Information technology (IT) in the Middle East
Information technology (IT) news, trends, articles and research for the Middle East - the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and others. This section covers IT security, data backup and recovery, networking, data centre, cloud computing, mobile applications, virtualisation, big data, virtual machines and more.
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News
23 May 2025
Data embassies and US embargo halt give Saudi AI hope
Gulf autocracy gets access to powerful AI chips subject to export ban and pursues legal reforms to make foreign computing firms feel comfortable about putting their data there Continue Reading
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News
19 May 2025
Trump visit bolsters Saudi AI
A new AI datacentre is among the initiatives the White House announced during the president’s Middle East visits Continue Reading
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News
06 Oct 2022
SMEs in Europe ready to invest in real-time payment capabilities
Small and medium-sized enterprises are losing business because of the time it takes to receive payments, with many considering API-based services to address the problem Continue Reading
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News
04 Oct 2022
Tories to replace GDPR
IT industry reacts to the government’s plan to replace the pan-European data protection regulation Continue Reading
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News
30 Sep 2022
Surveillance tech firms complicit in MENA human rights abuses
Research finds companies are profiting from surveillance technologies that facilitate human rights abuses against migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in the Middle East and North Africa, with little to no oversight Continue Reading
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News
21 Sep 2022
European Central Bank working on prototypes of digital Euro interfaces
European Central Bank’s digital Euro investigation phase is at the point of developing and testing systems that might interface with consumers Continue Reading
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News
21 Sep 2022
5G fixed wireless access services to see huge growth
Spending on 5G fixed wireless access services is set to explode globally over the next 12 months Continue Reading
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News
09 Sep 2022
Interview: Keeping an IT business going during the Russian invasion
After heading home and discovering that his country had been invaded, Konstantin Klyagin was forced to make life-changing family and business decisions Continue Reading
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News
07 Sep 2022
Cyber threats to Europe’s grid: Utilities rethink strategy
The separation of operational and information technology at utilities across Europe is opening doors for cyber criminals Continue Reading
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News
01 Sep 2022
Google workers oppose cloud contract with Israeli government
Google workers and Palestinian rights activists call on company to divest from involvement in cloud and artificial intelligence contract with Israeli government and military, following allegations the tech giant has retaliated against an employee for being publicly critical of the deal Continue Reading
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News
31 Aug 2022
Four years into GDPR, Norway hopes for safer data transfer to US
Much of the data on the internet ends up on US servers at some point, and that is not always compatible with the General Data Protection Regulation, says Norwegian data protection authority Continue Reading
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News
30 Aug 2022
Confronting the unique challenges of hiring IT professionals in Saudi Arabia
As Saudi Arabia undergoes an economic transformation, new mandates are being implemented to help Saudi nationals keep up with global talent requirements Continue Reading
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News
08 Aug 2022
Internet giants in favour as Ireland tightens rules on datacentres
Irish premier Michael Martin has insisted its temporary squeeze on datacentre construction is not a moratorium on the industry Continue Reading
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News
19 Jul 2022
European IT services see bumper quarter, but signs of slowing emerge
Spending on IT and BPO services in Europe saw significant growth in the past quarter, but there are signs of a slowdown Continue Reading
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News
08 Jul 2022
Sweden and GDPR – four years on
Swedish data protection coordinator talks to Computer Weekly four years into the General Data Protection Regulation Continue Reading
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News
07 Jul 2022
UK government does not yet understand threat of technology to foreign policy
Select committee chair warns government that the threat posed to global security by malign actors influencing tech standards is no ‘dystopian fantasy’ Continue Reading
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E-Zine
07 Jul 2022
CW Middle East: UAE citizens embrace new digital technologies
A survey shows that people in the United Arab Emirates believe next-generation technologies such as 3D printing and artificial intelligence will become widespread in the country. Also read how the UAE has improved its security posture amid mounting cyber threats. Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2022
Commercial cyber products must be used responsibly, says NCSC CEO
NCSC’s Lindy Cameron is to speak out on responsible regulation of cyber capabilities at an event in Tel Aviv, Israel Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Jun 2022
The cyber security impact of Operation Russia by Anonymous
The campaign against the Russian government by Anonymous surprised many with the depth and scale of the cyber attacks. What can we learn from this online war? Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Jun 2022
