Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced the launch of its second region in the Middle East, the AWS Middle East (UAE) Region.
Developers, startups, entrepreneurs, and enterprises, as well as government, education, and nonprofit organisations, will have even greater choices for running their applications and serving end users from data centres located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), using advanced AWS technologies to drive innovation, the company said.
AWS is planning to invest an estimated $5 billion in the UAE over the next 15 years through the new AWS Middle East (UAE) Region, which includes capital expenditures on the construction of data centres, operational expenses related to ongoing utilities and facility costs, and purchases of goods and services from regional businesses. The investment is also estimated to support an average of 6,000 jobs annually. These jobs will be part of the AWS supply chain in the UAE, including construction, facility maintenance, engineering, telecommunications, and jobs within the country’s broader economy. The construction and operation of AWS infrastructure in the UAE are also estimated to add an estimated $11 billion to the UAE’s GDP over the next 15 years.
It said that the AWS Middle East (UAE) Region will also add an estimated $11 billion over the next 15 years to the UAE’s gross domestic product (GDP).
“AWS is committed to helping customers in the UAE deploy the most advanced cloud technologies and achieve the highest levels of security, availability, and resiliency,” said Prasad Kalyanaraman, Vice President of Infrastructure Services at AWS.
“With the launch of the AWS Middle East (UAE) Region, we are making it possible for even more customers to harness the power of the cloud to drive innovation across the UAE while also investing in the local economy through job creation, training for highly sought-after technology skills, and education resources to advance the UAE’s strategic priorities further.”
“The opening of the AWS Middle East (UAE) Region is a significant milestone for Abu Dhabi and the UAE as a whole, reflecting our efforts to generate opportunities for all,” said Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development. “It strengthens Abu Dhabi’s commitment to positioning itself as a leading digital economy by leveraging cutting-edge technology to support business growth. The enhanced cloud capabilities enabled by AWS are expected to generate significant advantages and efficiencies that can propel businesses to success and realise major economic benefits for the country.”
With the launch of the AWS Middle East (UAE) Region, AWS has 87 Availability Zones across 27 geographic regions, with announced plans to launch 21 more Availability Zones and seven more AWS Regions in Australia, Canada, India, Israel, New Zealand, Spain, and Switzerland. AWS Regions are composed of Availability Zones that place infrastructure in separate and distinct geographic locations.
The AWS Middle East (UAE) Region consists of three Availability Zones and joins the existing AWS Middle East (Bahrain) Region, which opened in July 2019. Availability Zones are located far enough from each other to support customers’ business continuity, but near enough to provide low latency for high-availability applications that use multiple Availability Zones.
“Abu Dhabi aims to enable transformative technology that delivers opportunities for businesses and residents alike,” said Eng. Abdulla Abdul Aziz AlShamsi, acting director general of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO). “Smart infrastructure is powering the thriving private and public sectors by opening new economic possibilities, fostering inclusive growth, and creating opportunities for collaboration across our innovation ecosystem. At ADIO, we are contributing to this through many valuable ecosystem-enabling partnerships that support Abu Dhabi’s position as a leader in the region’s digital revolution. The AWS Middle East (UAE) Region is a welcome addition to the country’s innovation ecosystem, helping to build vital capabilities for all.”
