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SAMENA Telecommunications Council

Name: SAMENA Telecommunications Council
Address: Alfa Building, Knowledge Village, Dubai, AE
Telephone: +971 4 364 2700

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SAMENA Telecommunications Council

It comprises and represents the interests of 40 telecom operators acros 25 markets. SAMENA is a not-for-profit organization with no affiliation. Saud Al Daweesh.

SAMENA Telecommunications Council is a tri-regional, non-profit telecommunications association that embodies a community of South Asian, Middle Eastern, and North African telecoms operators, manufacturers, telecoms regulators and academia. SAMENA Telecommunications Council is a South Asia – Middle East – North Africa (SAMENA) region’s industry association, driven primarily to represent telecommuni

cations operators and service providers. Its member organizations include telecom vendors and technology companies, cellular and fixed-line operators, consultancy groups, as well as telecom regulatory bodies. The group's CEO is Bocar Ba. It is a member of ITU-D and has subsequently participated in the ITU activities. Headquartered in the UAE, SAMENA Council was launched in 2006 by Thomas W. Wilson who also served as the Chief Executive Officer & Executive Managing Director until 2012. The Council was initially led by Dr. Muhammad Ali Al Wohaibi, then-CEO of Oman Telecom. Subsequently, SAMENA Council was chaired by Orange Jordan Telecom Group’s CEO Mr. Mickael Ghossein and then the group CEO of Saudi Telecom Company, Eng. Elected in 2011, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa, Group CEO of Batelco served as a chairman of the SAMENA Council’s Board of Directors until September 2013 and was succeeded by Dr. Nasser Marafih, then-Group CEO of Ooredoo. In 2016, the Board of Directors elected Dr. Khaled Biyari, Group CEO of STC, to lead SAMENA Council. The Board of Directors of the Council appointed Mr. Bocar A. BA as CEO in 2013. Mr. BA has been with the SAMENA Council since its early foundation. The SAMENA Council is now in its next phase of organizational development. Since its inception in 2006, the Council has made major strides in representing the interests of telecom operators and in playing the role of the agenda-setter. Today, the Council is considered to be the leading platform to provide a unified voice and collaborative approach for leading operators and service providers in SAMENA region. The goal is to position the telecom operators and service providers to be the partner of choice in driving region-wide digitization programs and in realizing socio-economic developments in regional economies. The SAMENA Council started its Policy Board ("Policy Board") in 2011 with the main purpose to guide, advice and adopt, strategic positions on issues arising within the information and communication technologies ("ICT") industry, both regionally and globally, for the benefit of SAMENA Council and its members. For over 6 years now, the SAMENA Council’s scheduled meetings, internal committees, and an all-inclusive Web portal, together, provides companies, professionals, regulatory authorities and other stakeholders of the industry, means for seeking and suggesting solutions on mutually beneficial and collaborative fronts. With an expanding member portfolio, the Council is quickly securing strong footing in the region and beyond. In June 2012, the SAMENA Council was officially selected as a member of the newly formed Arab Multi stakeholders Advisory Group (AMAG) for the Arab Internet Governance Forum. The advisory group’s mandate is to set the theme for the Arab Internet Governance Forum (AIGF) in a way that maintains transparency and inclusion. SAMENA Council collaborates with leading non-profit international organizations, including the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) the European Telecom Network Operators’ Association (ETNO) and FTTH Council among others.

02/09/2026

Elisa, Nokia and Foundation PS are launching a collaboration to strengthen children’s understanding of artificial intelligence in Finland. During the first year, the initiative aims to reach approximately 19,000 sixth-grade pupils.

There is a growing need in schools for practical ways to teach AI literacy and the responsible use of technology. While artificial intelligence is rapidly shaping society and working life, scalable, hands-on ways to develop these skills alongside education remain limited.

Elisa, Nokia and Foundation PS are now launching a collaboration that will give pupils a concrete, age-appropriate way to understand what AI is, how it works, and how it affects the world around them. The program is implemented together with Ja’s Yrityskylä and IchiZero Oy and is planned to launch in four centres across Finland starting from September 2026.

The program gives pupils a clear understanding of how AI works, as well as its possibilities and limitations. The learning experience leverages AI learning robot “Bella”, combining robotics, digital tools and teacher-led activities to ensure safe, guided and pedagogically sound use of AI in line with Finnish education guidelines.

