H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama said that the UAE leadership believes that adopting advanced technology and innovation is a top priority in the country’s vision to further enhance the scientific position that the UAE achieved, which accelerating ahead of the future to overcome challenges and explore futuristic approaches digitally to develop new economic sectors.

H.E. stated that when it comes to technology, we have to connect it with the most innovative tools to ensure safety, quality, and reliance, commending the success if the Industrial Innovation Group in building a large base with 263 centers for passports around the globe and 367 centers for licenses. In addition, the 400 intellectual property assets will consolidate the UAE to lead in security documents and technology solutions.

Mr. Taryam Matar Taryam, CEO of Industrial Innovation Group said that IIG is one of the largest companies in the world working in the field of systems integration that can create a specific product, as well as provide production lines with full control over the production process, as well as implementing integration into e-government systems. The Industrial Innovation Group is the first group in the Middle East and North Africa to establish real industrial production and implement system integration. It should be noted that the technology of the Industrial Innovation Group has no analogues in the world. IIG is the only company in the world in the field of production of identification documents and security printing that does not depend on and does not use third-party technologies in its activities. This is the key to continued success and sustainability of the activity of all projects, without which it is impossible to imagine the development of modern business.

The Group showcased the innovative solutions and its success in implementing them in the systems of the identification document personalization by laser engravings, and the production of electronic identification documents on polymeric and paper basis in single engineering and manufacturing chain.

The group displayed a fully equipped building developed to innovate 3D and holographic products, allowing demetallized utilization.

The group proved that with the creation of new e-passports, the government would upgrade the machine-readable travel documents to a globally interoperable biometric passport and ensure a high range of secure personalization techniques.

Esraa Esmail/ Rola AlGhoul

Saqr Binghalib, Executive Director of the Artificial Intelligence Office, said that adopting advanced technology is a top priority in the UAE Government aiming to build a sustainable economy based on knowledge and innovation. These programmes align with the National Programme for Coders goals, to empower the government and private sector with digital tools and enhance the talents' educational environment.

Binghalib added that the programme aimed to build the capacities of the elite specialists on design solutions to ensure cyber security in various blockchain fields and enhance the readiness of talents to manage technology challenges with the best techniques.

The programme started with a workshop presented by Khalid Al Naeemi, Project Manager in the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office, discussed the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, one of the various strategies leading to the UAE centennial 2071, and the UAE Digital Economy Strategy aiming to involve them with the UAE’s visions in the digital field and the journey of success to make the UAE a leading country in AI and technology.

Chanalysis presented a workshop titled; “Future of Banking”, aiming to introduce a brief about blockchain and NFT, the future of blockchain in banking, and ways to enhance its techniques in the work models and utilisation in creating banking solutions. The workshop provides ADCB’s employees AI and blockchain experience by this programme which supports their capabilities and creates investment opportunities to develop the banking sector.

The programme discussed the benefits of enhancing security with decentralised technology to process financial transactions and regulate virtual assets. Participants went on a tour of Dubai Future Labs and The Museum of the Future at the end of the programme.

Muhammad Aamir / Esraa Esmail

The event Hosted by India’s G20 Secretariat and Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology (OSET), and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

During the session, Saqr Binghalib, Executive Director at the Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office, said that the UAE government is keen in adopting advanced technology enhanced by a large digitalized database, reflecting the leadership’s vision towards the future in supporting societies and achieving public aspirations all while re-imagining public service delivery.

Binghalib stated that the UAE has achieved tremendous change in adopting complete digital transformation that leverages on the power of the internet, abilities, and opportunities in enabling the government to deliver state-of-the-art services using multiple platforms, primarily; smartphones, especially after the emerge of 4G and 5G networks.

Saqr Binghalib added that the UAE strategy for Artificial Intelligence, the first of its kind in the region, aiming to solidify the UAE’s position as a leading hub for AI technologies’ solutions to provide government services and identify development plans and ease it. He emphasized the importance of supporting decision makers and experts’ proactive digital skills in the government sector to innovate new digital solutions for pressing challenges related to the SDCs. He highlighted the results of a recent study in the field of climate change and earth conducted in the UAE, Ai program graduates from the Ministry of Health that focused on the usage of the big database in the UAE to create a credible source in programming the AI algorithm to prevent different diseases. This large ability of AI brings the priority to set Ai ethics and data privacy laws in terms of saving and transforming it across borders.

Binghalib further commended the proactive efforts of the G20 to develop various vital fields and discuss new global updates to align them with the development journey, empower societies with new opportunities and enhance sustainable growth globally to ensure a better future. The session touched upon key milestones achieved over the past few years, such as the proactive role of G20 countries in rejuvenating legacy datasets and systems using Big Data and AI to strengthen governance to further development agenda and facilitate better policy solutions.

It also examined the importance of applying Big Data and AI in governance and public service delivery, benefits of underlining the public good value of data and the enablers needed to deploy data for measuring and accelerating progress on the SDGs, approaches to enhance trust-building for data sharing, the private sector’s role in promoting efforts and collaborations for building capacity, and collaborations between G20 countries in the aspects of advanced data.

Held under the theme ‘Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People’, the 3-month course will provide the perfect platform for determined learners with a STEAM background (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) to build on their knowledge in machine learning (ML) and establish a strong understanding of the fundamentals of AI and its related applications.

Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, said, “The UAE government is keen on enabling youth, enhancing their abilities and building their capabilities on par with the nation’s ambitious strategy for Artificial Intelligence; the government’s sole drive is for Ai to hold a greater role in the UAE and for youth to carry their dreams into reality across the world of disruption.”

He added that launching the course in partnership with Samsung, one of the world's leading technology companies, will equip youth with sound AI knowledge enabling them to become leaders in their fields, he emphasised the importance of leading the change and supporting international companies to benefit a growing pool of young professionals nationwide.

Doohee Lee, President of Samsung Gulf Electronics, said, “Artificial intelligence is revolutionising the modern world and making people’s lives better. Before we see AI developments on a large scale, we should focus on empowering youth with tools and capabilities that may prove invaluable as they prepare to pursue the career paths of their choice. We are excited to partner with the UAE’s Office of AI for this year’s edition and look forward to witnessing up-and-coming generations broaden their horizons and explore their potential through Samsung Innovation Campus.”

Through the course’s specialised curriculum, participants will learn about the tools and applications that feature prominently in AI and machine learning-related workplaces. Following an introduction to AI and machine learning, successful applicants will benefit from interactions with an expert instructor, as well as live online sessions, to develop a clear understanding of technical processes. The course will be delivered through a blended learning, self-paced format, with participants given exercises for each module and access to content presentations and pre-recorded videos covering statistics, algorithms, and programming.

By the end of the course, students will be able to understand the statistical and mathematical foundation of machine learning, comprehend the utility of Python and the libraries used for machine learning algorithms, the application of these algorithms to real data sets, and learn to build projects while following the data science lifecycle. In order to achieve a certificate of completion, participants will also be expected to attend the course and complete the tasks and quizzes required to demonstrate their progress.

Interested participants can enrol at https://www.samsung.com/ae/innovation-campus before 2nd January 2023. Successful applicants will be informed no later than 1st week of January. Past completion of high school level STEM courses or higher education is an entry requirement, as is proficiency in linear algebra and the basics of programming, calculus, and the probability theory.

Muhammad Aamir / Esraa Esmail

The initiative launched on the occasion of UAE’s 51st National Day, represents a unique activation that showcases how Augmented Reality (AR) can be used to help make the UAE greener while increasing environmental awareness and engaging with the Snapchat community. The initiative is part of Snap’s global AR for Good efforts and the very first one to take place in the MENA region.

This National Day, Snapchatters will be able to plant a virtual Ghaf tree through the AR lens, and Snap has committed to support their efforts by planting up to 1,000 trees.

His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications stated that the UAE government, under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai invests in advanced technology and digitalization in vital sectors, to enhance society’s well-being and achieve positive impact in garnering futuristic opportunities.

H.E. said that the initiative, launched in partnership with Snap and coinciding with the National Day of the UAE, incorporates the UAE’s heritage and the use of technology to promote national principles. In addition, it educates generations and the society about the importance of the UAE’s heritage by utilizing Augmented Reality.

Commenting on the occasion, Hussein Freijeh, General Manager of Snap Inc. in MENA, said: “On behalf of everyone at Snap, I’d like to congratulate the UAE on its 51st National Day. In celebrating this milestone, we are proud of this great partnership with the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Application Office that demonstrates the role that platforms and digital technologies like Snapchat can play in addressing environmental challenges. Through such initiatives, we highlight how an immersive AR experience that advocates for the common good can go a long way in creating a lasting impression on a user’s mind. We also showcase how technology can play a role in creating more awareness locally while providing the community with the resources to become a part of the solution.”

The Ghaf tree has great historical and environmental significance and is deeply rooted in the cultural ethos of the UAE. Through the power of AR technology, Snap is celebrating the country’s rich history and heritage while reinforcing its commitment to supporting UAE’s environmental agenda. According to a recent study by Snap and Ipsos, 79% of consumers in the UAE are interested in using AR to learn more and better understand the world around them.

