ICT Challenges for the Arab World

Ch ap te r 8 I CT C ha lle ng es fo r t he A ra b W or ld Introduction The purpose of this chapter is to discuss ongoing developments in the Arab world in the areas of information and communication technology (ICT) and to highlight the obstacles to and present recommendations for further development. We looked at the environment as well as individual, business, and government variables in assessing the current state of development and the impact of national and regional ICT strategies. Our recommendations are addressed to policymakers at the national and regional levels. The scope of this chapter encompasses thirteen countries, which we group according to geography. We defi ne the “Gulf,” the “Arabian Gulf,” or “Gulf states” as comprising Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman. Our defi nition of “Levant” includes Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt. We classify Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco as the “Maghreb states.”