The program is designed to align with Finland’s national education goals and the guidance of the Finnish National Agency for Education (Opetushallitus, OPH) and the Ministry of Education and Culture (OKM) regarding the safe and pedagogically sound use of AI-related technologies in schools. During the first year, the initiative aims to reach approximately 19,000 sixth-grade pupils and to create a scalable model that can be expanded both nationally and internationally.

“Co-creation across technology, education and research is essential to ensure that AI is used safely and for the benefit of society. This program exemplifies how AI can be introduced in schools in a structured and responsible way and demonstrates of Nokia’s approach to bridging the digital divide together with our customers and other partners, in this instance through digital skill building”, says Nokia’s Chief Legal and Administrative Officer Esa Niinimäki.

Elisa and Nokia share a commitment to strengthening digital skills, responsible AI use and future competencies among young people. The initiative also contributes to broader societal goals, including digital inclusion, critical thinking and awareness of AI’s impact on communities and the environment.

“Children and young people and their digital skills have been at the core of Elisa’s sustainability work for over a decade. Artificial intelligence has rapidly become a new fundamental skill, with an impact that extends across learning, working life and society as a whole. Through this collaboration, we want to bring practical tools to schools that help children and young people harness the opportunities of AI safely and responsibly,” says Kati Nyman, Executive Vice President, Corporate Chief of Staff at Elisa.
Read More...
https://www.samenacouncil.org/samena_daily_news?news=112205

02/09/2026

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, August 31, 2026: stc group, Saudi Arabia's leading digital enabler and strategic partner of LEAP for the fifth consecutive year, is showcasing its latest digital solutions, secure infrastructure, and high-performance networks at LEAP 2026 in Riyadh, supporting the digitalization of the Kingdom's vital sectors and major national projects.

stc's participation this year comes as Saudi Arabia accelerates its digital transformation, from planning to ex*****on. Driven by an integrated ecosystem combining advanced infrastructure, telecommunications, computing, and talent, the Kingdom is deploying AI at scale and translating its ambitions into practical applications across key sectors of the economy.

At LEAP's Main Stage, GCEO Eng. Olayan Alwetaid stated that "the Kingdom is undergoing a rapid transformation in the field of artificial intelligence," outlining that stc's partnership with HUMAIN is built on three strategic fronts: data-center infrastructure, connectivity, and go-to-market. Through center3, stc is developing AI-ready data-center capacity starting at 250 megawatts, while expanding global connectivity across subsea, terrestrial, and satellite networks to connect Saudi Arabia's AI infrastructure to the world.

At the booth, stc group is presenting an integrated suite of solutions and technologies that reflect its role in building the digital infrastructure of the future, spanning advanced communication networks, data centers, and computing capabilities designed to meet the growing demands of the digital economy and support the Kingdom's most critical national projects.

stc is also showcasing its global network capabilities across subsea cables, terrestrial networks, and satellites, strengthening connectivity between the Kingdom and global markets and delivering the capacity, speed, and reliability that AI and advanced computing applications demand.
Read More...
https://www.samenacouncil.org/samena_daily_news?news=112203

01/09/2026

Etihad Salam Telecom Company (Salam) has announced its strategic sponsorship of LEAP 2026, taking place from 31 August to 3 September at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center in Malham, Saudi Arabia.

Salam will present a portfolio of connectivity, cloud and AI-enabled infrastructure solutions under its “Powering What’s Next” theme. The company’s participation will highlight its expanding role in supporting government, enterprise and community ambitions through a unified national network.

Aligned with LEAP 2026’s “Into New Worlds” theme, Salam will demonstrate how its Connectivity+ strategy combines core telecommunications infrastructure with cloud, artificial intelligence and industry-specific digital solutions.

Eng. Ahmed Al Anqari, CEO of Salam, said: “Salam’s strategic sponsorship of LEAP 2026 marks a defining moment in our evolution. With Salam 2.0, we are transforming from a connectivity provider into a trusted technology partner, enabling the future of governments, enterprises, and communities in the Kingdom.

“Our Connectivity+ vision takes us beyond the core, delivering purpose-driven, technology-driven solutions that harness innovation and expertise. As the critical infrastructure provider connecting the Kingdom’s most ambitious initiatives, we are proud to bring connectivity, cloud, and AI-enabled solutions to the world stage.

“Our participation reflects our proven ability to scale with the nation’s digital transformation and our dedication to powering what comes next for Saudi Vision 2030.”

Showcasing sector-focused technologies
Salam’s LEAP 2026 exhibit will feature Industry 4.0 smart manufacturing technology, including a live Industrial Internet of Things-enabled command centre designed to demonstrate connected and data-driven industrial operations.

