In Davos, Crown Prince attends signing of MoU with Microsoft

AMMAN — HRH Crown Prince Hussein on Thursday attended a signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the ICT Ministry and the Crown Prince Foundation (CPF) on one side and Microsoft on the other, a Royal Court statement said.

The MoU, signed on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, stipulates support from Microsoft in the Kingdom’s digital transformation process through adopting artificial intelligence technologies and the formulation of policies related to the sector, including in the areas the Internet of Things and Blockchain.

The memo aims to enhance cooperation in the fields of upgrading and developing the communication and IT sectors and cybersecurity.

It is also aimed at strengthening the legislative and regulatory environment of the sector, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, stimulating innovation, entrepreneurship and technical and vocational education in Jordan.

Under the agreement, the three institutions will cooperate to achieve capacity building needed in the fields of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, data classification and cloud programming along with training of human resources.

The MoU signed by Microsoft Jordan Executive Director Hussein Malhas and Minister of State for Investment Affairs Muhannad Shehadeh, in the presence of Microsoft’s Executive Vice President and President of Global Sales, Marketing and Operations Jean-Philippe Courtois, includes “working collectively to identify a roadmap to accredit and implement digital services in the Kingdom’s sectors that have been given priority”, according to the statement. 

As per its mission to empower the Jordanian youth, the CPF’s role under the agreement would be implementing the accord’s articles according to a plan that involves three phases; the first of which is building the capacities of some 1,000 young local software developers. 

In the second phase, five to 10 emerging companies in the field of software development will be identified and connected with business accelerators and investors in the field of artificial intelligence.

The CPF will also bolster these companies’ participation in international platforms such as Emerge 100 and Startups Conference along with establishing the “21st Century AI Skills Lab AppFactory”.

As part of the third phase, an e-platform will be launched to widen the scope of work to reach 500 companies, 16,000 programmers and developers in addition to 50 startup emerging companies.