To participate in the initiative, the UAE community is encouraged to try out Snapchat’s UAE National Day AR activation, by first, opening the Snapchat app; scanning the Snapcode to access the Ghaf Tree lens; taking the pledge to preserve the National Tree of the UAE; flipping the camera to rear view to try out the AR activation; and using soil, seeds, and water step-by-step to nurture the Ghaf. Once done, a Ghaf tree starts growing in the user’s space. The tree grows to a larger-than-life-size and the user is commended on being part of the initiative.

Zeba Mahmud

launching effective international cooperation, aiming to enhance sustainable growth in the digital economy building a better future for societies.

This came during a meeting of Omar Sultan Al Olama with Arun Venkataraman, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service; Sean Murphy, Chargé d’Affaires at the United States Embassy in Abu Dhabi; and Meghan Gregonis, United States Consul General in Dubai to sign a joint statement about data transmission across borders and discuss the importance of data’s collection, and transmission across borders.

Al Olama said that the collaboration with the USA reflects the UAE’s global message on the importance of promoting partnerships and joint initiatives between the governments, solidifying international stability and prosperity, support the development endeavours, and economic cooperation.

He further added that the meeting reaffirmed the importance of building digital foundations based on data, knowledge, and innovation; enhancing the ability to collect data and facilitate its transmission across borders to ensure the development of the digital economy, sharing state-of-the-art solutions to pressing challenges, and developing digital systems to achieve rapid growth and prosperity in trade and the digital economy.

Arun Venkataraman said, “Today's announcement signals both our countries' commitment to ensuring robust data privacy protections which are crucial to innovation and development of the digital economy and the future of U.S.-UAE trade.”

“We know that secure and private cross-border data transfers are essential components of competitive markets, and so we thank Minister Al Olama, and the UAE government, for collaborating with the U.S. Department of Commerce in this effort,” he added.

“It is great to see the release of this joint statement after several years of close collaboration with our colleagues in the United Arab Emirates, which began in earnest after a policy mission led by I&A Deputy Assistant Secretary for Services to the UAE in January 2020," said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry & Analysis (I&A) Grant Harris.

“Businesses and communities alike across the United States and UAE have benefited from our close work together through workshops, exchanges, dialogues and sharing information on critical digital economy issues like facilitating cross-border data flows. We look forward to continuing this work and our discussions about the opportunities presented by the creation of the new Global Cross Border Privacy Rules System,” he added.

The meeting discussed the advantages in digitisation and expected benefits of accelerating digital transformation on modernising global economy and increasing the use of technology to supply services.

The meeting touched upon the importance of empowering the workforce and consumers, enhancing risk management capabilities, and increasing innovation and economic growth - recognising the economic and social benefits of promoting interoperable mechanisms that facilitate cross-border data transfers across economies with different regulatory regimes.

The meeting also discussed the expected challenges of these developments and the various ways to transform data between countries. Correspondingly, mechanisms to ensure continued information sharing, international mechanisms that facilitate the transfer of personal data, and the best practices to enhance interoperability between the two countries.

Lina Ibrahim/ Hazem Hussein

This came as the “UAE Codes” Day concluded its events, which took place in multiple areas across the UAE that took place between 29th and 31st October to distribute coding knowledge, build an innovative network of coders, and highlight its role in easing life.

Omar Al Olama stated that the UAE has solidified its status as the global hub to attract experts, talents and great minds in the coding field, through activating effective cooperation between government and private sectors promoting new opportunities to accelerate digital development.

He pointed out that the “UAE Codes” Day witnessed a vast participation from across the country, mainly in the “Everyone Can Code” Campaign, that attracted more 100,000 participations days after its launching, adding “society participation reflects people’s willingness to learn coding and master future languages, which ultimately enhances digitisation and UAE's leading position in empowering coders.”

Al Olama further said, “This number is a positive indicator to reach the highest number of coders per capita in the world.”

The “UAE Codes” Day witnessed various events, organised in partnership with numerous government entities, primarily; Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), Sharjah E-government, General Secretariat of the Executive Council, UAE Football Association, Public Prosecution Dubai, Securities and Commodities Authority, and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

Government entities also included; Dubai Municipality, Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU), Museum of The Future, the Emirates Schools Establishment, RTA, Dubai Police, Emirates Global Aluminium, University of Sharjah, the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, Zayed University, Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park, Rubu’ Qarn institution, Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation, General Women's Union, Maqta Gateway HQ, The Supreme Council for Motherhood & Childhood, Teachers Association, and Emirates Down Syndrome Association.

From the private sector, various companies and institutions organised knowledge events, including; Microsoft, Google, Toda, Oli Oli, VMWARE, Fun Robotics, “Ferjan Dubai”, Dubai Design District of Tecom Group, Majid Al Futtaim group, Etisalat, Du, and entrepreneurs had participated in the successes of “UAE CODES” through initiatives, campaigns, hackathon and workshops.

As part of the “UAE Codes” Day, Coding Ambassadors were announced, as part of The National Programme for Coders initiatives, aiming to enhance community participation in the “Everyone can code” campaign, integrate coders them with society, create a positive network, and design innovate solutions through it.

The “UAE CODES” Day, marked by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, focused on enhancing the coding community and providing an effective platform for coders to exchange experiences, knowledge, and coding skills to create a digital economy based on innovation and modern technology and build their coding capabilities and AI technology. .

Lina Ibrahim/ Hazem Hussein

The Hackathons that started on 29th October as part of the “UAE Codes” day, aims to encourage students to innovate new coding solutions, deep thinking to enhance their skills in finding technical solutions and motivate them to learn coding and highlighting the role of coding in the development.

Building capacities and skills of students in digitisation and coding

Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology and the Chairwomen of the Emirates Schools Establishment, stated that the ESE is keen on enhancing students’ coding skills, through launching various initiatives and educational events which focuses on futuristic technologies, adding that the UAE Government focuses on building the capacities of students and enhances their skills in digitisation and coding.

She said that the Emirates Schools Establishment over the past few years, has participated in countless initiatives and programs that builds the students’ capabilities in technological fields, regarding it one of the best concepts and methodologies in creating the future.

Empowering generations with future skills

Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, emphasised that empowering the next generation with the basics of future language and skills is a main pillar in designing the digital future in the country, adding that providing students with the best opportunities, eco-systems, and skill sets will reflect highly on developing more initiates in the digital field as well as further the growth of the economy, increasing the UAE’s competitiveness globally.

Al Olama said, “Launching the schools Hackathons enhances the competitiveness between different entities in solidifying coding concepts, and promoting digital knowledge, which reflects the willingness of new generations to learn and contribute effectively in developing the coding field and specialise in the future languages."

The “UAE Codes” day was marked last year, by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, 29th October to be a national day celebrating coding languages and experts, aiming to enhance talented coders develop their coding journey and enhance their readiness to innovate in the future.

Amjad Saleh/ Lina Ibrahim

The assessment was part of the "National Digital Talent Programme” launched in partnership with the Minister of State for Artificial intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office, aiming to build and grow local digital talent by providing the necessary resources and equipping young UAE nationals with critical skills and practical knowledge needed to flourish in the field of digital and information technologies including Artificial Intelligence, ultimately contributing to priority sectors of the national digital economy.

The Programme aims to catalyse talents and skills of youth, through nurturing a pool of UAE interns over the course of the next four years as part of ongoing efforts to support UAE government’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, which aims at developing a world-class national workforce proficient in AI and related technologies.

Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, stressed that the UAE government under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, invests in talents and young coders, builds their capacities, and provides them with the necessary skills and practical knowledge; empowering them to participate in developing the AI sector, coding, as well as the vital areas for the national digital economy.

Providing opportunities for talents as well as coders, building their digital capacities, and aiding them in gaining the practical knowledge while working with experts, specialists, and global technology pioneers, enables coders specialised in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, will enhance the efforts in innovating the best solutions and build a better future, he added.

Abdulla Qassem, Group Chief Operating Officer, Emirates NBD, said, “Reiterating our commitment to our recently launched National Digital Talent Programme, it has been our pleasure to work closely with the Minister of State for Artificial intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office to nurture ambitions of young coders. As a leading local bank, we understand the significance of empowering local digital talent and continue to invest in building the national digital economy. Emirates NBD has always been committed to driving first-to-market banking innovation in the region, and we look forward to working with the best and brightest minds to help us support the bank’s digital ambition.”

The assessment took place from at the Coders HQ aiming to build an innovative network between coders and the private sector, providing them an opportunity to gain practical experience, and raising the number of coders in the UAE.

Lina Ibrahim/ Amjad Saleh

He explained that such efforts embody the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in building coders’ capabilities, developing their skills, as well as encouraging them to share their digital knowledge in building the best digital economy in the future.

This came, as part of the "UAE Codes" day events and celebrations, taking place on 29th October and the announcement of the National Programme for coders selection of 56 Coding Ambassadors, targeting government and private sector leaders, employees, and university and schools’ students to share digital knowledge with the coding community.

