Page 22 - RIPE NCC PR REPORT - NOVEMBER 2023

11/27/23, 12:00 PM TDRA and RIPE NCC Host the Seventh Government Roundtable for the Middle East Region | Web Release
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 sure the basics work but also the

overall systems and services. We must speak with one voice to understand the needs of Internet users worldwide.”

Dr. Khaled Wali, Minister Plenipotentiary and Director of the Directorate of Communications and Information

Technology Development for the League of Arab States, remarked on the progress many Arab countries had achieved in
the digital sphere. He said, “Despite significant challenges with developing sustainable infrastructure, the Middle East
has greatly enhanced its routing security and Internet speeds. Our excellent partnership with the RIPE NCC has

significantly contributed to this success.”

Mr Hans Petter Holen, CEO and Managing Director of the RIPE NCC, thanked speakers for their remarks. In his
speech, he addressed how geopolitical developments had begun to threaten the advancement of Internet connectivity. He

reaffirmed the RIPE NCC’s commitment to neutrality and providing support to all members. He added: “We believe a
reliable Internet cannot be created through regulation, policies or legislation. The promise of an Internet that will bring
innovation, growth and social prosperity will only be met through trust and collaboration.”

In the concluding remarks of the opening session, Mr. Piotr Strzy?ewski, an Executive Board member of the RIPE NCC,
highlighted the significance of the United Arab Emirates hosting the seventh roundtable meeting. He emphasised the

collaboration with governments and Arab communications and information technology regulatory bodies as a testament
to their dedication to establishing a robust and secure digital infrastructure, which is pivotal in accelerating the evolution
of the Internet across the Middle East.

RIPE NCC experts actively engaged in the roundtable meeting discussions. Dr Chafic Chaya, Regional Public Policy

and Government Affairs Manager for the Middle East, shared more about the RIPE NCC’s efforts in the Middle East.
He explored cooperation with governments, reviewed the challenges identified during the sixth roundtable meeting,

outlined the measures implemented to address these issues and emphasised the specialised support programmes they
provide for each country.

Engineer Jad El-Cham, Regional Program Manager at RIPE NCC, shared important regional statistics and trends,

including IPv6 deployment, Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) and routing security coverage, and the IXP and
peering landscape. Engineer Hisham Ibrahim, Chief Community Officer of the RIPE NCC, also contributed his thoughts

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