition to the opening session:
– A ministerial panel that brought together Arab ICT Ministers and Directors of relevant Arab and International organizations and authorities, through which they showcased the most prominent national and regional plans and strategies that have been implemented to face the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and reduce its effects.
– A second panel that was devoted to shedding the light on the best Arab and international experiences and success stories in using technology to counter this crisis. This panel witnessed the participation of eminent experts who provided an overview of the experiences that were implemented in various Arab countries and the rest of the world.
It is worthy to mention that, the 1st Arab Webinar on “ICT fighting COVID-19” falls within the scope of the steady and continuous Keenness of the Arab ICT Organization to support the Arab countries and all concerned stakeholders in the technological level especially during these critical circumstances that most countries of the world are going through, in resisting and containing the Corona pandemic and the resulting crisis.
“AICTO” is looking forward to concert efforts to better prepare and manage the post-“COVID-19” stage in the technological field. Hence, to develop new strategies in alignment with the next stage requirements by learning lessons and taking advantage of this crisis to be deemed as an opportunity for the development in the future.
Nowadays, the transition to the “All-Digital” in the near future, it’s not anymore a choice, it has become a Must for all Arab countries.