AI-powered healthcare solutions will include advanced diagnostic capabilities and video-based biomarker technology. The company will also present mobility and logistics platforms supporting real-time fleet management and digital-twin simulations.
Read More...
https://www.samenacouncil.org/samena_daily_news?news=112187

01/09/2026

A public payphone once used to connect people across Oman has been given a new purpose at the Children’s Public Library in Muscat, where visitors can now use it to discover books through the voice of Al Baraa Al Jabri, a young autistic Omani with a longstanding passion for reading.

Omantel and the Children’s Public Library have launched the initiative to provide Al Baraa with a platform to share his interest in books while encouraging children and other library visitors to explore reading differently.

The initiative was launched at the Children’s Public Library in Qurum in the presence of Her Highness Sayyida Dr Mona bint Fahd al Said, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Children’s Public Library, and Eng. Aladdin bin Abdullah Baitfadhil, Chief Executive Officer of Omantel.

At the centre of the initiative is a refurbished Omantel public payphone, repurposed as an interactive feature inside the library. Al Baraa has recorded a series of audio reviews in which he shares his thoughts on selected books. Each book is assigned a number that visitors can call on to listen to his review.

The concept brings together an earlier era of telecommunications and a contemporary approach to inclusion and engagement. Rather than placing technology at the centre of the experience, it uses a familiar piece of Oman’s communications history to give Al Baraa a platform to share his passion for books.

For Omantel, the initiative reflects a broader approach to social impact that focuses on creating opportunities for people to express their interests, abilities and ideas. It also seeks to contribute to a more inclusive understanding of autism by focusing on individual strengths and interests rather than limitations, if any.

Al Baraa has had a strong interest in books from an early age, turning reading into a way to explore ideas and share knowledge with others. Through the initiative, that personal interest becomes part of the library experience, allowing his perspective on books to reach children, families and other visitors.
Read More...
https://www.samenacouncil.org/samena_daily_news?news=112186

01/09/2026

The SAMENA Telecommunications Council has called for stronger exchange of knowledge, experience, and technological capability between leading and emerging digital markets, with telecom operators and technology providers helping turn such exchange into local industry development, investment, and new market opportunities.

Delivering a keynote address in Hangzhou, SAMENA Council CEO Bocar BA reflected on two decades of digital transformation across economies. Connectivity has expanded, industries have changed, new businesses have emerged, and governments have adopted digital platforms and new ICT strategies throughout the SA-ME-NA region and surrounding geographies. This progress has also produced an extensive body of knowledge held in data, institutions, companies, and the experience of their people. AI can help put more of that knowledge to use.

“AI can help preserve institutional memory, connect information that has remained fragmented, and bring accumulated experience more effectively into present-day decision-making. This can be described as Institutional Intelligence,” BA stated.

For the SAMENA Council, a wider matter of interest is how knowledge and capability can move more effectively between markets. Telecom operators, technology providers, regulatory authorities, public institutions, research bodies, investors, and other participants in the digital economy each hold experience that can inform infrastructure development, technology deployment, institutional planning, and the creation of new services and businesses elsewhere.

Speaking at the Ministerial Meeting at Hangzhou, organized by the China-Africa Digital Technology Co-operation Center, BA noted that cross-border cooperation has already supported digital infrastructure and technological capability across Africa and the Middle East. Further engagement can connect China’s experience in digital development, industrial transformation, and innovation at scale with the ambitions, market knowledge, and development needs of emerging digital economies.
Read More...
https://www.samenacouncil.org/samena_daily_news?news=112188

31/08/2026

The tech analyst firm Gartner® has released the "Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Storage Platforms, 2026". Huawei has earned a spot in the Leaders Quadrant, the only non–North American vendor to do so.

Huawei OceanStor Data Storage continues to advance technological innovation, leveraging a high-efficiency and unified AI data platform, excellent capacity density and energy efficiency, and future-proof data resilience to comprehensively meet the diverse needs of enterprise use cases.

Huawei Data Storage operates in more than 150 countries and regions. It serves a wide range of customers across Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region, including those in the financial, telecommunications, manufacturing, healthcare, government, and public utilities sectors.
Read More...
https://www.samenacouncil.org/samena_daily_news?news=112154

31/08/2026

Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, economies and societies at an unprecedented speed. As demand for cloud computing, AI workloads and data-intensive digital services accelerates, access to resilient, scalable and locally hosted digital infrastructure will become increasingly critical to Africa’s competitiveness and economic growth.