What the world can learn from Saudi Arabia’s fight against industrial control system attacks
Iran learned from attacks on its infrastructure and unleashed similar malware on Saudi Arabia. The world has now gained valuable lessons from the Saudi response Continue Reading
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News
20 Jun 2022
Complex Russian cyber threat requires we go back to basics
The situation in Russia is anything but simple, but it is the fundamentals of cyber security hygiene that pose the best defence against the country’s digital threat, as Mandiant’s Jamie Collier explains Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2022
New warning over tech suppliers in thrall to hostile governments
Ukraine war could lead to shakeup of dual-use tech exports, says former UK intelligence officer Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2022
Qatar bolsters cyber security in preparation for World Cup
With hackers honing their cyber weapons to target the upcoming football World Cup, Qatar is busy developing countermeasures and raising awareness Continue Reading
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News
30 May 2022
UAE residents think 3D printing will have the most positive impact on society
People in the UAE believe next-generation technologies such as 3D printing and artificial intelligence will become widespread in the country Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2022
Europol gears up to collect big data on European citizens after MEPs vote to expand policing power
The European Parliament has voted to expand Europol’s role, legalising its processing of bulk datasets containing personal information and endorsing research into predictive policing technologies Continue Reading
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Podcast
29 Apr 2022
Podcast: War, geo-political risk, data storage and compliance
We talk to Mathieu Gorge, CEO of Vigitrust, about impacts on compliance and data storage from instability in geo-political events, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine Continue Reading
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News
26 Apr 2022
BCS passes defiant Ukrainian tech industry message to its members
BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, has passed on a message from Ukrainian IT suppliers that the country is open for, and in need of, business Continue Reading
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News
22 Apr 2022
UAE bolsters cyber security
The United Arab Emirates has successfully improved its security posture amid mounting cyber threats Continue Reading
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News
21 Apr 2022
European cities moving fast to change business of parking
German cities are using the latest smart parking technology to reduce traffic and car pollution while collecting more fees for parking Continue Reading
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News
20 Apr 2022
NSO Group faces court action after Pegasus spyware used against targets in UK
Three human rights activists whose phones were targeted by spyware traced to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have begun legal action against both countries and Israel’s NSO Group Technologies Continue Reading
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News
11 Apr 2022
Mastercard opens European tech hub in Dublin
Mastercard is doubling its technology workforce in Dublin through a new European tech hub in the Irish capital Continue Reading
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News
07 Apr 2022
European IT and BPO outsourcing off to strong start
European IT and business process outsourcing services continue to increase rapidly, with cloud-based services now more than half of the total Continue Reading
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E-Zine
07 Apr 2022
CW Middle East: UAE and UK researchers work on ‘trustworthy’ cloud OS for datacentres
Imperial College London is embarking on a three-year project with an Abu Dhabi-based group of researchers to find ways for datacentre operators and cloud providers to secure their infrastructure. Also read how Dubai is positioning itself to reap the benefits of a promising global market for drone technology. Continue Reading
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News
05 Apr 2022
Saudi Arabian ICT sector hits $32.1bn after strong pandemic response
The Saudi Arabian IT and communications sector is recovering strongly from the Covid-19 pandemic Continue Reading
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News
18 Mar 2022
Ukrainian cyber defences prove resilient
Thanks to a combination of prior experience and global support, Ukraine’s defences against cyber incidents are holding strong in the face of Russian attacks Continue Reading
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News
17 Mar 2022
Ukrainian tech journalists join fight to fill news void
Technology journalists in Ukraine are raising funds to enable them to help Ukrainians survive during the Russian invasion Continue Reading
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News
15 Mar 2022
Abu Dhabi aims for a paradigm shift in drone delivery
Abu Dhabi’s drone network could become the world’s first drone platform that serves a wide variety of use cases for different industries across an entire city Continue Reading
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News
14 Mar 2022
BNP Paribas to recruit 1,000 more women in IT
Spanish bank sets target of adding 1,000 more female IT professionals to its workforce over the next two years Continue Reading
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News
07 Mar 2022
Deutsche Bank tests IT operation resilience amid potential loss of Russian centre
German bank is confident the possible loss of operations in Russia will not affect the day-to-day running of its business Continue Reading
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News
07 Mar 2022
Ukrainian engineers fight to keep internet online
IT professionals in Ukraine are working tirelessly and at great risk to keep the country connected to the internet during the Russian invasion Continue Reading
