TDRA Hosts Forum On Youth And Digital Sustainability Pathways

The Telecommunications & Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), through its Youth Council, hosted the "Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development" forum. This event coincided with International Youth Day, observed annually on 12 August. The forum aligns with the UAE government's vision for the Year of Sustainability 2024, themed "Plan to Action".

TDRA's Director-General Engineer Majed Sultan Al Mesmar delivered the opening speech. He highlighted the unwavering support from the UAE's leadership towards youth initiatives and their role in shaping a sustainable future. "The intelligent linkage between digitization and sustainability in the theme of International Youth Day 2024 reminds me of the historical trajectory of the experience of governmental action in the UAE, where the directives of our wise leadership have always indicated that youth are the ones who create sustainability, through their willingness to change and courage to delve into all that is new, let alone their openness to knowledge and ability to look ahead," he said.

Eng. Mohammed Bushlaibi, Chairman of Youth Council and Manager of Information Security Services at TDRA, discussed TDRA's strategy for empowering youth in the digital realm. He emphasised equipping young people with skills to address future challenges and contribute to a sustainable, intelligent community through various initiatives like the TDRA Virtual Camp. This year's camp focuses on sustainability skills, game development, programming, and ChatGPT.

The forum also included a youth-led debate highlighting key initiatives by the Federal Youth Authority (FYA). The debate aimed to enhance dialogue skills among young people, improve their persuasive abilities, and introduce them to research supporting their viewpoints. The discussion centred around significant government trends in the UAE today, particularly the Zero Government Bureaucracy (ZGB) programme.

Engineer Majed Sultan Al Mesmar reflected on past achievements in government digitisation. He noted that in 2001, the UAE was first in the region to launch an eService called e-Dirham by the Ministry of Finance. In 2013, it became a pioneer in implementing smart government or mobile government services. Today, efforts continue with programmes like ZGB aiming to eliminate 2,000 government measures by 2024.

"We are the first government to eliminate the barrier between customers and government employees," Al Mesmar stated. He added that these milestones share a common theme of rejuvenation to sustain progress and entrepreneurship. Youth have played a crucial role across these milestones, contributing significantly to overcoming bureaucracy and achieving sustainable leadership.

Forum Participation and Representation

The event saw participation from various youth councils representing organisations such as Community Development Authority (CDA), Dubai Municipality, Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department in Dubai (IACAD), Central Bank of UAE (CBUAE), RAK Educational Zone, and Prime Minister's Office (represented by ZGB programme team).

The forum underscored TDRA's commitment to fostering youth involvement in digital transformation and sustainability efforts. By engaging young minds through initiatives like these forums and virtual camps, TDRA aims to build a future-ready generation equipped with essential skills for sustainable development.

With inputs from WAM