Abu Dhabi's Injazat and Oracle to build dedicated cloud region for UAE government bodies

Move will give organisations access to infrastructure that complies with top regulatory standards and local laws

UAE Cyber Security Council chief Mohammed Al Kuwaiti, standing, right, looks on as Injazat's Ussama Dahabiyeh and Oracle's Nick Redshaw shake hands after signing the agreement. Photo: Oracle

Injazat, a technology business that is part of Abu Dhabi's artificial intelligence company G42, and Oracle have signed a framework agreement to build a dedicated cloud region specifically for entities in the UAE federal government and the emirate's public companies.

The cloud region will give these organisations access to Texas-based Oracle's cloud applications and infrastructure that comply with top regulatory standards and local laws, the companies said at Oracle's CloudWorld summit in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

The deal was signed by Ussama Dahabiyeh, chief executive of Injazat, and Nick Redshaw, senior vice president of cloud technology and UAE country leader at Oracle, in the presence of Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, head of the UAE Cyber Security Council. The value of the project was not disclosed.

“In today’s rapidly evolving tech landscape, embracing partnerships with leading global technology providers, and enabling their localisation have become a key priority for businesses and governments,” Injazat chairman Mansoor Al Mansoori said.

“This partnership is a testament to our commitment to meeting this need while continuing to spearhead innovation in digital transformation for the UAE government.”

At the same time, the UAE Cyber Security Council and Oracle signed a preliminary agreement to extend co-operation between the two organisations.

The deal, signed by Mr Al Kuwaiti and Mr Redshaw, will help to boost the cyber security framework of the Emirates by exchanging information on information technology security risks, providing the latest technology solutions and conducting training across all sectors.

“We work continuously in co-operation with partners, institutions and individuals to enhance cyber security in all vital sectors through an advanced and resilient digital security system that strengthens the UAE's leading position globally in various fields,” Mr Al Kuwaiti said.

The adoption of advanced technology is growing in the UAE amid the rise of technology-focused consumers and an evolving digital landscape, underpinned by government efforts to develop the future economy.

This has given global cloud and cyber security providers an incentive to tap into the potential being offered by the region, most notably the UAE, the Arab world's second-largest economy.

Furthermore, the Emirates has invested heavily in building its IT infrastructure to boost the integrity of its government and economic systems amid the pursuit of its digital economy ambitions.

Abu Dhabi has been leading the charge. The UAE capital retained its title as the smartest city in the Mena region, thanks to its digital-first initiatives, according to the International Institute for Management Development's Smart City Index for 2023.

This was the third time in a row that the emirate topped the Swiss organisation's list.

In September last year, Oracle opened a technology collaboration centre in Abu Dhabi aimed at helping public and private sector organisations use emerging technology to boost their bottom lines.

Global end-user spending on public cloud services is projected to grow by about 22 per cent to $597.3 billion in 2023, from $491 billion last year, a study by Gartner showed this month.

Oracle will have eight active cloud regions in the region once those in Neom and Riyadh, and another in Israel, go online ― joining the two in the UAE, as well as one each in Jeddah, Jerusalem and South Africa.

The Dubai and Abu Dhabi regions started operations in September 2020 and November 2021, respectively.

The partnership is also expected to boost Injazat's ambitions to become a $1 billion company within the next few years and is set to enhance its profile as it expands across the wider Mena region, the company had previously told The National.

“Injazat is reaffirming its role as a key national digital transformation player, thanks to its comprehensive offerings that include multicloud, system integration, platform development, cyber security and venture expertise,” Mr Dahabiyeh said.