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11/27/23, 12:00 PM TDRA and RIPE NCC Host the Seventh Government Roundtable for the Middle East Region | Web Release
the League of Arab States and the GCC Telecom bureau. Their collective presence underscored the importance of
collaboration among governments and the RIPE NCC in advancing digital infrastructures and Internet policies.

In his opening keynote address, H.E Eng. Mohammad Al Zarooni, Acting Director General of the Telecommunications

and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) in the United Arab Emirates, pointed out how critical the present
moment is in shaping the digital future. He noted that as technology rapidly advances, it is incumbent on governments to

build the necessary infrastructure and environment to support it. He highlighted the importance of working together in
these efforts: “Collaboration is a cornerstone of our approach. Working with all stakeholders, including the technical
community and organisations such as the RIPE NCC, is necessary to prevent Internet fragmentation. This roundtable

can be a milestone towards a secure and connected future for all citizens.”

In his speech, Dr. Ishaq Sider, the Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology in Palestine, stressed

the extensive damage inflicted upon the telecommunications and Internet infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. He
highlighted his ministry’s achievements in developing the Palestinian ICT sector and shared the vision and strategy of
the Palestinian government through the “Digital Palestine Agenda 2023,” which is based on five pillars: digital strategic

frameworks, infrastructure, legal environment, digital employment and trade, and digital transformation for social
inclusion, culture, and media.

Engineer. Bassam Al-Sarhan, Chairman and CEO of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRC) in Jordan,

pointed out the importance of joint efforts in building digital economies. He stated, “We need an inclusive, collaborative
and supportive environment to achieve the promise that the Internet offers. We at TRC take great pride in our
collaboration with the RIPE NCC, working together in improving routing security and resilience and achieving

unparalleled Internet speeds. Our notable strides in deploying IPv6 and transitioning to 5G have resulted in extensive
coverage, setting the stage for even more pervasive connectivity.”

Mr. Omar Al-Omar, Chairman and CEO of the Communications and Information Technology Regulatory Authority
(CITRA) in Kuwait, recalled the impact of the pandemic and the need for Internet resilience that it demonstrated. He
noted that Kuwait took the opportunity to invest in its Internet infrastructure. He added, “While development at a

national level is important, it is crucial to also develop regionally. This includes alignment between countries through
working groups and linking IXPs. A key part of this effort is continuing the dialogue and enhancing capacity-building

programmes by publishing reports on Internet statistics and trends. We must also stay up to date with the adoption of
emerging technology to enhance our connectivity.”

Dr Ali Al-Muayed, CEO of the Communications and Media Commission (CMC), shared the country’s efforts to
promote digital transformation. He said: “The challenges facing our countries today in the digital realm emphasise the

need for collaboration to create conditions for an open, secure and flexible Internet. Emphasising the preservation of
public freedoms for citizens and freedom of expression is crucial. Thus, establishing the right collaborative environment

is essential to overcoming obstacles to developing the ICT sector, especially in the context of the Internet.”

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