Page 15 - RIPE NCC PR REPORT - NOVEMBER 2023

11/27/23, 11:59 AM TDRA And RIPE NCC Host The Seventh Government Roundtable For The Middle East Region
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.”

In his speech, Eng. Hossam El-Gamal, CEO of the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) in Egypt,
noted that the digital sector has become a leading part of the economy, which presents its own challenges. He
also acknowledged that “Although Egypt is outside of the RIPE NCC’s service region, we embrace strategic
cooperation with the international community to develop our network infrastructure. This collaboration is also
important for routing security, a priority in Egypt and Africa overall.”

Mr. Philippe Marnik, Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of Bahrain,
highlighted the necessity of collaboration for even the most fundamental aspects of routing and digital
communication. He said, “For the Internet to work, it needs collaboration between everybody, not just to make

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