Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to be here today with you at this timely meeting of the Regional Regulatory Association and Digital Regulation Network - which we commonly refer to as DRN.
Firstly, I would like to thank our Chair for today. Engineer Omar Abdulrahman Alrejraje is both Deputy Governor of the Regulation and Competition Sector at CST Saudi Arabia and a representative of AREGNET, so he is the perfect person to chair this joint meeting. I also want to convey my appreciation to all the representatives of the Regional Regulatory Associations and their members, for joining us today.
As you all know, there is a delicate interplay between regulation and innovation. We need regulation that fosters innovation, while also ensuring that innovation serves everyone with the relevant safeguards in place. That is why we now speak in terms of building ecosystems rather than simply reacting to developments. In doing so, we are united by a shared purpose: to accelerate sustainable digital transformation through regional collaboration.
The DRN embodies this mission, empowering Regional Regulatory Associations to exchange knowledge, and align policies and to build stronger governance across borders and sectors.
The DRN's three building blocks are Capacity Development, Thought Leadership and Regulatory Experimentation, and Innovation. We have already seen the wisdom behind those building blocks. In the digital arena, we are seeing rapid and transformative advances in emerging technologies, but on the other hand, this innovation also brings with it new risks and challenges. As digital technologies such as AI, the Internet of Things (IoT) and quantum technology rapidly evolve, emerging ethical dimensions and other vulnerabilities also need to be addressed. The DRN has its work cut out in facilitating the exchange of such critical knowledge.
From this solid foundation of its building blocks, the network is poised to strengthen regional regulatory capacity, foster cross-sector cooperation and drive impactful initiatives which are evident from the articles published via the Digital Regulation Platform.
The DRN has been promoting active participation in ITU-D forums as well as pursuing targeted capacity-building programmes on digital regulation. Thanks to the active leadership of Board members from Regional Regulatory Associations, the DRN is driving strategic vision, sparking deeper collaboration and amplifying our shared desired impact.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am sure that when we combine our strengths and share our vision, knowledge and experiences, we unlock the power to create a world where technology uplifts everyone everywhere.
Thank you!
