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Google Cloud Announces New Regional Hub In Qatar
The initiative is expected to bolster the country’s economic output by $18.9 billion from 2023 to 2030 and will eventually generate an additional 25,000 jobs.
Google Cloud is working with Qatar’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Qatar Free Zone Authority to establish a regional hub in the country’s capital, Doha.
The hub will be the company’s first in the GCC region. It will focus on the digital transformation of the company in Qatar and the wider Middle East, helping Google to develop its products and services.
The Doha hub was recently announced as part of Google Cloud’s global network of 37 regions and 112 zones. As a result of the expansion, Google Cloud services can now be used in over 200 countries and territories worldwide.
According to research by Google Cloud (conducted by Access Partnership), creating a new hub is anticipated to impact Qatar’s economy significantly. Between 2023 and 2030, the manufacturing facility will contribute approximately $18.9 billion to Qatar’s economic output and is also expected to create around 25,000 jobs by 2030.
Google says the new Doha regional hub will have three areas where users can submit apps and store them for better protection against attacks. The infrastructure will also include Google’s major cloud products, such as Computer Engine, Cloud Run, Cloud SQL, Google Kubernetes Engine, Spanner, and more. These products provide users with various tools and features to meet their cloud needs and support them with their digital processes.
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The official announcement was made at a launch event attended by Qatari cabinet officials and business leaders, highlighting the importance of Google’s regional expansion to local cloud infrastructure.
Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai welcomed the announcement, declaring that the new hub aligns with Qatar’s National Vision 2030, stating, “The new cloud region will contribute to giving impetus to economic and productivity growth, and will allow various government and private companies and institutions within Qatar the opportunity to achieve significant efficiency gains by adopting flexible features in dealing with digital technology”.
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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.
Also Read: IBM Opens New Doha Office To Support Qatar’s Digital Growth
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.