Internet can be used as a tool for social change in Arab world

Dubai: The internet and information technology are key levers that will lift up the economic, social and cultural development of the Arab world, the CEO of Google said yesterday.

During a panel discussion at the Arab Strategy Forum that touched on wide-ranging issues such as economic diversification, corporate governance and the role of women, Eric Schmidt said: "The big-gest thing that will hit everyone is not what we are discussing, but the internet and its implications."

He said: "We are very quickly going to see the incredibly smart human resources represented in the Arab world get on the internet, and the message is almost all positive. They are going to learn new things and start new business. They are going to develop new markets, and they are going to learn how to sell outside of their own country."

If the oil-producing countries of the region devoted a small percentage of oil revenue to developing a broadband network, the benefits would be enormous, he said. "It could ultimately be the single biggest catalyst for change. It would create new entrepreneurship new educational opportunities and create new businesses," Schmidt said. "Even small changes in government policy could have huge multiplier effects in this side of the world."

Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi, the UAE's Minister of Economy, said: "Every tool has a good side and a bad side, and it is our responsibility to pick and choose what we can do with it," she said. "I do believe the implications and the impacts of the internet on this region are phenomenal."

The internet and its business-to-business marketplaces have helped diversify the UAE economy, she said. While working at DP World, she said developing its IT infrastructure helped make the organisation more efficient and transparent.

Access to the outside world would also enrich the region's political life, Schmidt said. "They are also going to learn about political systems, they are going to actually have opinions and they will push and push and push, because that's what happens when the Internet arrives. This is important to understand that it will happen and that it is a good thing."