Hatem Dowidar, group CEO of e&, called for common global standards to secure a trusted and inclusive digital future during a session at the World Governments Summit 2026 in Abu Dhabi on February 4. Speaking in the panel titled “Who Decides the Digital World?” moderated by CNN anchor Becky Anderson, Dowidar positioned the UAE-based technology group as a key contributor to shaping digital governance amid fragmentation and competing visions. The summit, which ran for three days until February 5 under the theme “Shaping the Governments of the Future,” assembled more than 60 heads of state, over 500 ministers, representatives from more than 150 governments and more than 6,250 participants overall.
Dowidar described e& as a technology leader in the region that is pioneering in telecoms. “We are a technology leader in the region. We are a pioneer in telecoms. The company this year celebrates 50 years of operation, which puts us among the top tier of old businesses that have been there, but has been reinventing itself,” he said. The group was the first in the region to launch 3G, 4G and 5G technologies and is now collaborating with multiple organisations to develop standards for 6G, with global frameworks expected to take shape by 2028 and early deployments around 2030, according to his remarks at the session. e& has expanded its operations across 38 markets as it transforms from a telecom operator into a diversified technology group, organisers of the summit noted in related coverage.
The executive highlighted the recent introduction of 5G-Advanced, referred to as 5.5G in the UAE, which already provides ultra-low latency, superfast speeds and deeper integration with direct-to-device satellite connectivity. These features preview many of the advantages anticipated with full 6G deployment, Dowidar explained. He outlined a multistakeholder decision-making process in the digital domain that begins with sovereign governments dictating data and infrastructure rules within their territories, followed by international platforms such as OpenAI, Grok and Gemini alongside Chinese technologies like DeepSeek that vary in availability, openness and constraints.
International standards bodies including the International Telecommunication Union and the GSMA then develop the technical specifications, with end users ultimately determining adoption, according to Dowidar’s breakdown during the discussion. “To see everyone connected across the world, we need to have the affordability factor, achieved by having ubiquitous worldwide global standards,” he stated. The Emirates News Agency reported that Dowidar’s intervention came against a backdrop of geopolitical tension where trust and cooperation face increasing pressure from divergent digital agendas.
Dowidar expressed optimism about prosperity driven by artificial intelligence but warned that managing associated workforce transitions would prove critical. He foresaw telecom operators evolving into broader digital ecosystems capable of advancing financial inclusion and bolstering knowledge economies through AI applications. The International Telecommunication Union has convened its own AI for Good Global Summit 2026 to advance precisely such standards, aiming to create opportunities for innovation and digital transformation worldwide, according to the UN specialised agency.
World Governments Summit organisers placed the 2026 edition’s scale as among the largest to date, with more than 700 CEOs and over 80 international organisations in attendance alongside government delegations. GSMA gatherings in 2026 have similarly prioritised AI, connectivity and regional digital futures, industry coordination bodies indicated in parallel events. Dowidar’s remarks at the Abu Dhabi forum reinforced the necessity of collaboration to bridge digital divides while maintaining sovereign oversight.
The session underscored how standards development for emerging technologies such as 6G and AI must balance innovation with accessibility, as outlined by the e& chief. e& has served as a technology partner for the World Governments Summit in prior years, contributing perspectives on digital infrastructure, according to summit archives. Such contributions align with broader efforts by standards organisations to harmonise approaches across borders.
