Dubai: Three Arab countries — the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain — are ranked among the top 30 countries for harnessing information communication and technology (ICT) to transform society, according to a new report.
The UAE ranked 24th out of 138 countries, Qatar placed 25th while Bahrain was 30th in the 2010-11 Global Information Technology Report Transformations 2.0.
Globally, the top five were Sweden, Singapore, Finland, Switzerland and the US. The report is released annually by the Insead international business school and the World Economic Forum.
Bruno Lanvin, executive director eLab Insead, said the UAE's regional top ranking is recognition of the efforts to seize technology as part of the strategy to move forward.
"During the past decade, the UAE has taken bold initiatives in developing its ICT infrastructure as well as many services — especially e-government — the UAE's current ranking is evidence that these efforts were well placed; it can lead others in the region and beyond to undertake similar efforts," Lanvin told Gulf News.
Placing great emphasis on technological change will bode the UAE well, he said, "because it will increase local buy-in, especially from business, for this ICT-lead policy, moving from e-readiness to higher levels of usage is now a major challenge for the Emirates."
The UAE push is encouraging others to do the same, he said, and the "dynamics of GCC will create additional emulation. Qatar moved up five ranks this year, and is now just behind the UAE", Lanvin said.
Key indicators
In the Network Readiness Index (NRI) featured in the study, the UAE figured prominently for some of the key indicators. It was first for mobile phone subscription penetration as well as mobile network coverage. The UAE was second globally for "government success in ICT promotion" and earned third place for government procurement of advanced technology, importance of ICT to government vision, and for government readiness. The UAE earned other honourable mentions for ICT use and government efficiency, government prioritisation of ICT and for its availability of latest technologies.
Lanvin said: "ICT is not an end in itself, but a tool that must be used for and adapted to the fundamental strategic and longer goals of a country: competitiveness, diversification, innovation, employment, social cohesion can be part of such goals." To foster success, technological connectivity is a must, he said.
Connectivity
"For countries vying to attract investment and talent, a high level of connectivity has become a major asset and often a necessary condition for success. Ability to connect and combine resources on a real-time basis, 24x7, has become an essential ingredient of success in a globalised economy."
Thanks to the UAE's push to be on the cutting edge of technology, it will be easier for the country's economy to adapt to the new wave of internet and mobile platforms. "A new generation of Internet-based services and business models will radically modify the way in which companies and countries innovate and compete with each other," Lanvin said.
"The recent development of social networks is only a small indication of bigger changes in this area.
"In a growing number of sectors — government, business, education, health — technology will continue to transform the ways in which we think, innovate, work, learn and live with each other. This will have significant implications on how we use our time and resources, and on how countries, also cities. compete with each other on a global scale."
Key indicators and rank of UAE
- Availability of latest technologies: 11
- Mobile network coverage: 1
- Government readiness: 3
- Government prioritization of ICT: 6
- Government procurement of advanced technology: 3
- Importance of ICT to government vision: 3
- Mobile phone penetration: 1
- Government success in ICT promotion: 2
- ICT use and government efficiency: 4
