Cairo: The 29th Session of the Arab Council of Ministers for Communications and Information concluded on Thursday in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, with the participation of Ministers of Communications and Information Technology from Arab countries, the Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Affairs at the League of Arab States, and senior officials from specialized Arab organizations.
According to Sudan News Agency, Minister of Digital Transformation and Communications Engineer Ahmed Dirdiri Ghandour expressed Sudan's appreciation to the leadership, government, and people of the Arab Republic of Egypt for their efforts in advancing joint Arab action. He commended Egypt's experience in digital transformation and its role in strengthening the regional technological environment.
The Minister emphasized the significance of communications and information technology as essential tools for improving government performance and ensuring the continuity of services, along with their role in advancing sustainable development. He outlined Sudan's vision for the recovery of the communications sector, focusing on developing regulatory frameworks, strengthening infrastructure resilience, and investing in human capital to achieve digital transformation and enhanced service delivery for citizens.
He also noted the establishment of three specialized authorities-the Digital Transformation Authority, the Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, and the Cybersecurity Authority-to enhance Sudan's engagement with regional and international agendas in these fields.
The meeting endorsed the recommendations of the Executive Bureau of the Arab Council of Ministers for Communications and Information, including those submitted by the Permanent Committees for Communications and Post. Among the notable decisions was the approval of the item titled 'Supporting the Reconstruction and Restructuring of the Communications Sector,' submitted by Sudan.
The Council recognized Sudan's efforts to recover the communications sector, acknowledging its contribution to restoring the sector's role at the Arab and regional levels. It also approved a call for technical support from regional and international partners for Sudan's newly established authorities, aiming to protect digital sovereignty and regulate data and services under a unified framework.
Additionally, the Council requested the Arab Artificial Intelligence Team to propose initiatives supporting the Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority's work, particularly in transitioning toward artificial intelligence, including 5G technology and big data analytics.
Furthermore, the Council approved Sudan's request to support the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Communications in launching the 'Sudanese Technical Cadres Capacity Development' project. It also urged the League of Arab States' Secretariat-General to involve Arab financing institutions in supporting initiatives to establish social transfer platforms, contributing to addressing the humanitarian crisis resulting from the war.