 We're here at ITU telecom world 2012 in Dubai, and I'm very pleased to be joined by Mr. Tariq Alawadi who is Executive Director for Spectrum Affairs for Telecommunication Regulatory Authority at the UAE. Mr. Alawadi, thank you very much indeed for being with us today. It's my pleasure. Thank you very much. It's very nice to see you again. Thank you very much. I wanted to start off by talking about the incredible transformation of the ICT sector and what for you you think are the principal opportunities arising from this? Well, first of all, let me say that the telecom sector is a very important sector in the world, in any countries. If not the most important sector, as always we are saying everywhere now, especially that we are coming to the preparation of world, conference or international telecommunication. And here always we are saying and putting that the ICT sector is the most important sector in any countries. Because all other sectors depending on that ICT sector by providing the network, telecom network, making convergence, connecting everybody to each other, government services, public, all thing that is connected to the ICT sector. So it's really required that to have very excellent and developed with new technologies providing in any countries. The telecom world also, IT telecom world, which now coming to the end by today, shows very exciting things happening here by seeing leadership, ministry roundtables, young innovators, those all let that this ICT sector is becoming very important sector in anybody. We saw so many things here in this telecom sector, telecom world this time. And hopefully that can let the telecom sector to be developed more and more in future. What do you see as the major challenges for the ICT sector at the moment? Most of the time that if I can't speak and my expert has a spectrum. Because spectrum it is very important essential issues for any operator that's starting in any country. Not only commercial operator, even now we can say for the government entities. We had one session here in the telecom world even this time spectrum challenges. So yes, spectrum is very important challenges for telecom sector. New technologies now is coming, new ideas. But all of them that it depends on the spectrum. If we talk about a little bit about LTE or 4G, I know many countries still they didn't develop the 3G network where they will develop the 4G. And that because of the resources which is the spectrum is not available. So spectrum challenges is very is the most challenge in the telecom sector as from my anger seeing that one. Hopefully that with this new things happen in the last WRC, 700 megahertz that maybe solve some countries to develop the network, especially in Africa and Arab countries where they were behind to having 700 megahertz. So yes, I might say again that the spectrum is the most challenge in the telecom sectors. What's the UAE's vision or response to addressing the incredible opportunities that are going to be arising from the ICT sector? Well UAE, let's say first of all UAE they have very developed network, infrastructure, as everybody has seen it here. We have two operators who provide in very nice sectors. However also they are looking for new technologies. But also that UAE is looking to improve other telecom sectors in different countries. We have one of the operators who's having their services in different countries and they are doing very well. Also UAE as regulators from my side that you can see that we are providing our services to other telecom operators or other telecom regulators in different countries, especially those countries who started their liberalization or something like that to improve their network by providing consultancy services, providing some policies, regulation, which to be suit to their countries. My followers say that every time they say that don't copy the regulation as it is from different countries. No, we'll teach you how to develop this regulation, these policies that they may suit your country. It depends on your economics, your GDP, your policies, your laws, your people. And those are things that has to be taken into consideration in order to develop these kind of policies. I can give you an example here of UAE. When we started the regulation in 2004 when the DRA has been established. And when we come to the regulation we developed, we haven't taken copy paste of this regulation in different countries. No, we work inside within the in-house and we work very hard with our operators, with our government entities, with our people also and developed. For example, for the spectrum 22 regulations suit for the UAE country. This may not suit for the different countries or our neighboring countries we have discussed with them. Somehow some of this regulation may be suit for them, some others not. So UAE is really looking forward always, helping others in developing their telecom sector or IC sector in their countries. Makes a lot of sense. And finally I'd like to ask you, in terms of where we are at the moment, we're here at ITU Telecom World 2012. The United Arab Emirates has got a great presence here. Why is an event such as this important to you? Good questions. Recently I was telling to everybody in history how we have started here in the telecom sector. The telecom sector or IC sector in the UAE is very developed as I mentioned. But I'm going to talk a little bit about the history outside the UAE participation. And UAE has joined the ITU in 1972 when established, because UAE has been established in 1971. So 1972 has joined the ITU and the other UN nation. UAE were participating in ITU a lot since that time. But active participation started in 1997 by submitting one paper during WRC in 1997. And then in 2000, we submitted seven paper, which was in Istanbul. In 2003, where we were there was bombing of UAE, where we submitted around 40 contribution, Arab Common Proposal, which already been developed in the UAE, submitted to GCC countries, and then to the Arab Group, where they are later submitted. From here, UAE was started that time, bombing, by leading the Arab countries, by hosting number of meetings, number of issues. And later on, we come up at this year, 2012, where UAE chaired one of the important conference, the WRC at the beginning of the year, and now hosting three major events. Starting with the Telecom World, and then with World Telecommunication Association, and simply 2012, and World Community Conference on International Telecommunication. Okay, why it is important? Our leadership here in the country, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, the President of UAE, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the Vice President of UAE, they were having, their vision is very far away, that UAE to be, the UAE name to be enhanced, and worldwide, and to be number one. Last year, or year before, UAE government, the President has approved very important strategic plan for the UAE, which we call it 2021. And it has number of pillars, number of points. And one of the points that has been mentioned there, which is 2.3. Enhance UAE image worldwide. And as we are a telecommunication regulatory authority responsible for the telecommunication and ICT sector in the UAE, it is our obligation and our job to make sure that ICT of UAE to be enhanced in the worldwide and to be number one. Which is, this is our job. And with all thanks to ITU Dr. Hamid Munturi, the city general of ITU, and with all his support, we have reached to this 2012, where Dr. Hamid Munturi has declared that UAE to buy ICT capital in 2012 this year. Which is, this is our proud that we can see it. The close relationship between ITU and UAE, it's really incredible. And we hope that this relationship let the ICT sector in the UAE, in the Arab countries and the worldwide to be enhanced. We are supporting Kuala Lumpur countries. We have a good relationship. Let's say excellent relationship also with all members in the world. And we are happy that to help them in ICT sector as well. We're very pleased to have been here. And I think the whole event has been an incredible success. So thank you very much for your play, your part in that. And I'd like to thank you very much for your participation in this interview today. Sariq Alawadi, thank you very much indeed. Thank you very much. And just one more thing if I allow me that to say. I would like to wish all the best also for our friends Thailand to host the next year this telecom award 2013 in Bangkok. And watch them all the successful, all the best. And we are also happy to help them in any kind of thing that they want from us to supporting and hosting this kind of thing. Thank you very much for having me this interview. Thank you.