Against this backdrop, MTN Group today announced that MTN Digital Infrastructure has entered into a strategic partnership with UAE-based data centre investment platform to accelerate the development of AI-ready digital infrastructure platforms across Africa.

The partnership represents an important milestone in MTN’s Ambition 2030 strategy and reflects the Group’s commitment to enabling the infrastructure foundations required to support Africa’s next phase of digital transformation and economic development.

By combining MTN Digital Infrastructure’s extensive African footprint, market knowledge and infrastructure assets with specialist investment, development and operating expertise in the data centre sector, the partnership will help address growing demand for cloud, enterprise, digital and AI-enabled services across the continent.

The partners will pursue this strategic partnership through Africa Data Hub Holding Limited, which will serve as the platform through which future digital infrastructure opportunities will be developed and scaled across key African markets, with an initial focus on South Africa and Nigeria.

Bayobab, MTN’s digital connectivity business and a shareholder in the partnership, will provide open access connectivity and go-to-market support through its extensive pan-African network, enabling customers to access world-class digital infrastructure services across multiple markets. The UAE-based investment platform was founded by Mr. Tarek Al Ashram, an experienced data centre developer, operator and investor with an established track record across the Middle East.

“Africa’s digital economy is entering a new era, driven by rapid advances in artificial intelligence, cloud adoption and digital innovation. Realising this opportunity requires more than connectivity. It requires the infrastructure platforms that will power the next generation of digital services, businesses and innovation,” said Mazen Mroué, CEO of MTN Group Digital Infrastructure. “This partnership is a step forward in the ex*****on of our digital infrastructure strategy and demonstrates the power of collaboration. Together, we are bringing investment, infrastructure expertise, connectivity and market access into a single platform capable of supporting hyperscalers, cloud providers, enterprises and technology innovators across Africa.”
Read More...
https://www.samenacouncil.org/samena_daily_news?news=112152

31/08/2026

stc Group, Saudi Arabia’s leading digital enabler, will participate in LEAP 2026 as the strategic partner for the fifth consecutive year. Taking place from August 31 to September 3 at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center, Malham, the event will bring together more than 600 start-ups, 1,000 speakers, and 1,800 exhibitors from around the globe under the theme “Into New Worlds”.

At LEAP 2026, stc group will showcase advanced digital solutions, secure infrastructure, and high-performance networks supporting the digitalization of Saudi Arabia’s key industries, public sectors, and flagship events. The group will also participate in a range of speaking engagements at LEAP 2026, driving industry dialogue on the future of technology and detailing its strategy to accelerate innovation across Saudi Arabia through targeted investments.

Mohammed R. Abaalkheil, Vice President Corporate Relations at stc group, said: “LEAP is a defining platform for us to deepen collaboration with global technology leaders and drive concrete change across Saudi Arabia’s digital landscape. At LEAP 2026, we look forward to advancing new strategic partnerships and showcasing innovations that strengthen next-generation connectivity and seamless digital infrastructure across the Kingdom.”

At the exhibition floor, the stc booth will feature interactive demonstrations giving visitors a tangible sense of how stc’s technology works in practice and the real-world impact it delivers across sectors.

Key showcases include:

Logistics & Transportation: Showcasing “Intermodal Mega Hub,” a forward-looking concept that demonstrates how technologies can enhance connectivity between ports, railways, dry ports, and logistics and industrial zones. The concept aims to transform existing investments and infrastructure into a more integrated and efficient ecosystem, helping accelerate the flow of goods, improve operational efficiency and capacity, and strengthen Saudi Arabia’s logistics ecosystem.
Tourism: 3D island mapping, personalized guest experience, and the Nucleus Intelligent Operations Center streamline operations, analytics, and maintenance for both employees and visitors across Red Sea Global properties.
Sports: Smart asset management that enhances efficiency, safety, security, and fan experience in the sports sector; IoT-enabled stadium management; sports broadcasting experiences enhanced by stc's sovereign infrastructure and cloud network; a National Athlete App supporting football talent scouting; smart wearables, and automated academy solutions that measure performance, support training, and enable decision-making.
Read More...
https://www.samenacouncil.org/samena_daily_news?news=112153

27/08/2026

The 2nd World Humanoid Robot Games opened on 22th August at Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval, further demonstrating how robotics and high-speed networks can support advanced applications such as embodied AI.

