IfG.CC - The Potsdam eGovernment Competence Center

In eight out of 10 quality categories measured by the authors, Qatari websites scored higher than the GCC average.

The study ‘Typology and Credibility of GCC Internet Health Websites’ appeared in World Health Organisation (WHO) publication Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal.

Qatar aims to become the best-connected country in the world and a leader in innovative digital economy, HE the Minister of Information and Communications Technology Dr Hessa al-Jaber told a world conference yesterday.

The State of Qatar stressed yesterday the important role digital technology is playing in facilitating human progress, and the big contribution it is making in enhancing and protecting human rights and basic freedoms, but noted that the same technologies could be used in ways that threaten cyber security with methods such as fake news and manipulating social media platforms.

This came during the speech of the State of Qatar given by Second Secretary of the Permanent Mission in Geneva Mohammed Abdulla Al Buainaine in the 44th regular session of the Human Rights Council on the opportunities and challenges that new digital technologies pose on enhancing and protecting human rights.

The recent milestone achievement by Qatar’s telecom major Ooredoo by clocking a global customer base of 100mn mirrors the country’s strides in harnessing the power of information and communication technology (ICT) for people.

It comes after Ooredoo crosses a milestone of more than 3mn customers in Qatar – the highest number ever recorded by the company.

Ooredoo and the other service provider, Vodafone, have brought about significant changes to Qatar’s telecom landscape under the leadership of the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology.

Qatar will set up a specialised 'centre of excellence' for data and emerging technologies, as Artificial Intelligence, to digitise 90% of its services to citizens by 2030.

Moreover, the country will revamp the tools for monitoring operational and institutional performance to track the progress of achieving NDS3 (third National Development Strategy) outcomes.

Qatar aims to position itself as a leader in digital government with the aim of digitising 90% of its services to citizens and achieving a customer satisfaction score exceeding 85% across all its services by 2030, said the recently launched NDS3.

A high-level meeting opened yesterday to review progress on the outcomes of the previous WSIS sessions, held in Geneva in 2003 and in Tunis in 2005.

Policy-makers, including ministers and leaders from civil society, academia, business and international organisations will focus attention on implementation of the outcomes of the summit for next year’s 10-year review during the WSIS+10 High-level Event that kicked off yesterday.

NRI, which is published annually, measures the preparedness of an economy to use ICT to boost competitiveness and well-being and tracks the development of ICTs around the world.

The report assesses the digital ecosystems of 144 developed and developing countries — accounting for more than 98 per cent of the world’s GDP.

"There is no doubt in my mind that the emphasis on technology was a core contributor to Qatar's success and remains as relevant to the country's objectives now as it has been for world ambitions over the past three centuries," Boeing Middle East president Jeffrey Johnson told Gulf Times.

Qatar embarks on a significant course to implement innovative ecosystem and infrastructure towards transforming the country into a digital transformation said an expert.

Businesses in Qatar have been heavily invested in modern technology, reinforced by governments as early consumers of the technology. The development of non-oil sectors through investment in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies could strategically position the country as a regional hub for tech advancements.

Through Hukoomi, citizens and residents can complete a range of important services — from applying for passports and identification cards to obtaining exit permits — from the comfort of a home computer or mobile device now and self-service kiosks later.

“This allows people to bypass paperwork and long waits at government offices and saves everyone time, energy, and other resources,” ictQATAR said in its annual report.

“We have already activated some 4,000 connections and in the months ahead we will connect and activate more on the fibre network,” Qtel chief operating officer Waleed Mohamed al-Sayed told Gulf Times yesterday.

Nearly half of the country has now been reached with the fibre cable, al-Sayed said.

A research report released today by the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology reveals that all segments of Qatar's population have access to Internet-enabled ICT devices--particularly mobile phones--with newer devices such as smartphones and tablets yet to fully penetrate.

Fitch Solutions expects Qatar’s IT market to grow at 5.5% CAGR in the period between 2021 to 2025

Digital adoption in Qatar is set to grow, driving the growth of information and communications technology (ICT) sector and enabling the country to solidify the foundation of a new knowledge-based economy powered by digital tools.

ICT can be the power engine that brings forth new ways of living and doing business, sustainably in an environment where Qatar can further lead and grow according to Qatar’s ICT Landscape and Digital Trends 2022 report, which was developed based on CRA’s large-scale strategic research study and is the first comprehensive study for the ICT sector focusing on its supply-side. It provides extensive sector data and information, as well as exploring gaps, challenges, opportunities for future ICT sector growth, and its potential to enable the digital economy.

The global digital transformation market size, which stood at $737 billion in 2020, is projected to reach over $3.5 trillion by 2028 Digitalisation has been sweeping the globe as the forerunner of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, increasing business efficiency and cutting down operational time. As information and communications technology seeps into daily life, organisations have integrated digital transformation into functional areas. The global digital transformation market size, which stood at $737 billion in 2020, is projected to reach over $3.5 trillion by 2028, a compound annual growth rate of 22.1% during the forecast period.[1]

The market among individuals was estimated at $1 billion and between businesses at $ 1.3bn in 2014

Qatar’s e-commerce market is growing at a rate of ten per cent, which is higher than the global average, Dr Hessa al-Jaber, Qatar’s Minister of Information and Communications Technology, states.

During the opening of the Qatar e-Commerce Forum organised by the Ministry of Telecommunications, Dr Hessa says that the e-commerce market among individuals in Qatar was estimated at $1 billion and between businesses at $ 1.3bn in 2014, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reports.

Those who apply for jobs through e-government are required to register their names with all relevant personal information at the website addressed www.e.gov.qa.

The e-guide ‘See Qatar’, supported by most government departments, aims to attract tourists and investors toward tourism, commerce, education, health, sport, culture, exhibitions and conferences.

“Most of the hospitals in Qatar are under one system, which is the HMC system, so we can be a really good example of the application of telemedicine through an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach. Telemedicine and eHealth are of great importance as we continue to develop tremendously from all the other elements,” internationally renowned telemedicine expert and Hamad Medical Corporation Trauma Services director Dr Rifat Latifi has said.

Speakers at the forum underscored the collaborative efforts between the MoI and ictQatar to develop the comprehensive government network that will ensure that information being shared and sent electronically between government agencies, businesses and citizens is secure.

An editor from Al Arab newspaper, for his part, discussed the principles of e-content management and its significance in the light of new media like the Internet, and social networking, which has already made a big impact on societies.