Telecommunications Regulatory Authority wins major award at World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS 2016)

UAE, May 4, 2016- The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has won a major award at the 2016 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, until 6 May with the participation of representatives from countries all over the world. The award was handed to H.E. Eng. Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, TRA Deputy Director General and head of the UAE delegation to the forum. 
    
The Authority won for its project on ‘Supporting the development of telecommunications and information technology sector in Arab countries’ under the C11 WSIS Action Line related to regional and international cooperation which saw strong competition among several projects from various countries. 

On this occasion, the TRA’s Deputy Director General said: “We and the members of the UAE delegation are very proud of this prestigious award and seeing the flag of our beloved country standing high in one of the most important global forums for the Information Society. This success is the result of systematic work and deep strategic vision aimed at promoting the UAE’s position in the international arena, highlighting its role as a leading regional and global model for developing distinguished practices and successful national initiatives. Whatever our great achievements, the UAE will still continue with its quest for excellence. Everyone looks forward to exchange experiences, ideas and knowledge in order to enable communities to harness their full potential to improve the quality of life. The UAE is taking successful steps to move towards a competitive knowledge-based economy under the leadership of knowledgeable and innovative UAE Nationals.”

H.E. Al Mesmar added: “The UAE has realized earlier on the importance of innovation and information technology and their benefits to humanity, which makes it the first country to be included at the top of the indicators of the national agenda of UAE Vision 2021. Today the state continues to move steadily towards a competitive knowledge-based economy under the leadership of Emiratis driven by knowledge and innovation. Through our participation in the WSIS Forum we seek to represent our country honourably and achieve a significant presence reflecting the progress and innovation prevailing in the UAE influenced by rapid worldwide developments in telecommunications and information technology. We also aim to raise the UAE’s profile within the information and digital content community as a leading country in this field at the global level by participating in many Emirati-led initiatives and projects.” 

On the side-lines of the main forum events, H.E. Al Mesmar participated in the inauguration of the national exhibition where the UAE’s major achievements and innovations are being showcased by all parties representing the state.

The UAE is the Platinum Sponsor and Strategic Partner of the 2016 WSIS Forum. These exclusive roles are within the framework of the country’s distinctive and close relationship with the International Telecommunication Union.

The UAE’s role in the international ICT sector has been significantly growing over the past years, helping boost the state's industry-leading position and making it a strategic partner in supporting WSIS-related efforts. It formed a National Committee to follow up the implementation of the WSIS Action Lines which have had a major impact in promoting the exchange and transfer of expertise, information and experiences.

The UAE delegation to WSIS Forum 2016 includes representatives from several government agencies, including the UAE Prime Minister’s Office, Smart Dubai Government, Dubai Smart City Office, Ministry of Interior, Emirates ID Authority, Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Dubai Water & Electricity Authority, Khalifa Student Empowerment Program ‘Aqdar’, Dubai Land Department, Smart Navigation Systems, Dubai Police, Abu Dhabi Police, Telecommunication Regulatory Authority.

The WSIS Forum is a major global platform for discussing the role of information and communications technology as a means for implementing sustainable development goals identified by the UN. This year’s edition focuses on ICT’s role in achieving sustainable development goals for health, education and women's empowerment. It features interactive activities highlighting the exchange, communication and strengthening of partnerships in innovative projects and experiences in the field of telecommunications, information technology, and digital content. This event effectively facilitates the coordination of activities, the exchange of information and best practices and the creation of knowledge for achieving development goals.