Qatar's Rapid Rise as a Networked Nation Examined


e-Newsletter

GITR 08-09WEF & INSEAD's 2008-09 Report
Qatar is building a formidable standing in the integration of information and communications technology (ICT) into society, clearly marked by its inclusion among the top thirty networked nations in the world in the recently released Global IT Report 2008-2009.

The Report, which surveyed 134 countries, is released annually by the World Economic Forum and INSEAD, and serves as a global benchmark for the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on a nation's economic climate and its international competitiveness.

Qatar's new ranking as the 29th most networked economy in the world comes in the wake of a still vibrant economy, a liberalized telecommunications market that is warming up to competition and ongoing efforts to make ICT user friendly and accessible for all. Qatar rose three place from its 32nd ranking last year.

What are the reasons behind Qatar's steady ascent and what areas need improvement for continued success?

One of the biggest reasons this year's ride is the market environment component that takes into account the opening of Qatar's telecoms market to competition, an improvement of 14 places. William Fagan, Executive Director, Regulatory Authority, ictQATAR says, "International rankings effectively measure Qatar's progress against other countries. We may progress rapidly and still slip down the rankings if other countries witness faster growth. The pace of liberalization, therefore, needs to be maintained if we are to preserve and advance our position."

The other highly positive areas for Qatar are its increasing number of mobile subscribers, a tax-friendly regime, a forthcoming and responsive regulatory environment, improvements in math and science education, and a long-term government vision that supports ICT. Among the sub indices examined in the report, Qatar ranked ninth overall for its effectiveness and short time span required to start a new business and eighth in terms of the nation's regulatory environment for the ease in complying with administrative requirements issued by government.

In the infrastructure realm, Qatar's high mobile phone penetration rate, with more than 1.8 million mobile subscribers, is an important achievement, especially when the economic impact of mobile telephony is considered. Also, the report highlights the important transition from 'mobility' to 'ubiquity' where nations replicating global connectivity models with high-speed networks are emerging as the strongest contenders for successful knowledge-based economies. With broadband now available in more than 50 percent of households, Qatar is well positioned to take on the new challenges of 'anytime, anywhere' convenience so that customers can get the bandwidth size they need to participate in the knowledge society.

Government readiness and ICT usage is also a major strength for Qatar, with a world ranking of 15th overall when it comes to government's prioritization of ICT. Some of this ranking can be attributed to ictQATAR's integrated government (i-Gov) program, established and launched in 2006, as a nation-wide initiative that aims to integrate all government services provided by the various agencies into a cohesive system. Says Hassan Al-Sayed, Executive Director, GIMO, "We have been very proactive in using technology towards increasing government efficiencies. Qatar's ranking this year is a reflection of some of these initiatives, and we look forward to working more collaboratively with each other to make government function seamlessly so that the nation can benefit."

Some areas in need of improvement to sustain Qatar's rise in the rankings include the protection of intellectual property, accelerating the pace of innovation, and better deployment of engineers and scientists to develop our infrastructure. Qatar also needs to increase ICT adoption by businesses. There are areas like business training and extent of business internet use where Qatar lags behind other leading nations. "It is important to convey to business owners how ICT can reduce costs, help reach new customers, improve market knowledge and enhance customer service. By emphasizing ICT as an instrument of profitable growth, ictQATAR plans to reach more than 500 businesses in Qatar over the next year through a series of workshops and seminars," said Charles Watt, ictQATAR's Executive Director of Market Development & Knowledge Management.

With the government's clear recognition of the importance of ICT in achieving its national goals, Qatar is poised to continue a steady climb in the world rankings and become one of the more networked nations.

- By: Shalini Ravi





Add Comments