UAE

Summary
The United Arab Emirates exhibits a moderate level of digital dependence, with the DDI value increasing slightly between 2010 (0.63) and 2023 (0,66). However, considerable differences can be observed across the four dimensions: dependence on ICT patents remained consistently high (average 1.00 since 2010), as did reliance on foreign platforms (varying between 0.98 and 1.00). By contrast, the UAE reveals a strikingly low level of dependence in relation to trade in ICT services (0.35 in 2023), as well as exhibiting a substantial decline in dependence on trade in ICT goods from 0.74 in 2010 to 0.54 in 2023, suggesting a strong growth of domestic production of hardware.

Policies
Two projects illustrate the ambitious digital policy steps that the UAE took between 2020 and 2026: Firstly, the “Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement” reached an agreement to launch a specialized domestic microelectronics assembly in 2026. The second interesting initiative from the same year is the launch of a new Cybersecurity Centre, which is tasked to safeguard the nation’s critical infrastructure.