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News
02 Mar 2022
Middle East IT spending to recover to at least pre-pandemic levels
Middle East IT leaders expect budgets to increase this year, with spending to match or exceed pre-Covid levels Continue Reading
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News
01 Mar 2022
Zopa Bank to sponsor 50 Ukrainian tech professionals with visa offer
IT companies are reaching out to IT professionals in the Ukraine with offers of support for those looking to work in the UK Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2022
EU big tech laws put in context by Russian invasion of Ukraine
Pressure is mounting on EU institutions to cut back regulations they are preparing to impose on US big tech firms while forming laws to create a single digital market Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2022
Ukraine cyber attacks seen spiking, but no destructive cyber war yet
While cyber attacks linked to Russia’s war on Ukraine are taking place, they are having little impact beyond the region Continue Reading
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News
11 Feb 2022
Why security professionals should pay attention to what Russia is doing
Even though the average organisation is an unlikely target for a Russian state cyber attack, here's why security teams still need to watch what Russian threat groups are up to Continue Reading
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News
03 Feb 2022
UAE chooses Accenture to develop national payments platform
Consortium led by Accenture to build new payments infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates Continue Reading
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News
02 Feb 2022
Saudi Arabia to invest billions of dollars in technology and startups
Saudi Arabia announces $6.4bn investment in its tech sector as part of plans to diversify its economy Continue Reading
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News
01 Feb 2022
Dubai’s fledgling drone programme gets another nudge
Through a series of initiatives, Dubai is positioning itself to reap the benefits of a promising global market for drone technology Continue Reading
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News
27 Jan 2022
CISOs must get out in front of Ukraine cyber crisis, says NCSC
The National Cyber Security Centre is urging UK organisations to take steps to bolster their cyber security resilience in response to the ongoing Ukraine crisis Continue Reading
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News
27 Jan 2022
Imperial College London embarks on cloud security research push with Abu Dhabi tech hub
Imperial College London is embarking on a three-year project with an Abu Dhabi-based group of researchers to find ways for datacentre operators and cloud providers to secure their infrastructure Continue Reading
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News
26 Jan 2022
More intel emerges on WhisperGate malware that hit Ukraine
Security experts have been poring over the WhisperGate malware with which alleged Russia-backed entities targeted Ukrainian government websites Continue Reading
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News
25 Jan 2022
Prepare, but don’t panic, over supposed Russian cyber threat
A fresh alert from the US Department of Homeland Security may have IT security teams jumpy over the possibility that their organisations could be targeted by Russian state actors Continue Reading
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E-Zine
13 Jan 2022
CW Middle East: What does Saudi Arabia’s autonomous vehicle agenda mean for the world?
If all goes according to plan, within a few years, one million people will live in Saudi Arabia’s ‘city of the future’ – and every one of them will depend on a fleet of self-driving cars. Also in this issue, read about the UAE's bid to become a world-leading location for artificial intelligence innovation. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jan 2022
Outsourced IT and business services hit record levels in 2021
Spending on IT and business process outsourcing services in Europe hits highest ever level in 2021, with cloud service spending continuing to grow rapidly Continue Reading
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News
06 Jan 2022
How far has Saudi Arabia come with open data?
While clearly on the right path, Saudi Arabia still has a lot to do before it reaps the full benefits of open data Continue Reading
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News
23 Dec 2021
Top 10 Middle East IT stories of 2021
The Middle East is about more than oil these days, with advanced technology industries developing across the region. Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 Middle East IT stories of 2021 Continue Reading
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News
10 Dec 2021
UAE joins the race to produce a usable quantum computer
As part of its ongoing effort to keep up with the latest technology, the United Arab Emirates has begun work on the region’s first quantum computer Continue Reading
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News
07 Dec 2021
AI assistant Bürokratt to reduce bureaucracy in Estonian government
Estonia to launch a Siri-like digital assistant that will automate the completion of government service requests Continue Reading
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News
06 Dec 2021
European finance firms increase open banking spend
Financial services firms are increasing investment in open banking capabilities, with improvements to payment initiation and onboarding capabilities expected Continue Reading
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News
01 Dec 2021
Unesco member states adopt AI ethics recommendation
The non-binding recommendation seeks to define a common set of values and principles to guide the development of ethical AI globally Continue Reading
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News
16 Nov 2021
Can UAE become a world leader in AI?
