Author: Akin Naphtal

The Ministry of International Cooperation in Egypt has launched an automated system for data management and follow-up on development financing for projects. This initiative is part of the country’s digital transformation plan aimed at promoting transparency and good governance in development cooperation efforts with multilateral and bilateral development partners. The new system integrates data relating to development cooperation agreements, projects and programs with development partners to ensure relevant information is available to all national entities. It also monitors the financial and technical performance of projects funded by multilateral and bilateral development partners, extracts periodic reports for decision-makers and shares data…

The MENA Fintech Association has announced the appointment of Bryan Zhang to its Advisory Board (Academic). As Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School, Zhang’s extensive background in researching financial and regulatory innovation globally is expected to provide a fresh perspective on the fintech industry in the MENA region. Zhang’s appointment comes with a wealth of experience in the global fintech landscape, having co-authored over 50 influential industry and policy reports on topics such as crowdfunding, marketplace lending, digital assets, green finance, open banking and regulatory innovation. His…

The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI) has implemented a digital signature and verification feature in its UAE Pass for engineering project contracts, allowing consultants and contractors to electronically sign bids and contracts while ensuring information privacy and protection. The UAE Pass is a digital identity platform that enables users to access various government services with a single login. According to Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, the implementation of the digital signature and verification feature aims to automate the services related to engineering project contracts. It is in line with the ministry’s efforts to…

Zero Two, a digital assets infrastructure company in Abu Dhabi, has launched its operations to provide integrated end-to-end solutions for companies looking to capitalize on Web3 technology and its ecosystem. The company offers a range of services, from developing power infrastructure to sourcing and testing latest generation technologies, to building and operating data centers and providing digital assets management services. With the maturity of the digital economy, digital assets have the potential to enhance operational efficiency and increase transparency, coordination and information sharing across company boundaries through various applications. Zero Two aims to develop, operate and invest in technologies that…

The Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) has launched the Geological Risk Base Platform, the first digital platform aimed at educating the community about natural disasters. The platform will provide important seismic data to the community and expedite the activation of agreements and requests for seismic risk assessment in various locations. The launch ceremony was held on the sidelines of the 44th meeting of the authority’s Board of Directors and was attended by Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources and Chairman of the Board of Directors of SGS Bandar Alkhorayef, Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Mining Affairs Eng. Khalid…

NEOPIN, a global CeDeFi platform, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with travel platform Tripbtoz to develop a Web 3.0-based travel platform. Tripbtoz is a travel platform based on user-created short-form video content, which offers a community for sharing travel videos and a reward system called “trip cash”. NEOPIN and Tripbtoz, who met as officials of the business delegation that accompanied the Korean government’s economic summit with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in January, have decided to collaborate on a Web 3.0 project based in the Middle East. READ ALSO:Qatar University and Microsoft Qatar partner to transform education through…

Qatar University has entered into a partnership with Microsoft Qatar to improve education through technology. The agreement was signed by Dr. Khaled Al Khater, Vice President for Administrative and Financial Affairs of the University and Lana Khalaf, General Manager of Microsoft Qatar, during a ceremony held at the university. The purpose of the agreement is to enhance the capabilities of students and faculty members by providing them with the necessary tools and skills to leverage advanced technology. The agreement will enable Qatar University to transform digitally by implementing Microsoft’s Education Transformation Agreement framework for higher education. The framework is based…

PhonePe Pvt Ltd, a digital payments company backed by Walmart, has launched an app called Pincode on the Indian government’s Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to bolster its e-commerce business. The ONDC, launched last year, aims to enable small merchants and local stores across India to access processes and technologies typically deployed by larger e-commerce platforms. Pincode, currently available only in Bengaluru on Google Play Store and the App Store, focuses on hyperlocal commerce and includes categories such as groceries, food, pharma, electronics, home decor and fashion. READ ALSO:Republic Crypto Expands to UAE with Partnership with Ghaf Labs to…

Republic Crypto, a global blockchain firm providing end-to-end advisory services to accelerate crypto companies, has extended its services to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to grow its presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Republic Crypto obtained a license from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) in 2022 to offer its full stack of products and services, starting with tech advisory services to the UAE market. READ ALSO:Microsoft Launches Security Copilot, Bringing Next-Generation AI to Cybersecurity Kenya plans to lay 100,000km of national fibre optic cable with 52% contribution from private sector 1oT partners with Workz to…

Microsoft has launched a new AI-powered cybersecurity tool called Microsoft Security Copilot to help security professionals detect and respond to threats quickly. The tool will combine Microsoft’s vast threat intelligence with industry-leading expertise to augment the work of security professionals through an easy-to-use AI assistant. The technology is designed to work seamlessly with security teams, empowering them to see what is happening in their environment and make more informed, efficient decisions at machine speed. READ ALSO:Kenya plans to lay 100,000km of national fibre optic cable with 52% contribution from private sector 1oT partners with Workz to address enterprise eSIM gap…