[ TECHNOLOGY ]
In this new age , a multi-stakeholder approach that brings together the private , public and civil society sectors is needed ; and as the global balance of power shifts , international collaboration on common challenges and shared interests is equally essential .
Issues such as climate change do not discriminate between borders and cannot be solved by a few countries alone but necessitate a coordinated approach . A global economy that is so bifurcated and siloed that superpowers work against each other is too expensive for our planet to bear .
By leveraging technology , nations can collaborate more effectively , share information and develop innovative solutions . Within this landscape , the significance of techplomacy , the fusion of technology and diplomacy , has become critical .
Coined first by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2017 when they announced the world ’ s first ‘ Tech Ambassador ’ in Silicon Valley , this term now expresses what is crucially needed , and increasingly undertaken , to address issues such as climate change , cybersecurity , public health crises and much more .
At the crossroads of East and West , a new ' digital Silk Road ' is taking shape
A PIVOTAL REGION
A key trend of the past few decades is a shift from globalisation to more regionalisation with the emergence of several heterogeneous blocs . It is important to note that Asia ’ s strength lies not in uniformity but in the dynamism of its many unique economies and innovation hubs , as well as its various different political landscapes . Whilst most attention to date has been paid to China and India , as well as developed nations such as Japan and South Korea and rapidly emerging countries like Indonesia and Vietnam , there are huge opportunities elsewhere in Asia which require a more nuanced approach .
Notably , in an era shaped by technological transformation and evolving trade relations , a vast region with shared cultural values , spanning the Middle East , North Africa ( MENA ) and Turkic countries 1 in Central Asia and the Caucasus , is experiencing rapid changes . At the crossroads of East and West , a new ' digital Silk Road ' is tak-
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Stemming from an ethnolinguistic reference , Turkic countries include Türkiye , Azerbaijan and most Central Asian states .
ing shape in what was once a key segment of the historic Silk Road .
Favourable tailwinds in the region include its promising demographics , with the world ' s largest youth population and more than half of its residents under 25 — signaling potential for rapid growth in the burgeoning local technology ecosystems .
Over a dozen unicorns have emerged from the region and success stories such as Careem ’ s exit to Uber for $ 3.1 billion have helped change mindsets towards entrepreneurship and inspire the next generation of talent . Former Careem employees have started more than 250 companies , creating the region ’ s own ‘ Paypal Mafia ’. Major international investors including the likes of Sequoia Capital , Kleiner Perkins , amongst others , have made their first investments in the region in the past few years .
As traditionally natural-resource rich countries look to diversify their economies , the region is now home to some of the world ' s most ambitious technology-driven development programmes , as exemplified by the likes of Saudi Arabia ’ s ‘ Vision 2030 .’ Some of the world ’ s most forward-looking nations in adopting artificial intelligence are found there . In 2020 the UAE appointed the world ’ s first AI minister ; and while in 2024 , Microsoft announced a $ 1.5 billion investment in Abu Dhabi-based AI firm G42 , Saudi Arabia unveiled plans for an unprecedented $ 40 billion global investment fund dedicated to AI technologies . Similarly , Kazakhstan is also working towards building a National Artificial Intelligence Platform , which will include data from more than 90 sources , as part of its Digital Kazakhstan initiative .
Meanwhile , supporting the green energy transition , the World Bank , Abu Dhabi ’ s Masdar and the government of Uzbekistan recently signed a financial package to fund a 250-megawatt ( MW ) solar photovoltaic plant with a 63- MW battery energy storage system for commercial scale
PHOTO : TEERA KONAKA / GETTY IMAGES
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WEJ | September 2024