The UAE has launched multiple programmes as it bids to be a world-leading location for artificial intelligence innovation Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2021
Vienna’s tech startup ecosystem gathers momentum
After a sustained period of inactivity, Vienna’s startup environment is finally on the rise again Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2021
Payments through open banking could end card dominance
Payments made through open banking will eat into those made using cards as the next five years sees an acceleration in adoption Continue Reading
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News
21 Oct 2021
Gitex 2021: Batelco brings collaboration to Bahrain operations
Aiming to deliver evolved teamwork capabilities to its customers to accelerate Bahrain’s transition to the digital workplace, digital communications solutions provider adopts new collaboration technology Continue Reading
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News
20 Oct 2021
What does Saudi Arabia’s autonomous vehicle agenda mean to the rest of the world?
If all goes according to plan, within a few years, one million people will live in Saudi Arabia’s ‘city of the future’ – and every one of them will depend on a fleet of self-driving cars Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2021
Gitex 2021: Avaya builds up AI experience to boost collaboration
New communications and collaboration ecosystem launched to enable customers to achieve better business outcomes in the experience economy and the new hybrid working mode Continue Reading
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E-Zine
07 Oct 2021
CW Middle East: Middle East hospitals accelerate take-up of healthcare technologies
The Middle East is accelerating its take-up of digital healthcare technologies following lessons learned during the Covid-19 pandemic, with regional government turning to technology to track disease trends and monitor treatment. Also read in this issue how the UAE’s National Program for Coders will offer ‘golden visas’ to 100,000 entrepreneurs, enterprise owners and startups. Continue Reading
- 06 Oct 2021
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Opinion
05 Oct 2021
Britain needs its amazing migrants
Fintech entrepreneur Michael Kent explains why Britain needs migrants and why government policy and media horror stories will damage the UK’s economy and reputation Continue Reading
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News
30 Sep 2021
Digital bank fined by regulator due to weak anti-money laundering controls
German digital bank is fined by financial services regulator for failing in relation to its anti-money laundering practices Continue Reading
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News
27 Sep 2021
Dubai International Finance Centre’s data protection law to be boosted by new federal regulation
New UAE data protection regulation on the horizon a year after a Dubai-specific law came into force Continue Reading
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News
22 Sep 2021
Foreign professionals and upskilled locals in demand as UAE sets ambitious coding targets
The United Arab Emirates is on a mission to grow its tech sector as part of its economic diversification plans, but it needs more talent from inside and outside the country Continue Reading
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News
06 Sep 2021
Saudi tourism development fund goes cloud-first with Oracle
$4bn fund will be used to invest in developing Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry as the country reduces its economic reliance on oil and gas Continue Reading
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News
02 Sep 2021
The Gulf is counting on its smart cities for a sustainable and profitable future
The countries in the Gulf region are leading the way in the development of smart cities as part of their economic diversification Continue Reading
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News
13 Aug 2021
GoStudent: Europe’s newest edtech unicorn
Europe’s biggest ed-tech unicorn reaches unicorn status and tests sector traditions Continue Reading
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News
11 Aug 2021
Global fintech investments reach new heights
The global financial technology industry is emerging from the pandemic-triggered slowdown with record levels of investment to fuel further growth Continue Reading
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News
10 Aug 2021
Dutch lead the way in protecting themselves against internet risks
Dutch citizens come top in a study on awareness of internet risks in Europe, which showed major differences across the continent Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2021
UAE offers ‘golden visas’ to coders as part of national IT skills programme
The United Arab Emirates is offering visas to coders across the world as it attempts to attract talent to support its economic diversification Continue Reading
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News
14 Jul 2021
More than half of European IT outsourcing spending will soon be on cloud services
Cloud services will soon be the largest part of the IT services market in Europe, as enterprises invest in them as part of their Covid-19 recovery strategies Continue Reading
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E-Zine
08 Jul 2021
CW Middle East: Pandemic speeds up edtech revolution in Gulf
One of the lessons the Covid-19 pandemic has taught governments across the world is that education providers can still teach when their premises are inaccessible. Read how organisations in the Gulf region’s education sector have been quick to adopt the latest education technology, known as edtech, to help in this endeavour. Also read in this issue how Indian IT services company TCS is bringing together universities, businesses, tech startups and government to work on sustainability challenges. Continue Reading
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News
06 Jul 2021
Gulf hospitals flock to digital health to manage lifestyle diseases
The Middle East is accelerating its take-up of digital healthcare technologies following lessons learned in the Covid-19 pandemic Continue Reading
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News
23 Jun 2021
Bahrain university uses Alexa on campus
University in Bahrain is using Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant to support users of its campus Continue Reading
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News
15 Jun 2021
Nokia and Ooredoo initiate 4G and 5G fixed wireless access deployment across Oman
Leading comms tech provider and local Oman operator begin 4G and 5G fixed wireless access deployment for services covering homes and businesses throughout the country Continue Reading
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News
27 May 2021
How the pandemic accelerated the Gulf’s edtech revolution
The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital learning technologies in the Gulf region’s education sector Continue Reading
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E-Zine
15 Apr 2021
CW Middle East: Qatari regulator launches platform to help combat money laundering
The Qatar Financial Markets Authority is using a digital platform to enable financial services professionals to assess their knowledge of anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism. Also in this issue, read how the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the IT spending patterns among enterprises in Saudi Arabia. Continue Reading
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News
09 Apr 2021
Global demand for IT and business services highest ever for first quarter
Global demand for IT and business services began the year strongly, with a record first quarter Continue Reading
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News
29 Mar 2021
How Gulf SMEs are building digital resilience amid the pandemic
SMEs in the Gulf region have accelerated their digital transformations during the Covid-19 pandemic Continue Reading
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News
29 Mar 2021
How far has open banking come in Europe?
