Telecommunications Regulatory Authority successfully maintains UAE's high ICT performance ranking in GII 2016

UAE, August 31, 2016 - The UAE has maintained its 12th global ranking in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) index, one of the key indicators included in the 2016 Global Innovation Index (GII) revealed earlier this week. The country topped the Arab nations and placed 41st worldwide in overall performance.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) undertakes the responsibility to provide the best technologies for the ICT sector in the country and carries out the role to develop the sector’s infrastructure, with the aim of serving and supporting all projects implemented by other sectors. This enables various sectors to perform their principal role and improve their innovation based on available technical capabilities, which are essential for other sectors to drive performance and achieve real quality innovation.

The global information and communication technologies (ICTs) index which ranks the country in 12th place is the first main indicator under the Infrastructure Index - one of the seven major indexes stated in the global innovation report, which was used to evaluate the innovation level in the country.

The Infrastructure index covers several sub-indicators, including ICT access where the country moved up from 31st last year to 26th. In terms of ICT use, the UAE inched to 20th place from 21st, while maintaining the 13th and 12th spots in e-Government services and e-participation, respectively.

H.E. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, TRA Director General, said: “The UAE is progressing steadily to achieve global leadership in innovation through building our human capital which comprise young ones with skills and highly innovative spirits. Our nation’s leaders are working to develop and encourage national talents and capabilities to become successful in innovation, following the national strategy launched by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which aims to make the UAE one of the most innovative countries in the world by 2021.”
“The TRA is committed to continue rating high on ICT-related indexes included in the Global Innovation Index. These indicators are already in line with the TRA’s vision and strategic goals which include adopting a culture of innovation and creativity and developing the country as an ICT hub,” H.E. Al Mansoori commented.

“The TRA’s efforts are leading to the achievement of our leaders’ directives as embodied in UAE Vision 2021. We are on a journey towards attaining a sustainable knowledge-based economy. Strengthening the infrastructure to meet all sectors’ needs and developments is one of the TRA’s priorities,” H.E. added.

The UAE has also been ranked 1st in the Arab World in the Network Readiness Index and has moved from 40th place to 38th in the Generic Top Level Domains category and rose five places from 50th to 45th in the Country Code category, two other indicators measured under the GII.