H.H. Sheikh Abdullah: Digital tech is helping UAE to avert second wave of COVID-19

His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, says the UAE's "success in averting the second wave of the pandemic would not have been possible without digital technologies".

His Highness made the statement at the Global Business Summit co-hosted by the UAE and Estonia.

The virtual private and public sector forum aims to accelerate digital transformation in the global fight against COVID-19.

The summit encourages governments and businesses to share some of the world’s best digital solutions to help confront the complex challenges posed by the pandemic.

Sheikh Abdullah said, "The UAE, in cooperation with its partners around the world has provided a living example of harnessing technological advances in containing the pandemic and building a flexible response to deal with its repercussions which resulted in multiple achievements in record time."

His Highness cited examples of these achievements, including "effective detection, tracing, prevention and risk management techniques, and the steady growth in the speed of testing, developing and adapting smart government applications to serve health goals, ensuring the continuity of governmental and logistical services in all sectors with the desired efficiency and effectiveness.

"I can assure you that what we have reached today in the UAE record expansion in the epidemiological survey and an exceptional success in averting the second wave of the pandemic would not have been possible without the proper employment of technology and digital technologies to deal with the health crisis.I also assure you that all this is not the result of the instantaneous response to the epidemic, but rather the culmination of cumulative government policies that supported the technological progress in the UAE over the past years," the Minister added.

While the UAE continues its technological and digital journey to achieve the goals of food and economic security, clean energy, smart cities, and the space sector, Sheikh Abdullah explained, "it does not neglect the key role of technological diplomacy and bilateral and multilateral partnerships play in achieving our future aspirations in the field of technology and digital strategies.

"In light of this, the UAE is in the process of appointing its first ambassador for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, with the aim of building on the achievements of the Emirati diplomacy and its distinguished presence at the global level to forge more technological partnerships and explore opportunities for digital cooperation with its partners," he said.

Sheikh Abdullah underlined the tremendous value of Expo 2020 Dubai, organised under the theme of "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future".

The global event, he said, "will serve as a vital opportunity for us all to explore new opportunities and promising partnerships in the field of technology, whether in the traditional or technological sectors or through investment alliances in pioneering fields such as financial technology".

Countries that participated in the Summit were invited to nominate their best digital solutions in one of the featured sectors to help overcome a global problem, with proposals ready for use in at least one country within three months.