Providing ambassadors with the right opportunities and tools will integrate ambassadors within the coding community, create smart solutions and enhance future skills in the digital sector.

Al Olama further added that the “Coding Ambassadors” initiative would support the other initiatives of the National Programme for Coders in general and support coders, in particular, to enhance their skills and qualify them to occupy a leading role in the fields of artificial intelligence and coding. The initiative also attracts digital talents, creates a global platform for the digital economy, and builds cooperation to develop projects by the youth’s innovative minds.

The National Programme for Coders selected 23 Emiratis out of the 56 Coding Ambassadors, from across the country, including; Lateefa Al Hammadi, Hamed AlHashmi, Bashayer Alsalami, Amna Al Hammadi, Faris AlKaabi, Hazaa Daiban from Abu Dhabi, Dr. Essa Basaeed, Mariam Al Naqbi, Muhammad AlBlooshi, Fatima Al Falahi, Maryam Al Qassim and Sarah Al Bastaki from Dubai, Fahd Al Jneibi, Hajar Al Naqbi, Ali Abu Zanjal, Muhammad Eid, Reem Jassem from Sharjah, and Dr. Ahmed Al Ali and Shaher Tayfor from Umm Al Quwain, And Maryam Al Mansoori from Ras Al Khaimah, and Moza Quraini, Shaima Al Antali, and Maryam Al Amiri from Fujairah, with the aim of ensuring the distribution of coding concepts to the entire community and increase the number of the coding community.

Through the programme, coding ambassadors will coordinate monthly meetings, hold in-person, physical and virtual meetings as well as organising workshops for the ambassadors and the coding community, reaching a larger number of the community to share coding concepts in all vital sectors in the country, and organising special coding sessions for talents that are interested in the field of coding in focusing on refining their skills and enhancing their programming experience and developing their speaking skills as an important part for the coder to be an ambassador.

The National Programme for Coders identified 3 different tier programmes for Coding Ambassadors after applying, evaluating, interviewing many applicants, and passing the last stage of submitting a short case study related to coding; Silver Tier which has 16 ambassadors consisting of students and fresh graduates with skills in coding; Gold Tier that includes 33 ambassadors who are advanced in the digital field; and Platinum Tier including 7 ambassadors that are experts in coding, leaders and employees in government and private institutions.

The ambassadors will work in different teams to enhance competitiveness through a points system that will be awarded to the most effective team according to the type of initiatives submitted, such as holding meetings, workshops, and hackathons to enhance positive outcomes and compete in presenting the best programming skills to the community and sharing coding experiences to all social categories.

Coding ambassadors will further support the National Programme for Coders’ initiatives by meeting experts and inspiring the coding passion through the Coders HQ’s “Get inspired”, conduct meetings at the HQ “Meetups” sharing the successful stories, and organise educational workshops in the HQ “Learn” spreading new digital methods.

The Coding Ambassadors initiatives was announced on “Update” platform launched by the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office to increase the number of coders in the UAE and empower the coder’s community.

Amjad Saleh/ Hazem Hussein

“Sibaq Lahja” programme aims to invest in young talents, including university students, utilise their abilities in the field of coding, and involve them in creating features that include the Arabic language in AI and coding applications. Giving them the opportunity to unleash positive changes through developing artificial intelligence solutions for data processing in Arabic and supporting coding globally.

CodersHQ celebrated the winning team in “Sibaq Lahja”; Mohamed Alyafae, Fwaghi Al Hashimi, Noor Rabea, Mohammed Tamim, and Ahmed Saad, who achieved 95 percent in implementing their knowledge from the programme into developing coding process and inter the Arabic language in AI systems accurately and easily to be used by the public.

Saqr bin Ghalib, Executive Director of the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office, stressed the importance of collaborations between government and private sector entities through supporting distinguished talented coders and allowing the opportunity to develop their skills in artificial intelligence, technological applications, and machine learning.

Bin Ghaleb said that GITEX global represents a unique opportunity enabling students from across the UAE to identify technical outcomes and celebrate technological developments that were achieved in government and private sector. He added, “Sibaq Lahja is reflecting the great impact of effective partnerships in showcasing coders' works and their innovative solutions for the AI application aiming to enhance digitalisation in the UAE and activate the AI application.”

Abdelilah Nejjari, Managing Director, Gulf Region at Cisco, commented, "As part of Cisco's Country Digital Acceleration programme, we have been working closely with the UAE Coders HQ on Sibaq Lahja, driving talent development and inclusion in the field of Natural Language Processing. The talented coders have shown that when equipped with the right ecosystem and resources, the nation's youth can help to unlock new possibilities and a bright future for the fields of AI and coding."

He added, “Enriching digital skills is one of key cornerstones of Cisco's Country Digital Acceleration programme. And we are very proud to have recently expanded the programme by signing a collaboration framework with the Office of the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications - supporting the national agenda for digitisation, economic growth, and talent development.”

The “Sibaq Lahja” programme, which lasted for two months, focused on getting participants into various training courses and workshops to enhance their talents and build capabilities in various fields, namely; AI, machine learning, deep learning, and coding languages, including Python. It also focused on developing their talents by explaining digital trends and current challenges, teaching them the foundations and concepts of machine learning to adopt the Arabic language in AI and coding programmes.

In the second phase, the participants were able to identify automated challenges and find innovative solutions to ensure improvements in implementing advanced technological mechanisms and digital tools.

The Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office launched the “Sibaq Lahja” programme on “Update” platform, through which 210 innovative initiatives were launched within CodersHQ, among several qualitative initiatives organised by CodersHQ to increase the number of coders in the country, and improve the digital systems in the UAE.

Amjad Saleh/ Lina Ibrahim

Expand North Star was jointly announced by Omar Sultan Al Olama and Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, and Dubai World Trade Centre Authority, alongside its current strategic partner Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy. It will be a key platform to attract companies, while showcasing Dubai and the UAE’s competitive advantages and growth opportunities in a thriving digital economy.

Al Olama stated that the UAE and Dubai have long consolidated its status as the international hub to set-up and attract unicorn and leading digital companies from across the globe, creating the best ecosystem for entrepreneurs to flourish and expand their impact on the world of AI and digital economy. He said, “the event will offer an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs, innovators, and digital business leaders to connect with potential venture capital investors from around the world, while international unicorn founders can share their inspiring success stories.”

He added that “Expand North Star will act as a strategic catalyst to expand the future of digital economy, reflecting what Gitex is to the global technology industry. This is the leading event of its kind, bringing together the region’s leading digital business and entrepreneurial ecosystems to connect, collaborate and foster business partnerships that drive international growth.”

Helal Saeed Al Marri said, “As the new name implies, Expand North Star will ramp up the startup entrepreneurship momentum, transcending geographic industries and intellectual boundaries as it looks to connect government partners, investors, and corporate accelerators with innovators and tech stars from every continent. It shall present a new creative format to extend its engagements with venture capitalists, unicorns, scale-ups, startups, and key stakeholders in the tech ecosystem.”

The new concept arrives as the UAE enters a new phase of economic development catalysed by new digital generational technologies and innovation. The digital economy is expected to be a major driver of the UAE’s sustainable economic growth, contributing nearly 20 per cent to the country’s GDP over the next ten years. New policies and initiatives are being put in place, promoting IoT, AI, blockchain, metaverse, or Web 3.0.

Expand North Star will present more space and flexibility to engage and develop the international community with an even more creative and impactful programme. The event will be co-located with the inaugural Gitex Impact and Future Urbanism Summit & Expo.

ZUBINA AHMED

The workshop discussed best practices in design effective mechanisms of performance monitoring when applied to a significant number of employees, and best practices innovate a flexible plan to evaluate remote work in the administrational and non-operational occupations.

Directors, managers, and human resources employees from government entities and global companies including; Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, Majid Al Futtaim Group, Microsoft, Zoom, Dell, Deel, Talabat, and Amazon attended the workshop; enabling them to identify challenges with leading platforms in technology, inspire to design remote work solutions and support the continuance of the work systems.

Saqr Bin Ghalib, Executive Director of the Minter of State for Artificial intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office, stated that remote work concepts is a new future approach that requires cooperation and involving government entities as well as private sectors globally, to collaborate and design proactive solutions tackling challenges arising in remote work applications when deployed on the entity and employee stages to achieve flexibility in work systems and keeping up with competitiveness and productivity.

He added that Remote work is the leading supporter of accomplishing digital transformation in government systems and private sectors in a secure digital environment. The workshop is an effective tool in developing a flexible system that adopts advanced work performance and ensures employees’ well-being.

Bin Ghalib pointed out that these discussions that allow entities and global companies to share their experience, ideas, and challenges enable a positive change in remote work systems and build a leading national model that enhances readiness for future approaches.

Zayed Al Qahtani, Director of the Performance Appraisal & Follow Up Department at the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, stressed the importance of this workshop and providing an opportunity to get to know the best practices which are implemented in the private sector regarding performance appraisals for the employees who have been working remotely and exchanging the best experiences in this regard.