A joint program between Beijing Unicom and Huawei, 5G Capital focuses on large-scale 5G and 5G-Advanced (5G-A) network infrastructure and smart city innovation. Together, China Unicom Beijing and Huawei have built an integrated digital foundation powered by a 5G-A GigaUplink network supporting intelligent event operations, robot competition, and spectator experiences. The deployment also lays a connectivity foundation for humanoid robots to move beyond arenas such as the “Ice Ribbon” sports complex and into everyday life. Across Beijing, 5G Capital’s region-wide GigaUplink network is providing ubiquitous, secure, and reliable connectivity for a growing range of cultural tourism, embodied AI, and Mobile AI applications and events.

This year’s Games feature major upgrades in both scale and competition design. A total of 1,301 competitions across 51 events will see 2,056 humanoid robots from 666 teams worldwide take part. The number of events has nearly doubled from 26 at the inaugural Games (held last August at National Speed Skating Oval) to 51 this year. The Games feature new events such as table tennis and kickboxing. Competitions have also expanded into industrial scenarios such as manufacturing, hotels, homes, and logistics, while dance events place greater emphasis on synchronized movement across multiple robots. More autonomous competition formats and significantly higher task complexity are placing stringent demands on networks for high-capacity uplink, millisecond-level responsiveness, and high reliability, supporting real-time robot telemetry, precise control signaling, and multi-robot coordination.

To meet these requirements, China Unicom Beijing and Huawei deployed a dedicated 100 MHz network, complemented by a 300 MHz LampSite ultra-wideband indoor network, to support real-time robot telemetry and precise signaling exchange. A dedicated 5QI 7 slice combined with carrier isolation keeps end-to-end latency for humanoid robots within 30 milliseconds, supporting millisecond-level decision-making and response while helping ensure the precision of multi-robot coordination, obstacle avoidance, and fine-motion control.

By further integrating the dedicated network with BeiDou RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) positioning, the solution delivers decimeter- to sub-decimeter-level positioning accuracy, supporting autonomous navigation, agile obstacle avoidance, and precision racing in complex environments. On-site tests recorded a peak uplink speed of 1 Gbps, with average latency below 30 milliseconds.
Read More...
https://www.samenacouncil.org/samena_daily_news?news=112109

27/08/2026

Cisco has launched its Sovereign Critical Infrastructure portfolio in Canada, giving government, financial institutions, healthcare and other critical infrastructure providers greater control and choice over how they run their technology.

Canadian customers now have access to a fully configurable portfolio which they can operate in their own air-gapped and ‘on-prem’ physical environments, meaning systems that sit in facilities they own and run with no connection to the outside internet. It spans Cisco’s core product lines, from routing, switching, and wireless, to collaboration, and select endpoint devices, enhanced by Cisco and Splunk security and observability solutions.

For governments, this helps ensure mission-critical systems keep running under their own control, without depending on constant connection to the cloud. Financial institutions, healthcare organizations, and other critical infrastructure providers can keep their systems running the same way, even when connectivity or outside vendors aren't available.

As Canada accelerates its AI for All strategy, organizations are facing critical decisions about where and how their most sensitive systems and data are managed. Cisco's Sovereign Critical Infrastructure portfolio provides a new path forward, giving organizations greater control, security, and trust while enabling them to deploy AI and digital technologies on their own terms.

"Every organization has different needs when it comes to control and choice over their infrastructure," said Raj Juneja, President, Cisco Canada. "Sovereign Critical Infrastructure gives Canadian organizations a new way to meet those needs, building on Cisco Canada’s three decades of work helping these very organizations solve their most complex technology challenges."

Introducing Cisco Sovereign Critical Infrastructure for Canada

Comprehensive portfolio: Cisco’s major product families across networking, security, compute, collaboration, and Splunk, configured for on-premises, air-gapped use.
Air-gapped, trust-based licensing: The Cisco Sovereign Critical Infrastructure portfolio is configured to function in an air-gapped environment giving organizations control over access to systems and data, and autonomy over digital infrastructure. Cisco can’t run, access, control or remotely disable the products – that sits entirely with customers. This puts control in the hands of customers.
Certifications: The majority of our on-premises portfolio is IPv6-ready, FIPS 140-2/3 certified and Common Criteria certified, all global benchmarks for rigorous security. Cisco Sovereign Critical Infrastructure is designed to align with Canadian specific frameworks like ITSG-33, providing the foundational security controls necessary to achieve Authority to Operate (ATO) for mission-critical services.
Read More...
https://www.samenacouncil.org/samena_daily_news?news=112108

Address

Alfa Building, Knowledge Village
Dubai

Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 18:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 18:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 18:00
Thursday	09:00 - 18:00
Friday	09:00 - 18:00

Telephone

+971 4 364 2700

Website

http://www.samenacouncil.org/

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