H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, on Tuesday inaugurated the conference and exhibition of digital economy technologies “Seamless Middle East 2024”.

The event, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre until 16th May, is sponsored by the League of Arab States and organised by the Arab Federation for Digital Economy, along with the international conference-organising company Terrapinn.

The event aligns with the “Arab Digital Economy Vision” framework, first announced in Abu Dhabi in December 2018 with the support of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and later approved at the Arab League Summit in Algeria in 2022.

Sheikh Saif attended the opening session, where he and the attendees witnessed the unveiling of the Arab Digital Economy Index (2024). They also learned about the establishment of the “Hikma” Centre for Scientific Research at the Arab and Islamic levels and the Arab Artificial Intelligence initiative, which aims to foster innovation, develop sectoral solutions, and enhance access to information in Arabic.

The ceremony boasted notable attendees, including Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade; Atef Helmy, former Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Egypt and President of the General Assembly of the Arab Federation for the Digital Economy; Ruqaya Al-Dirham, former Minister of Digital Economy of Morocco; Lord Merlin Hay and Baroness Pola Uddin, both Members of the British House of Lords; Hani Mohamed Mahmoud, former Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Egypt; Professor Dr. Mohamed Othman Elkhosht, President of Cairo University; Sheikha Nawal Al Homoud Al-Sabah, President of the Arab Union for Combating Forgery and Counterfeiting; Counselor Khairy Ahmed Al-Kabbash, President of the Court of Appeal of Egypt; Dr. Ali M. Al-Khouri, Advisor of the Arab Economic Unity Council and Chairman of the Arab Federation for Digital Economy.

The gathering also included ambassadors from Arab and Western countries accredited to the state, alongside Arab government officials, digital economy experts, and representatives from specific Arab organisations and unions operating under the auspices of the League of Arab States.

With over 500 speakers participating in 200 sessions and lectures and more than 25,000 officials from the public and private sectors representing over 5,000 institutions from 130 countries, the event garners broad regional and global participation. Over 720 international companies and 400 startups participated in the conference.

The conference discusses digital banking services, digital identity, financial technology, digital currencies, electronic and digital payments, e-commerce, and various facets of the digital sector, such as retail, logistics, e-marketing, and digital banking.

Sheikh Saif and the guests toured the exhibition accompanying the conference and were briefed on the latest technological advancements in electronic and digital payments, e-commerce, financial technology, digital identity, banking, and logistics sectors.

This year’s conference and exhibition session builds upon the efforts of the Arab League and the Arab Federation for the Digital Economy to spotlight the role of advanced technologies in shaping social and economic systems in the region.