He pointed out that the deliverables of this workshop have been highly important to proposing innovative ideas and new practices regarding the smart applications of remote work as they play an important role in the ensuring high-quality services for the customers and being fully prepared to face any emergency that may occur in the future. Furthermore, he highlighted that this is an important experience particularly with regards to introducing the best practice in the field of smart applications to measure productivity and the performance of employees working remotely.

He expressed his appreciation for the Office of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications for their efforts in organising this workshop. He pointed out that there will be further extensive collaboration between the public and private sectors on the one hand, and the most prominent technology companies at the international level to exchange visions, ideas, and discuss the latest developments in the field of remote work applications and measurement of productivity.

The workshop mainly discussed challenges in implementing remote work applications in government entities and private sectors across the UAE. It also allows global companies to share their points of view tech-wise to create innovative solutions, the way to ensure remote work efficiency, success stories’ dialogues, and best practices implemented around the world.

WAM/Esraa Ismail

The programme aims to prepare the government and private entities' employees for future skills, empower them in Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques to enhance their digital skills, and implement that knowledge in the entities' work models by supporting them with the right tools and knowledge gained through interacting with experts.

The programme also focuses on understating the effects of adopting AI in vital fields, enhancing decision makers' capabilities to analyze information about AI systems and supporting strategic planning by analysing security and ethical challenges resulting from the adoption of artificial intelligence.

Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, affirmed that the futuristic vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, as well as the UAE’s proactive leadership, drives the UAE government to design the better future for society.

The UAE government is working towards reaching a complete digital transformation, through accelerating steps, implementing goals, and moving towards the future, he said.

"The three previous cohorts have proved that the future is AI, the language is coding, and the government is digital. The UAE government is constantly designing initiatives and programmes in line with the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 to build the capabilities of Emirati experts and develop their skills in various areas. The government seeks to empower talents with the tools necessary to create solutions for future challenges in digital fields," he added.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), said, "We are working under the vision and directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who believe that UAE talents and youth build nations and play a crucial role in continuing comprehensive flourish that the government has witnessed for decades. Stemming from our belief that the future and its challenges require radical transformation and shifts that keep pace with the developments around us, DEWA started the journey in artificial intelligence in 2017. It is one of the first government entities in the Dubai government to adopt self-assessment tools to ensure the ethical use of basic artificial intelligence applications. Through facing challenges, achieving progress, creating future in societies, and providing them with the tools necessary to anticipate challenges and preserve achievements to reach the first positions in multiple fields."

Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer, said, "Emirates is pleased to have a number of its employees participate in the Artificial Intelligence programme, which allowed them to develop their technological skills. We would like to thank the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office and the University of Oxford’s Kellogg College for this unique initiative."

For his part, Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO, e&, said, "I would like to congratulate all graduates for completing the Artificial Intelligence Programmeme, contributing to the country’s digital future in transformative ways and bringing about a lasting impact. Through the Artificial Intelligence Programme, these graduates have been equipped with the skills and capabilities they need in harnessing the power of emerging AI technologies for the betterment of lives. They are the gateway to the future filled with immense possibilities as they ideate and design progressive solutions to tackle AI-related challenges."

The programme was held under the supervision of a group of international experts and specialists, including Dr. Nigel Mehdi, Fellow of Kellogg College; Dr. Robert Collins, Visiting Fellow of Kellogg College; Eur Ing David Toman, Doctoral Researcher Linacre College; Marcus Du Sautoy ,Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and Professor of Mathematics, Fellow of New College; and Philip N Howard, Professor of Internet Studies Fellow of Balliol College.

The innovative capstone projects resulted from weeks of learning, training, and practicing through the Artificial Intelligence Programme, which focused on two main tracks: the technical track and the entrepreneurship track. Each track had lectures and interactive physical and virtual workshops to provide experts with artificial intelligence methods it utilizes to facilitate communities' lives. Also, some lectures improve work models, which contributes to the innovation of new practices and enhances the UAE's global position in various fields of modern technology.

In interviews with members of the fourth cohort of the Artificial Intelligence Programme, Khawla Sultan Lootah, Director of Information Technology at the Ruler's Court in Dubai, said that this programme played a significant role in expanding the knowledge of how to use artificial intelligence in designing solutions and models with technical, and administrative aspects in organised and easy-to-understand methods. That comes with a great impact on each entity's work and facilitates the life of the community in receiving services.

Asma Al Bannay, a senior technical engineer at Emirates, one of the programme participants, said, "The programme provided new perspectives and introduced us to the strengths and weaknesses in the entities' work models. This knowledge allows us to efficiently develop projects to solve challenges with the right tools and equipment to implement them and achieve the highest positive impact.

The top capstone, designed by experts in AI programmes, was the project of Emirates Global Aluminum (EGA) which is a system of predictive maintenance of chemical engineering process that determines whether the Kneader machine will fail over the days using Ai techniques. The second top capstone focused on creating an ai system that can be used by all entities that automatically identifies vulnerabilities to improve workflow processes and ensure security in digital utilization.

The Artificial Intelligence Programme has trained more than 360 experts over the past three cohorts from over 100 government and private entities.

WAM/MOHD AAMIR/Esraa Ismail

Organised in partnership with several local entities and international companies specialised in AI and programming, the workshops covered 77 different topics targeting all community segments, including children, school and university students, developers, and programming experts in the field of AI. Topics focused on enhancing their future capabilities, sharing their practical and academic knowledge with international experts in technology and AI fields, and organising proactive workshops that enable them to foresee the features of the digital future.

Commenting on this success, Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Teleworking Applications, stated that providing an environment that invests in future makers and empowering AI experts ensures the digital future, while sharing the knowledge with leading entities and companies contributes to creating the best digital practices in the UAE and implementing AI in vital sectors.

Al Olama said that the number of participants in the UAE AI Camp reflects that people are now aware of the importance of utilising AI and their willingness to learn, execute and flourish in the digital world. "On the other hand, we have an ambitious government that seeks to enable these talents and ensure their growth in the Metaverse, Artificial Intelligence, and programming. That will come through comprehensive programmes, camps, and initiatives to spread the concept of AI and future talents and ensure a strong digital infrastructure in the UAE and its sustainability."

In this occasion, Mohammed Amin, Sr. Vice President – META, Dell Technologies, said, "We live in a digital world and programming has become a part of everything around us, which imposes major changes on future jobs. Today, coding is an essential skill that school students and youngsters must master to be able to contribute to creating a technology-led future. The Artificial Intelligence for Young People initiative has been a huge success as we enrolled 1,000 students, from 40+ nationalities, aged 9-17, who learnt the basics of AI and coding. We also held 200 coding classes, that focused on teaching the students how to code using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning tools to keep pace with scientific developments in all areas of programming. Our goal at Dell Technologies is to harness the power of technology to drive human progress, so programmes such as this are in line with our vision to use technology to transform lives. We’re honored to have collaborated with the UAE's Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Teleworking Applications Office to support this programme as it played a key role towards building an ecosystem of future coders who can be part of tomorrow’s digital workforce."

Bashar Kilani, Managing Director at Accenture Middle East, said that Accenture’s participation in the UAE AI Camp aims to cultivate talent through education and training supporting the accelerated transformation to the digital economy. The focus was on skills that prepare the youth to handle advanced technology infrastructure and build capabilities to create and capture economic value.

UAE AI Camp came this year with many opportunities to teach about AI solutions, implementing knowledge in innovating solutions for future challenges, provide in-depth knowledge about Metaverse, and ways to develop technology and imagine the best future.

Local companies and international companies such as Microsoft, Accenture, Huawei, Careem, Dell, Zoom, Le Wagon, Toda, Jeel Code, IBM, Nobel Brog, MContent, Data Tech Labs, Dubai Municipality, Dubai future labs and Oli Oli participated in the organisation of the workshops and activities in the UAE AI Camp.

Workshops were held in Coders HQ and Theatre of Digital Art and adopted an innovative approach to presenting the topic of AI and programming in an educational way, practical way and even a fun way, such as MicroPets, which was for the children to make a pet using AI and technological techniques to identify different inputs (such as light, movement and sound)and respond through different outputs ( Such as showing other facial expressions, making a sound or moving). Other workshops enhanced utilise of VR headsets to simplify the idea of Metaverse for participants and introduce them to Blockchain technologies and its benefits in real life.

Furthermore, some of the workshops were designed for the parents to introduce them to cybersecurity basics and how to ensure safety in the digital life to protect their children from digital challenges and enhance AI utilisation by all society members.

Several workshops focused on how to enter the audio library world, record the podcast step by step, and how to create electronic video games to focus on AI, future skills, and creativity in programming.

WAM/Amjad Saleh

The second edition of the Summer Coding Programme in the UAE has successfully concluded with an awarding ceremony for the best coding talents.

The virtual initiative was launched to showcase coding as an attractive career choice. The seven-day summer programme included virtual lessons and two days of practical workshop for the top 30 students. A total of 15-hour lessons were covered with three one-hour-long sessions daily between 10 am to 2 pm.

The assessment on the fifth day determined the top 30 students, who then visited the Coders HQ for a meet and greet with coders followed by a tour of the Dubai Future Labs on the sixth day.

