• Google Cloud is the technical partner in the Arabic LLM GenAI– Fanar project.
• Al Shammari: MCIT is committed to providing innovative and scalable solutions through partnership with Google Cloud.
• Al Shammari highlighted Qatar's efforts in localizing modern technologies, especially AI.

Under the patronage of His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, the Google Cloud Doha Summit 2024 activities were concluded on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at Stadium 974. The summit, the first of its kind in the Middle East and Africa witnessed the presence of Their Excellencies, the ministers and several senior government officials, representatives of leading international technology companies, and a select group of experts and specialists.

During the opening ceremony, Mr. Sami Al Shammari, Assistant Undersecretary for Infrastructure and Operations Affairs at MCIT, participated in a panel discussion. The discussion covered various topics, including Qatar's efforts to localize modern technologies, especially artificial intelligence, and the country's role in advancing digital development, supporting entrepreneurship, and strengthening the national economy.  Mr. Al Shammari emphasized MCIT's commitment to these initiatives and its strategic partnership with Google Cloud.

Al Shammari also touched on the Ministry’s regulatory role aimed at strengthening the digital ecosystem by encouraging innovation and cooperation between the public and private sectors, improving and rehabilitating the workforce's skills, and the importance of providing cloud computing technologies to achieve the Qatar National Vision 2030.

Commenting on the Ministry's participation in the Summit, Mr. Al Shammari said: "We are pleased to be at the Google Cloud Doha Summit as we celebrate the achievements achieved during the first year of launching the Google Cloud Region in the country. This summit represents an opportunity to communicate with technology pioneers and experts, search for new collaboration opportunities with Google Cloud and its partners and discuss the latest trends in cloud technology. "

He added, “We are committed to providing innovative and scalable solutions through our partnership with Google Cloud, which will significantly enhance our efforts to support the country's digital transformation process”.

Within Google Cloud Summit Doha 2024 activities, MCIT had a special pavilion showcasing the most critical joint programs between the Ministry, government entities, and Google Cloud. Among the prominent cooperation initiatives was the Arabic Large Language Model for Generative Artificial Intelligence, the 'Fanar' project. This project, in which Google Cloud, as the technical partner, will contribute to its future development and enhance its ability to generate high-quality Arabic content, is a significant step towards advancing AI technology in the region.

Other initiatives included the MCIT Overseas Internship program, a key initiative that aims to qualify national cadres to work in the ICT sector by providing them with training in leading international companies, including Google Cloud. This program plays a crucial role in developing local talent and enhancing the capabilities of the ICT sector in Qatar. Additionally, there was an initiative to support and develop the 'Islam Web' website to make it a rich and state-of-the-art resource for displaying Arabic-Islamic content in a modern and attractive manner, ensuring easy access to its Islamic resources for everyone.

The Ministry's participation in Google Cloud Summit Doha 2024 comes with its commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships with leading international companies, such as Google Cloud. This partnership is instrumental in supporting investment in the ICT sector and accelerating MCIT's digital transformation efforts. This participation is part of MCIT's continuous efforts to achieve its Digital Agenda 2030 and implement the Third National Development Strategy, which strives to strengthen the digital economy and boost innovation in the country.