The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Yuliia Svyrydenko, met with the OAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, to discuss cooperation between the two countries in the digital sphere.
Digitalization and Successes of State Electronic Services
The Diia service
Yuliia Svyrydenko highlighted the important role of digitalization in Ukrainian society, particularly during the ongoing war, and the successes of state electronic services. She stated that more than 18 million Ukrainians currently use the Diia service, a digital identification tool and wallet that combines almost all services provided by the state, including helping internally displaced persons. The Diia service architecture is also used internationally, and Ukraine is taking part in the EU project to develop an electronic wallet.
Growing IT Industry in Ukraine
Despite the ongoing war, Ukraine’s IT industry is growing, with record exports of USD 7.34 billion last year. Yuliia Svyrydenko emphasized the need to develop a partnership in the digital sphere between Ukraine and the UAE. She suggested that intergovernmental agreements between Ukraine and the UAE should facilitate the interaction of IT companies.
Interest in AI Tools for Economic Development
The UAE expressed interest in using the Diia service architecture, while Ukraine expressed interest in using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to forecast economic development. The two sides agreed to further explore opportunities for cooperation in the digital sphere.
The meeting between Yuliia Svyrydenko and Omar bin Sultan Al Olama shows a positive step towards strengthening the partnership between Ukraine and the UAE in the digital sphere, despite the challenges posed by the ongoing war. With the growing IT industry in Ukraine and the UAE’s interest in digital tools, there are plenty of opportunities for cooperation and mutual benefit.