This was followed by an award ceremony where Saqr Binghalib, Executive Director at the Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office, and Geoffrey Alphonso presented the students with their certificates of program completion.

The virtual boot camp, that ran from July 25 to August 2, aimed at nurturing innovation and fostering technical skills of youth, comes in line with the UAE vision of motivating students in the field of coding, which has proven to be one of the most important skills in today’s market and also a major contributor to drive national digital economy.

Commenting on the successful completion of the summer programme, Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of state for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications reaffirmed that UAE’s digital future depends on nurturing and building the capabilities of future generations. The UAE is keen in building the capabilities of talented groups of trainers and global experts as it seeks to develop the efficiency of local talent.

In his speech at the closing ceremony, Al Olama further added that the UAE is committed to enhance and promote positive partnerships with the private sector, which contributes to supporting talents in the field of programming and supporting international companies in education, development, and research centres.

Geoffrey Alphonso, CEO of Alef Education emphasized the importance of government-private partnerships, especially with Coders HQ, adding “We intend to make a significant shift in the way children think and drive them towards a more logical and analytical thought process. We aim to prepare the students to adapt and change with the dynamic technological space and inculcate in them the vital skill sets required for success.”

This comes as part of ongoing efforts to support UAE government’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, which aims at developing a world-class national workforce proficient in AI and related technologies.

With the aim to nurture a pool of UAE interns over the course of the next four years, the banking group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Teleworking Applications Office, as well as the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) and University of Sharjah (UoS).

The joint initiative will contribute to building and growing local digital talent by providing the necessary resources and equipping young UAE nationals with critical skills and practical knowledge needed to flourish in the field of digital and information technologies including Artificial Intelligence, ultimately contributing to priority sectors of the national digital economy.

A high percentage of the UAE student population is pursuing core STEM areas including Information Communication Technology (ICT), Engineering, and Natural Sciences. This presents a good opportunity to upskill STEM graduates by applying the skills they have learned, into real-life work experiences with experts in the industry, providing a stronger pool of UAE talent able to build the next era of technology solutions primarily, Artificial Intelligence.

Emirates NBD, through its new talent programme, aims to nurture and develop young Emiratis, making them future-ready to support the digital economy, while bridging academia and industry.

Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Teleworking Applications, affirmed the UAE’s keenness to prepare future generations, building their capabilities, and equipping them with advanced knowledge, enabling them to contribute un the UAE Government mission in building an innovative future, enhancing its global status, noting that ensuring qualified digital talent is a responsibility that falls on all sectors in the UAE, which will support national efforts in building a strong digital economy.

He added that UAE government is committed to supporting programmes and initiatives that develop national talent akin to the industry level. Emirates NBD sets a great example of developing local skills to the industry standard and leading positive efforts in the banking sector to develop talented nationals by enabling them to learn, train and enhance their readiness to work in various industries and raise the level of our digital economy.

Al Olama further said that providing the necessary resources and equipping young nationals’ digital talents with the critical skills and practical knowledge is a key priority to flourish in the field of digital and information technologies, especially; Artificial Intelligence, ultimately contributing to priority sectors of the national digital economy.

Commenting on the launch, Abdulla Qassem, Group Chief Operating Officer, Emirates NBD, said, "We are extremely pleased to support the UAE’s mission to become one of the world leaders in Artificial Intelligence by 2031. As a bank that has always championed innovation and is a leader in digital banking, we are committed to catalysing the digital capabilities of our future workforce and will continue to invest in building the national digital economy."

Through its partnership with Higher Colleges of Technology and UoS, Emirates NBD will offer internship opportunities for UAE national students to shape their future and create a stronger talent pipeline to support the bank’s Digital and Information Technology departments.

The paid internships will provide undergraduate students an exposure to the latest technologies and innovations in the financial services industry and directly learn from its digital transformation leaders in Artificial Intelligence, Cloud, Open Banking, Robotics, Platforms, FinTech and Security. They would also have an opportunity to gain valuable experience in solving financial technology challenges as capstone projects, which they would showcase at internal and external platforms such as Coders HQ, part of the National Programme for Coders initiatives.

Emirates NBD will also support the Coders HQ’s mission to create the highest number of coders per capita and attract global talent to set up their base in the UAE. For this mission, the bank will provide more than 20 real-world business challenges through structured events including coding hackathons, design and test hacks, and deliver at least 40 curated learning interventions through their best-in-class Digital and Information Technology leaders.

WAM/Khoder Nashar/Lina ibrahim

This came during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by Al Olama and Bas Lemmens, General Manager for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at Chainalysis. The MoU is building cooperation to provide a virtual training programme for government institutions employees in the areas of Blockchain and virtual assets, as well as to develop their capabilities and skills in this future field, leverage global experiences and share success stories.

Al Olama stated that strengthening partnerships with pioneering companies and empowering government entities with the latest tools and advance technologies play a pivotal role in enhancing the readiness of the UAE government, through exchanging experiences and global success stories. Blockchain technology is key to creating innovative solutions for future challenges, which contributes to developing government work and new technologies that enhance the UAE’s leading position globally, he added.

Al Olama further said that the MoU aims to enhance the utilisation of Blockchain technologies in building a smart future for the UAE and achieving the leadership's vision, adding that the UAE government has already developed an advanced digital infrastructure, which will serve as a stepping stone in accelerating digital transformation and enhancing the UAE’s competitiveness globally.

Michael Gronager, CEO and Co-Founder, said, "We are honoured to be selected by the UAE to play a supporting role in upskilling government entities through knowledge in Blockchain that have the potential to serve as one of the essential digital tools in promoting a robust digital economy."

He added, "Where others wait by the sidelines, the UAE has taken commendable steps towards establishing itself as a global blockchain and crypto hub. Chainalysis has developed unrivalled expertise in the field through our deep and ongoing engagements with governments and institutions across over 70 countries to deliver innovation at an accelerated pace."

Bas Lemmens, EMEA General Manager, said, "We are very proud to partner with the UAE government in supporting its initiatives in adopting blockchain, analysis tools and training through the ‘UAE Chainalysis Centre of Excellence’ to implement new technologies that will help drive new business opportunities. We want to build trust in blockchains and drive the adoption of digital assets."

Under the MoU, Chainalysis will provide a virtual training programme in the blockchain field for government entities' employees. Participants will learn about Blockchain and virtual assets, economic opportunities and risks in the blockchain sector, virtual assets in the UAE and the Middle East and challenges, the regulatory and political perspective of virtual assets, as well as other topics in detail in the field of Blockchain.

The MoU signed is set to achieve the National Programme for Coders’ objectives, representing an exceptional opportunity for cadres in the government sector to train on Blockchain systems through cooperation with CodersHQ and various platforms to provide an integrated training programme to enhance the benefit and ensure the development of positive work systems in the institutions of the programme participants.

WAM/Amjad Saleh/Lina ibrahim

The Office of the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, will organise the AI Camp 4.0 in partnership the National Programme of Artificial Intelligence, and in cooperation with national entities and major international companies specialised in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and programming areas.

Al Olama stated that the UAE AI Summer Camp, in its fourth year, builds on the success story of its previous versions held over the past few years, and supports efforts in consolidating the idea of adopting artificial intelligence in all aspects in the community.

He added that enhancing future skills at a young age is essential to utilise AI applications for future generations. These skills will encourage youth to increase their creativity to build an advanced digital infrastructure in the UAE and develop plans to ensure sustainability in digital development. AI Summer Camp 4.0 provides an opportunity to design innovative solutions and learn about future thinking mechanisms, and will enhance the UAE’s efforts in preparing a well-educated generation capable of leading the future of these vital sectors.

This year’s version will hold interactive workshops, with leading international companies and government entities specialised in advanced technology, will provide participants with essential future skills related to artificial intelligence and Metaverse programming, one of the top languages of tomorrow.

Companies participating include Microsoft, Huawei, Careem, Dell, Zoom, Accenture, Le Wagon, Jeel Code, IBM, TODA, NobleProg, M-Content, the Data Tech Labs, as well as Dubai Municipality, Dubai Future Labs and OliOli.

AI Summer Camp 4.0 will empower school and university students of all ages with AI skills required in order for them to participate fully in building better future. It encourages them to take comprehensive benefits from experiences and knowledge, gained through virtual workshops and interactive sessions, to develop innovative solutions. Registrations for the workshops may be easily accessed on the camp website.

The activities of the AI Summer Camp 4.0 focus on various topics to provide students with the highest artificial intelligence skills, future skills, advanced technology and programming sciences.

The camp takes three main tracks; the first focuses on children between 6 to 12 years to enhance their future skills and refine their academic knowledge in training workshops. The second track is designed for those interested in digital skills, regardless of their educational and practical background. The advanced track provides programming sciences, auditing, and other advanced topics specialised in artificial intelligence.

Workshops will focus on various technological areas, including Metaverse and the future, sustainability in using blockchain technologies and its applications in real life, analysis of AI and the business revolution, AI innovation in digital cities, and cybersecurity for children, youth and website developers. AI Summer Camp 4.0 will also offer interactive workshops to create video games.

