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GITEX GLOBAL 2024 Hosts MENA’s Largest Data Center Forum
The conference highlighted innovations in AI-driven infrastructure, job creation, and sustainable practices.
GITEX GLOBAL 2024, recognized as the world’s premier tech and startup gathering, hosted the largest data center event in the Middle East on Thursday at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). The event showcased the region’s ambition to solidify its leadership in the rapidly growing global data center industry.
The conference spotlighted the significant role of artificial intelligence (AI) in transforming data infrastructure. Leading enterprises offered attendees a glimpse into cutting-edge innovations, setting the stage for the future of hyperscale, modular, and edge data centers.
The “Data Centres Universe” segment of the event focused on how growth is being achieved within the sector. Key players such as Khazna, Legrand, Vertiv, Alibaba Cloud, AWS, DELL, Google Cloud, IBM, and Lenovo gathered to share insights on the industry’s trajectory. They explored strategies for accelerating growth and highlighted the role of expanding data centers in fostering AI-powered innovation.
During a panel discussion, Hassan Al Naqbi, CEO of Khazna Data Centers, emphasized that the development of data centers not only fuels market growth but also drives talent development and job creation. Al Naqbi dispelled the misconception that data centers are not job generators, stating: “Data centers are vital for economies and have different roles involved. If you look at all the hyperscales, their data centers are having a huge impact on the economy as people can secure jobs which are vital for the day-to-day operations”.
The conversation also shifted to the future, with industry experts stressing the importance of sustainability in their expansion as next-generation technologies and services continue to evolve.
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Marc Marazzi, Vice President of Legrand Data Center Solutions, shared his thoughts on the need for thoughtful planning in the rapidly expanding sector. He stressed the importance of balancing growth with environmental responsibility, noting: “Today, [data centers] are bigger than ever before and being built faster, but we must not lose sight of the importance of how we manufacture, what we are installing, and how they are managed”.
The hugely successful GITEX GLOBAL 2024 concludes today with Futuristic Friday, showcasing breakthrough technologies including quantum computing, advanced robotics, and space tech.
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UAE Prepares To Launch Two Satellites: Thuraya-2 And MBZ-SAT
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council yesterday.
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council in Dubai on December 16, 2024. The session highlighted the UAE’s ambitious space plans and took stock of the sector’s economic progress.
The council emphasized the growing role of private companies in advancing space technologies, noting that their contributions are now equal to that of the public sector. Members also praised initiatives like the Space Economic Zones Programme, which are designed to fuel innovation and investment in the space industry.
خلال ترؤسنا الاجتماع الأول للمجلس الأعلى للفضاء، بحثنا الاستثمارات الوطنية والمشاريع المقبلة في قطاع الفضاء والذي يشهد تطوراً مستمراً… وجددنا التزامنا بدعم ومواصلة تنفيذ برامج طموحة لاستكشاف الفضاء الخارجي حيث وصل حجم الاستثمارات في هذا القطاع إلى 40 مليار درهم خلال السنوات… pic.twitter.com/etJ33OnuSu
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) December 16, 2024
Discussing the UAE’s space journey, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remarked, “The national space sector continues to grow and advance, and we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the years”.
Sheikh Hamdan also received updates on two upcoming satellite projects: Thuraya-2 and MBZ-SAT. Thuraya-2, developed by Space42, is slated for launch this December. Meanwhile, the MBZ-SAT, created by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), will soon follow. MBRSC, a major driver of the UAE National Space Programme, continues to lead the nation’s space-related developments.
Space42 took the opportunity to showcase its advancements, including ongoing collaborations between public and private entities. The company also outlined strategies to promote innovation, boost revenue streams, and create new opportunities for growth in the sector.
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The UAE’s current projects build on a growing legacy of space exploration. Back in 2020, the nation made headlines with its Mars mission, successfully sending a probe into the planet’s orbit in 2021. This mission, which is now in its second phase as of June 2024, has been collecting critical data to develop a comprehensive diurnal image of Mars.
The UAE also ventured into lunar exploration with an unmanned mission aimed at studying untouched regions of the Moon’s surface. While the probe ultimately crashed during its landing attempt after communication was lost seconds before touchdown, the effort represented a significant step in the country’s exploration ambitions.