Open banking is a relatively new concept, having come into effect in Europe only in the last couple of years. So what is the state of play? Continue Reading
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News
18 Feb 2021
Fingerprints will help payment cards retain relevance
Biometric payment cards using fingerprint technology could add billions to global banking revenues, says UBS Continue Reading
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News
16 Feb 2021
TransferGo to harness Google-inspired tech capability
Payments fintech TransferGo chooses cloud-native core banking platform to build a digital wallet and expand its services Continue Reading
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News
16 Feb 2021
Qatar regulator launches platform to monitor human understanding of financial crime
Qatari financial services regulator works with global body to provide digital platform to assess whether financial services workers understand how to prevent financial crime Continue Reading
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News
02 Feb 2021
Nordic countries dominate European online banking take-up
Nordics dominate online banking take-up in Europe, but the UK is not far behind Continue Reading
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News
26 Jan 2021
Saudi IT spending to hit $11bn in 2021
Saudi Arabian organisations will spend about $11bn on IT this year, with emerging technologies high on shopping lists Continue Reading
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E-Zine
14 Jan 2021
CW Middle East: $60m venture capital fund targets 120 startups
Countries in the Middle East see technology as an industry of the future and are investing heavily in the sector as part of their economic diversification plans. Read in this issue how the latest development will see a $60m venture capital fund, based in Bahrain, invest in 120 early-stage startups across the Middle East region. Also read how Saudi Arabia has signed two agreements with Chinese IT suppliers as it strives to deliver its ambitious programme to diversify its economy. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jan 2021
Bahrain hopes 5G roll-out will attract more tech firms to its shores
Bahrain has completed its 5G roll-out, which will support its IT infrastructure in creating the right environment for technology firms Continue Reading
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News
11 Jan 2021
Jobs in fintech bounce back after brief lockdown lull
Fintechs and payments companies need to make staff recruitment a priority as talent pool shrinks Continue Reading
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News
24 Dec 2020
Top 10 Middle East stories of 2020
Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 Middle East stories of 2020 Continue Reading
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News
15 Dec 2020
Covid-19 sparks boom in Middle East digital payments sector
Stubborn cash use could fall in the Middle East after an acceleration in the take-up of digital payments amid the coronavirus pandemic Continue Reading
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News
30 Nov 2020
$60m Middle East tech fund targets 120 startups
Venture capital fund expects rapid regional technology growth in the post-Covid-19 world Continue Reading
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News
13 Nov 2020
IT Priorities 2020: European IT budget share reflects home-working challenges brought by Covid
European organisations are being forced to redivert more limited budgets during the pandemic Continue Reading
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News
22 Oct 2020
Saudi Arabian authorities work with Chinese IT giants on digital goals
Saudi Arabia has signed two agreements with Chinese IT suppliers as it strives to deliver its ambitious programme to diversify its economy Continue Reading
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E-Zine
08 Oct 2020
CW Middle East: Egypt’s datacentre plans take a step forward
While it builds an IT services industry, Egypt is also investing in infrastructure and now plans to develop a datacentre industry. Read in this issue how, as part of this plan, Egypt’s parliament has passed a data protection law. Also read how the Europe, Middle East and Africa region has seen traditional IT outsourcing deals reduce in value by 21%, while the business process outsourcing market fell by 9%. Continue Reading