The previous three years of the UAE AI summer camp saw broad participation from youth and school students, with more than 15,000 students from different academic levels participating in workshops to share and communicate best practice in advanced technology and AI.

WAM/Khoder Nashar/MOHD AAMIR

Sibaq Lahja is an opportunity to create new systematic developments in AI based programmes with the new concept of Arabic Natural Language Processing (NLP), and develop candidate's skills in the AI field to increase the use of Arabic NLP in data systems. Sibaq Lahja will also focus on improving candidate’s skills in Python language, train them on deep machine learning and the basics of NLP.

The Registration applications will continue to receive the candidate’s applications until 14th June.

Sibaq Lahja has been divided into four stages, the first stage is to receive applications through the website, then interviewing candidates to select 25 of them from university students. The third stage will focus on training the candidates in programming, educate them on new topics in AI and the basics of machine learning and programming to implement the Arabic processing through training courses and workshops.

Candidates will work in teams to implement their experience and knowledge in incorporating Arabic language in AI based systems and programmes that will be accurate and easy to use. The next stages will challenge candidates to design innovative solutions for real challenges to increase the Arabic data processing used by the public. They will also have many broadcasts and smart scanners to enhance the Arabic language presence in the various global technologies.

Sibaq Lahja has been announced for the first time in 'Update' platform launched by the office of the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, which witnessed the announcing of 10 innovative initiatives from Coders HQ , one of the National Programmes for Coders including Evaluation Headquarters, Coder HQ Ambassadors, Natural Language Processing Challenge, Sibaq Lahja, Tanzu Community, Open Hack 'Hackathon', LinkedIn Statistics and challenges initiatives in collaboration with Majid Al Futtaim Group, the collaboration between Emirates and Evaluation Headquarters nominating the coders into career opportunities, Global DevSlam specialised in empowering more than 15,000 coders in the UAE.

WAM/Khoder Nashar/Hatem Mohamed

The challenge, which will take place until 17th June, will encourage creators to visualise the impact of technology and innovation on future lifestyles, mobility, work and communication by designing augmented reality effects using the latest Spark AR capabilities.

Through the Spark AR Hackathon challenge, Meta, Coders HQ and the Museum of the Future are calling upon the global community of creators and developers to showcase their creativity and innovation for the future. Participants will be challenged to use augmented reality to identify how modern technologies will improve well-being across various vital sectors.

Commenting on the launch of the challenge, Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, said that the UAE government, led by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, adopts Artificial Intelligence solutions, modern technology and software to enhance its readiness for the future and explore new opportunities to shape a better future.

"The global Spark AR Challenge that has been organised for the first time in the Middle East keeps pace with the rapid developments in the sectors related to human life and driven by modern technology, data, and digital solutions. It contributes to stimulating innovation, finding viable proactive solutions, and continuous improvement to build a digital economy based on knowledge and innovation," Al Olama said.

Speaking about the initiative, Fares Akkad, Regional Director for MENA, Meta, said, "With this global Spark AR challenge, we want to bring this diverse community together to envision the future, while also showcasing the value that AR could bring to communities."

Talking about the developer community, he added, "As Meta builds for the metaverse, the developer and creator community will play a crucial role in bridging the gap between the physical, augmented and virtual worlds. Through the challenge, creators worldwide will be among the first to experience the transformative potential of the metaverse."

The Spark AR challenge comes as a result of the constructive cooperation between Meta and Coders HQ, which aims to empower programmers with a variety of digital skills and train them to use programming languages in line with national efforts to empower them and support their participation in the digital transformation of the UAE.

Two key challenge tracks by strategic partners, Emirates Airline and Accenture, will shape the hackathon. Whereas participants will be tasked to create AR effects around the "Mobility of Tomorrow" for Emirates Airline and the "Opportunities of the Future' for Accenture".

Winners will get the chance to have their winning effects featured on Emirates Airline's and Accenture's social media pages. In addition, participants will get the chance to win cash prizes amounting to over $50,000.

Meta is also offering participants the chance to brush up on their skills in workshops with two of the top AR developers: Kym Fiala, a Spark AR network partner and the co-founder of Pixel Chefs, a digital agency based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Balraj Bains, a creative designer, project manager and freelance AR Creator based in London, UK, and just before the contest ends, a live Q&A with AR Creators.

The UAE government has launched Coders HQ as part of the National Programme for Coders in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid to enhance creative competition between programming communities, enhance their capabilities and skills, and provide global opportunities to design innovative solutions and create the best generation of programmers.

WAM/Rola Alghoul/Esraa Ismail

The meeting was attended by H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, and H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior.

The meeting approved a number of initiatives, strategies and legislations aiming at further developing UAE government work.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, "I chaired the Cabinet meeting at Qasr Al Watan Abu Dhabi, where we adopted the UAE Digital Economy Strategy. Our goal is to increase the contribution of this sector to the GDP by 20 percent over the next 10 years. We formed a Council for Digital Economy chaired by Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Teleworking Applications."

His Highness added, "During the meeting, we adopted a regulatory framework to support the foreign humanitarian work of the UAE, including the establishment of coordination offices in the country missions. Our Humanitarian work is continuous and the UAE will always remain the capital of generosity and goodness."

"At the Cabinet meeting, we adopted unified standards for licensing and encouraging family counseling professions. The goal is to increase efficiency and provide families with the best specialists in all family matters. We also approved the restructuring of the Board of Trustees of the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), chaired by Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs. Education needs to be developed continuously, for a better future", he further said.

His Highness continued, "Also, we adopted a number of international agreements, including an agreement to link the payment systems of the GCC countries, and agreements with the United States, Denmark and Brazil. We approved the country's accession to the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy."

During its meeting, the Cabinet approved the UAE Digital Economy Strategy, which aims to double the contribution of the digital economy to the GDP from 9.7 percent to 19.4 percent within the next ten years. It also aims to enhance the position of the UAE a hub for digital economy in the region and globally.

The Strategy includes more than 30 initiatives and programmes targeting 6 sectors and 5 new areas of growth. It will define the digital economy in the country, with a unified mechanism for measuring its growth while measuring its indicators periodically. The strategy will define the priorities of digital economy in the country, ensuring the contribution of all other economic sectors to promote and support the digital economy.

The UAE Government Cabinet approved the establishment of the UAE Council for Digital Economy chaired by Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Teleworking Applications.

The UAE Council for Digital Economy will support the directions of the country, to double the contribution of the digital economy to the UAE’s GDP in the year 2031, and enhances the implementation of the Digital Economy Strategy initiatives in all economic sectors.

The UAE is among the top 25 percent of countries in the most important global digital indicators, where the contribution of the digital economy to the economic sectors of the UAE’s GDP is 9.7 percent, and to the non-oil GDP 11.7 percent.

The Cabinet approved a federal law about the public finance which obligate federal authorities to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to achieve the financial strategy’s objectives approved by the Cabinet.

The Cabinet approved executive regulation of the federal decree-law on private education aimed at regulating the work of private schools in the country in accordance with the objectives of the private education law, the provisions of which apply to all private schools in the UAE. The executive regulation aims to strengthen a high-level educational system that regulates the licensing mechanism for private schools, to ensure the quality of education and to place students among the best in the world in knowledge assessment tests.

The Cabinet also adopted a unified framework to coordinate and organise the humanitarian and development work of the charitable institutions. It includes a guide that organises the seasonal work of all UAE donors concerned with foreign aids, in accordance with international standards, and in line with the UAE foreign aid policy and strategy. This framework approved by the Cabinet, includes the establishment of coordinating offices in the country's missions abroad for foreign aid. This will contribute in regulating financial transfers to donors, and the UAE charitable institutions in the beneficiary countries.

During the meeting, the Cabinet adopted new standards for licensing of Family Therapy professionals, which includes specific criteria and procedures for licensing family counselors and professionals. The decision constitutes a reference for all parties in evaluating documents, qualifications and experiences of professionals, and ensures that the same unified licensing standards are applied nationwide.

The Cabinet adopted a decision to cancel the registration fees in Federal Supplier and Contractor Register, to encourage suppliers to enhance their participation, and increase their registration in the federal government. The decision will positively affect price rates, improves the quality of government services provided, and increases supplier interaction by registering in the Federal government’s digital procurement platform.

The Cabinet approved the restructuring of Board of Trustees of the Higher Colleges of Technology HCT, chaired by Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs.

The Cabinet also agreed on the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure to be the restricting authority for petroleum hazardous materials, the entrusted with the issuance of approvals for the import of these materials, and to follow up their circulation in coordination with licensed local authorities.

In addition to reviewing and discussing a number of reports, the Cabinet approved an agreement on linking payment systems between GCC countries; an agreement with the Federal Republic of Brazil; two agreements with the Kingdom of Denmark; and an agreement with the United States of America.

The Cabinet also approved the country's accession to the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE), and approved the issuance of necessary decisions to implement the provisions of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) agreement between the UAE government and the US government.

