Doha: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) discussed Qatar’s efforts to localize modern technologies, especially artificial intelligence, and the country’s role in advancing digital development, supporting entrepreneurship, and strengthening the national economy, as part of the Google Cloud Doha Summit 2024 on Tuesday.
Assistant Undersecretary for Infrastructure and Operations Affairs at MCIT, Sami Al Shammari, highlighted at a panel discussion the MCIT’s regulatory role aimed at strengthening the digital ecosystem by encouraging innovation and cooperation between the public and private sectors, improving and rehabilitating the workforce’s skills, and the importance of providing cloud computing technologies to achieve the Qatar National Vision 2030.
He said: “We are pleased to be at the Google Cloud Doha Summit as we celebrate the achievements achieved during the first year of launching the Google Cloud Region in the country. This summit represents an opportunity to communicate w
ith technology pioneers and experts, search for new collaboration opportunities with Google Cloud and its partners and discuss the latest trends in cloud technology.” He added, “We are committed to providing innovative and scalable solutions through our partnership with Google Cloud, which will significantly enhance our efforts to support the country’s digital transformation process”.
Within Google Cloud Summit Doha 2024 activities, MCIT had a special pavilion showcasing the most critical joint programs between the Ministry, government entities, and Google Cloud. Among the prominent cooperation initiatives was the Arabic Large Language Model for Generative Artificial Intelligence, the ‘Fanar’ project. This project, in which Google Cloud, as the technical partner, will contribute to its future development and enhance its ability to generate high-quality Arabic content, is a significant step towards advancing AI technology in the region.
Other initiatives included the MCIT Overseas Internship program, a key i
nitiative that aims to qualify national cadres to work in the ICT sector by providing them with training in leading international companies, including Google Cloud. This program plays a crucial role in developing local talent and enhancing the capabilities of the ICT sector in Qatar. Additionally, there was an initiative to support and develop the ‘Islam Web’ website to make it a rich and state-of-the-art resource for displaying Arabic-Islamic content in a modern and attractive manner, ensuring easy access to its Islamic resources for everyone.
The summit, the first of its kind in the Middle East and Africa, was held at Stadium 974 under the patronage of HE Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai, in the presence of Their Excellencies, the ministers and several senior government officials, representatives of leading international technology companies, and a select group of experts and specialists.
The summit marked the first anniversary of Google Cloud launching its
cloud region in Doha.
Google Cloud Regional Director, Ghassan Kosta, said that the summit also highlighted the remarkable growth and enormous potential in the digital field in Qatar, pointing to the commitment to fostering a prosperous integrated digital system that allows commercial activities, government agencies, and individuals to benefit from the potential of artificial intelligence to achieve real economic growth and offer opportunities for everyone.
Source: Qatar News Agency