WAM/Tariq alfaham/Khoder Nashar

The opportunities and benefits made possible by technology and artificial intelligence, as well as the challenges it will help solve, will serve as a key driver for shaping the country’s digital future, Al Olama explained.

The affirmation by Al Olama follows the launch of 10 innovative initiatives from Coders HQ, an initiative unveiled under the umbrella of the National Programme for Coders, at the Museum of the Future. The initiatives include the establishment of an evaluation headquarters; creation of an ambassador program; roll-out of a language programmer challenge; creation of a Tanzu-focused community; organisation of an "OpenHack" hackathon; and the use of LinkedIn statistics; the challenges initiative with Majid Al Futtaim; the collaboration between Emirates and Evaluation Headquarters nominating the coders into career opportunities; Global DevSlam specialised to empower more than 15,000 coders in the UAE.

The objective of these initiatives is to increase the number of programmers in the country and aspire to achieve the highest number of programmers per capita globally. Additionally, the goal of these coder-centric innovations is to build the reputation of the country’s programming communities as the best in the region, while ensuring they are provided with optimal job opportunities. Together, these initiatives will support the UAE as a preferred global destination for programmers in a thriving digital economy.

Al Olama said, "Strengthening the programming community in the country is an important goal for Coders HQ. The initiatives put forward will help us understand the current state of the coder community, as well as what is required to build their capability, in order to empower them with required skills for future occupations."

He emphasised that the launch of these new initiatives embodies the vision and direction of the country’s leadership to develop advanced programming communities, as well as prepare a new generation that is capable of using technology to build a competitive knowledge-based economy. He announced that the digital economy doubled the contribution to the UAE economy, reaching 9.7 percent.

In line with the country’s aspiration to achieve scientific and technological excellence, these initiatives reflect the goals of the Coders HQ programme to provide an incubating and stimulating environment for talented individuals, specialised in programming and artificial intelligence.

The Coders HQ is set out to support and educate a new generation of coders, enhancing their capabilities in areas such as programming and technology. Additionally, the HQ strives to support programming communities by providing an incubating and stimulating environment for those with specialised skills, empowering them with the necessary tools and expertise to innovate. Their innovation will shape the future and support the UAE as a global hub for programmers in a thriving digital economy.

"Update" platform witnessed the establishment of a set of partnerships between the programmer's headquarters and a group of leading agencies and companies which aim to strengthen the programmers community in the UAE and embrace the country’s position as a global hub for programmers, e.g. the partnership with the Dubai World Trade Center to hold the DevSlam Summit, which brings many different software summits to hold together, the partnership with Emirates to publish challenges within the challenges headquarters and nominating talents in coding to them from Coders HQ, and partnering with Majid Al Futtaim Group, which contributes to supporting and promoting programming and technology and building a sustainable digital economy.

Helal Al Marri, Director-General Dubai Economy & Tourism Department Dubai World Trade Centre Authority, stated that Global DevSlam is working in partnership with Coders HQ to support the coders national program through attracting excellent coders internationally, empowering coders and supporting coding communities. Global DevSlam has strategic tools and abilities to embrace the efforts through connecting talented coders with the opportunities in the vibrant UAE hub.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer, said, "We’re delighted to partner with the AI’s office and to be a part of this strategic initiative to collaborate in attracting skilled professionals and offer career development for youths. This year, we plan to release other specific Emirates business case initiatives under the Coders HQ initiative. In addition, Emirates plans to hire more than 500 IT professionals to increase the number of our talent coders and take part in supporting future projects. We’ve also tapped on our Aviation X-lab partnership to launch our own internal Emirates Group community to support and nurture anyone passionate about coding, regardless of their experience."

Evaluation Headquarters

The Evaluation Headquarters is tasked with developing a clear classification for programmers in accordance with their skill level, in addition to providing them with optimal employment opportunities with relevant organisations. Additionally, it is responsible for determining a national baseline to understand the current level of skill among programmers in the country, as well as facilitating the recruitment process with the private sector. To increase efficiency during the recruitment process, programmers who wish to participate in the evaluation initiative can submit their applications through the website www.ai.gov.ae/hqasssment. The initiative is currently in its first phase and utilises an evaluation criterion of more than 200 relevant skills.

The Headquarters is also concerned with programmers in the UAE who are seeking to test their capabilities, participate in training opportunities or pursuing employment. Interested programmers who would like to be assessed can participate throughout the year.

Coders HQ will collaborate with the evaluation headquarters to share any assessment results with over 30 of its private sector partners in an automated and private manner.

Coder HQ Ambassadors

The Coder HQ Ambassadors initiative is concerned with building the capabilities of ambassadors to allow them to spread programming knowledge and awareness across the country, especially among university students. Additionally, the Ambassadors are responsible for sourcing employment opportunities for interested students, as well increase efforts to drive interest to learn programming, in pursuit of fulfilling demand for coders in the private sector.

The Ambassadors will be able to use the allocated space at Coders HQ, located at Emirates Towers, to propose and implement projects that serve public interest. This opportunity will enable them to serve as an important partner in the process of developing the UAE’s digital economy. Individuals who are interested in joining the Ambassadors programme can apply through www.ai.gov.ae/chqambsd.

Natural Language Processing Challenge

The "Language Challenge" initiative seeks to develop specialised teams of Emiratis in the field of natural language processing. These teams will be responsible for educating university students on the job market and developing a future talent pool of programmers. Registration will begin on 1st April, 2022, and interviews with select candidates will take place shortly after. During the preparatory stage, applicants are trained in the "Python" language and understand the basics of machine learning, deep learning and natural language processing. During the second phase, real challenges in this field will begin to be solved. Those interested can register through www.ai.gov.ae/lahja.

Tanzu Community

The Tanzu Community initiative, launched in collaboration with VMWare, a leading provider of multi-cloud services for all apps, provides programmers with an opportunity to learn about multiple software technologies. The Community will hold monthly meetings with those interested with the objective of nurturing future talent, in support of the objectives of the Coders HQ to create the strongest software community in the region. Additionally, this initiative will introduce the programming Community to powerful technologies that are able to predict future growth and were previously only available to large companies. Individuals interested in joining the meetings can find more information via the following link: www.ai.gov.ae/chq.

"Open Hack" Hackathon

The "Open Hack" Hackathon, a joint project between Microsoft and Coders HQ, aims to develop specialised programming teams to work within the private sector in the field of "DevOps". This will result in increased competitiveness which will have a positive impact on the digital economy, in addition to cementing the UAE as a global destination for programmers and knowledge development.

LinkedIn Statistics

The LinkedIn Statistics initiative is designed to provide accurate statistics that reflect the current state of programmers in the UAE. With more than 63,000 programmers working across all sectors in the UAE, access to this objective data will improve the decision-making process.

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This aligns with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to prepare a new generation of coders, promote their skills and motivate them to actively participate in designing innovative solutions to challenges, thus consolidating the UAE’s scientific and technical excellence.

The Coders’ HQ, one of the "National Programme for Coders" projects, hosted a group of female school students interested in artificial intelligence and coding. In celebration of International Women's Day, Al Olama met the students and introduced them to the UAE’s efforts to empower women in various fields, especially modern technologies, AI and coding, to enhance their active participation in the UAE’s march towards development and progress.

"It is important to upskill women and girls in fields related to AI, to help them reach leading positions in the technological and digital industries, enhance their participation in the future labour market. The market is increasingly demanding data, digitisation, software and AI-based skills, and motivate them to design innovative projects to consolidate the UAE’s leadership and global position as a hub for coding and the digital economy. This is also one of the primary goals of the Coders HQ, which focuses on attracting talents and building coding skills to boost the development process in the UAE," Al Olama noted.

During their visit, students were introduced to the experiences and projects of the Dubai Future Labs and the National Programme for Coders. They were further briefed on the Museum of the Future, recently inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid as a global scientific platform and an integrated institutional framework to shape a better future for Dubai and the whole world, and a headquarter that gathers futurists to design innovative solutions for future challenges. Students were also introduced to the latest technologies, the "Metaverse" virtual world, and the role of coding in the digital transformation of the UAE.

The Coders’ HQ focuses on four main objectives: evaluating the coders’ skills for recruitment, upskilling coders and enthusiasts, creating a strong network of coders, and connecting coders and enthusiasts with the best job opportunities. It encompasses nine main initiatives, namely HQ "Learn", HQ "Assessment", HQ "Meetups", HQ "Challenges", HQ "Hackathons", HQ "Conferences", HQ "Get Inspired", HQ "Internship", and HQ "021".

The UAE government launched the Coders HQ, embodying the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

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A host of UAE coders and modern technology enthusiasts participated in the session, which shed lights on Vaynerchuk’s inspiring journey in the field of digital content related to blockchain, Web 3.0, and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs).

During his speech at the third session held at HQ "Get Inspired", Vaynerchuk stated that the best characteristic of technical experts is to be curious about knowledge and always to ask themselves: "what if?". He displayed to his vision and experience in the fields of blockchain and Web 3.0, pinpointing that coders and new generations in general must be humble and dedicated to understanding the shifts in digital technology.

"The main challenge facing many people in today's world is the difficulty to understand the impact of the new generation of Internet, Web 3.0, and its great developments compared to the previous generations. Using concepts, tools and expectations based on the previous generations limits people’s ability to innovate creative solution," he added.

Known for his interactive, engaging style, and vast knowledge in modern technology, Gary Vaynerchuk is considered one of the leading global social media influencers in this field.

HQ "Get Inspired" hosts prominent digital companies’ CEOs in interactive sessions to highlight their success stories and leading experiences in the field of technology. It aims to inspire young coders to develop their capabilities and expertise, and participate in developing technological solutions for future challenges.

Embodying the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the UAE government launched the Coders HQ, a new transformational project that re-defines local coding communities in the UAE and worldwide. It aims firstly, to build the most vibrant coding community in the region, secondly to upskill the local coding community and lastly to connect coders to the best opportunities.

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He added that such infrastructure supports strengthening the UAE’s position as a leading global role model in adopting future technology and digital solutions that help boost performance levels and improve quality of life for citizens and residents.

This came during the first meeting of the UAE Council for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transactions in 2022, which was held remotely.

Al Olama said that the UAE government has one of the world's most advanced digital infrastructure, which constitutes a key driver for digital transformation and enhancing efforts to utilise technology in digital transactions to streamline procedures in related services. This is in implementation of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to promote the use of tech and AI solutions in creating new business models and creating a better future, he added.

The UAE Council for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transactions aims to expand the use of artificial intelligence technology and digital transactions in various fields, encourage the exchange of knowledge and experiences, attract top local and global talent and expertise and propose policies to facilitate establishing an environment conducive to innovation and research.

The meeting saw the participation of the Council members, including Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Director General of the Sharjah Department of eGovernment, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Saif Al Sharqi, Director of Fujairah's eGovernment Department, Younis Haji Al Khoori, Under-Secretary of Ministry of Finance, Dr. Mohamed Salim Al Olama, Under-Secretary at Ministry of Health and Prevention, Sharif Salim Al Olama, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure for Energy and Petroleum Affairs, and Mohammed Al Mualla, Undersecretary for Academic Affairs of Higher Education at Ministry of Education, Abdulla Al Saleh, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Economy, and Mohammed bin Taleya, Head of Government Services for the UAE Government, as well as officials from the UAE's eGovernment departments and digital authorities.

The council members reviewed the outputs of the first phase of the Council's agenda, which included the graduation of more than 260 AI experts from a specialised programme, developed in cooperation with Kellogg College at Oxford University, in addition to intensifying research efforts and increasing the number of specialised AI laboratories in the UAE.

The attendees also discussed the Council's future initiatives and plans, highlighting efforts to promote the utilisation of technology and digital solutions in government transactions to improve the efficiency of government services.

The Council's sub-committees presented their implementation plans, their key objectives for the next phase, and the proposed success indicators, as over 60 initiatives were approved for implementation through the sub-committees during the Council's second session.

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It further encourages them to join this field and enhance their coding and technological skills, thus promoting the UAE’s leadership and maintaining its position as a global hub for coding and the digital economy.

Attracting about 1,000 male and female students from various schools in the UAE, the initiative focuses on building students’ capabilities and preparing them to build a digital future by empowering them with the necessary tools and expertise and developing their skills using methodologies suitable for their ages. It guides them to design innovative solutions to challenges and enhances their knowledge by communicating with experts and specialists in various AI fields. In addition, students will participate in a training programme, availed in both Arabic and English, with the option to take live online lessons or follow a self-paced training plan.

Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, stated that the National Programme for Coders, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, is an incubating environment for digital talents and innovative coders. It helps them develop their skills and prepares a new generation capable of developing the best solutions to challenges and building a flourishing digital knowledge-based economy.

Al Olama added that the initiative highlights the role of the National Programme for Coders, which promotes partnerships with leading hi-tech companies to establish digital societies that adopt technological and coding solutions.

Walid Yehia, General Manager – UAE, Dell Technologies, said, "In today’s digital world, code is everywhere as technology continues to evolve. These shifts are driving significant change in the jobs of the future, where it has been estimated in a study from Dell Technologies, that 85 percent of jobs that will exist in 2030 have not been invented yet. To participate in this tech-driven future, coding has become an essential skill that children need to develop."

"At Dell Technologies, we aim to harness the power of technology to drive human progress and we are inspired by the ‘National Programme for Coders’ initiative, announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to develop a new generation of programmers and coders. Dell Technologies and the National Programme for Coders launched the ‘UAE AI for Kids’ training programme in line with this initiative. Our goal is to build an ecosystem of future coders who can be part of tomorrow’s digital workforce," he added.

The "AI for Kids" initiative concludes its activities with a competition to select three talented winners for their outstanding performance and active participation in the training programme.

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He made this statement during his meeting with Tito José Crissien, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of Colombia, at the Colombian pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

During the meeting, Al Olama stressed that the UAE is keen to share successful experiences and practices in advanced technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) with Colombia. It will help identify opportunities that will support the transformation to a sustainable knowledge-based economy, through deploying advanced technologies in business development.

He also lauded Colombia’s efforts to deploy advanced technologies in all areas of work and its role in teaching digital skills and developing human capital in this field.

In his meeting with Colombian officials, Al Olama presented the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence and the country’s related achievements and major programmes and initiatives recently launched, most notably the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, the first university of its kind in the world, and digital schools in developing countries which aim to end digital illiteracy.

The sides also discussed ways of encouraging the exchange of expertise and successful practices to face future challenges and utilising digital solutions and advanced technologies to establish new government action models that will support their comprehensive digital transformation.

The meeting then discussed ways of strengthening their partnerships and enhancing their cooperation in capacity building and exchanging expertise, in addition to holding training programmes for young students in Colombia.

The meeting presented Colombia’s achievements in identifying AI ethics and explained its sustainable development goals.

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The project, established in the Emirates Towers, aims to build a new generation of coders, enhance their capabilities and skills in the fields of coding and technology, empower them with top-notch tools and expertise, and provide them with the opportunity to design innovative solutions to address local and global challenges, thus consolidating the UAE’s leading position as a global hub for coders and digital economy.

The project was launched in a virtual ceremony organised by the National Programme for Coders, in the presence of Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Teleworking Applications, and representatives of partners in the project. Participants reviewed the key initiatives and programs that the Coders HQ will launch over the coming period.

Omar Sultan Al Olama said that launching the Coders HQ, comes under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to develop advanced coding communities as a key driver for shaping the future and harnessing the new, fast-growing digital economy, thus achieving the leadership’s vision and the 10 principles for the next 50 years, namely consolidating the position of the UAE as a global hub for talents, startups and innovators.

He added that the project embodies the UAE’s vision in preparing a new generation of coders, capable of finding innovative solutions to future challenges, exploring new opportunities to build a competitive knowledge-based economy, and creating a comprehensive development process based on investing in skills and talents to build their future capabilities. It further provides an incubating and stimulating environment for skilled coders, building an enabling ecosystem to help them innovate technical solutions to address challenges.

As one of the projects and initiatives of the National Programme for Coders, the Coders HQ aims to consolidate the position of the UAE as a global hub for coders and an incubating ecosystem for projects and innovative ideas for building a better future. It further features advanced technological infrastructure to facilitate coders’ work, and includes an events space, a supercomputer, and several workspaces. Over the coming period, 6 new coders’ HQs will be inaugurated all around the UAE.

The Coders’ HQ focuses on Four main objectives, namely, assessing the skills of coders in the UAE, developing them, enabling continuous communication among coders in the UAE and abroad, and providing coders with the best opportunities to help them enhance the UAE's leadership in this field.

Among its activities, the project encompasses Nine main initiatives, namely "HQ learn" to provide practical training courses in different coding fields to different levels of coders, "HQ assessment" to provide a mechanism for evaluating the skills and performance of coders, "HQ meetups", which focuses on developing and incubating software communities in all fields, and "HQ challenges", to share private sector challenges whose winners receive prizes.

The Project also launched the "HQ hackathons" to organise a series of short hackathons in partnership with the private sector, where winners will be eligible for prizes, the "HQ conferences" to attract mega international conferences specialised in coding to the UAE, the "HQ get inspired" to hold a series of inspiring sessions presented by CEOs and technical influencers, "HQ internship", to provide training opportunities for Emirati graduates in the digital companies, as well as "HQ 021", a joint project with the United Arab Emirates National and Reserve Service Authority (UAENSR) to develop the talents of national service coders and help them reach global levels.

In line with the UAE's wise leadership directions exhibited in the "Principles of the 50" document, the Coders HQ further announced organising training programs for Emiratis to facilitate their participation in the various fields of coding in the private sector, while providing them with the best global knowledge to hone their skills. 40 government, semi-government, private and academic entities will provide support to the training processes to help achieve the defined objectives and yield the best outcomes. These include Abu Dhabi University, Majid Al Futtaim Holding, Microsoft Middle East and Africa, IBM, Presales MERAT, Meta, Rabdan Academy, the American University in Dubai, DP World, ADNOC, and VMware.

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