Oracle has opened a second cloud region in the United Arab Emirates, in Abu Dhabi.
“The rapid adoption of cloud-based technologies like artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), and machine learning is vital for building a thriving digital economy and is a key priority for the UAE. With the Dubai and Abu Dhabi Regions, we have the required cloud infrastructure for organizations across public and private sectors, including SMBs, to accelerate their digital transformation,” said Richard Smith, executive vice president, Technology, EMEA, Oracle.
The company opened its first UAE cloud region in Dubai in 2020, after opening a facility in partnership with local telco Etisalat the year before. The company now has four of six planned cloud facilities open in the Middle East; two in the UAE and one each in Saudi Arabia and Israel. The company plans to open second facilities in both countries, and recently signed an MoU to become a tenant in SA’s new Neom city.
“Oracle’s decision to open a second cloud region in the UAE is a clear reflection of our nation’s embrace of digital transformation, advanced technologies, and the applications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which have become central to our economic and investment strategy for the next 50 years,” said Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade. “Oracle’s continued investment into the UAE will only accelerate this process, providing critical infrastructure, expertise and insights to further elevate the UAE’s standing as a place where the boldest ideas and biggest projects can come to life.”
The company said it plans to have at least 44 cloud regions by the end of 2022. Oracle opened its 30th and 31st regions earlier this year in Brazil and Israel respectively and said it wants to have 38 facilities available by the end of this year, having previously aimed to have 36 by mid-2021.
Dr. Mohamed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government, added: “Oracle’s two cloud regions in the UAE are important investments towards providing cyber resilience and secure digital infrastructure for organizations to enjoy the full benefits of cloud computing.”
Oracle said customers of the new region included Emaar Properties and Emirates Post Group.
“We are excited by Oracle’s next-generation cloud, knowing that its launch will lead to more improved services in the UAE and the region. It will also be instrumental in our efforts to fully digitalize our services by the end of 2021, which will significantly increase our capabilities in today’s digital age,” said Abdulla Mohammed Alashram, Group CEO of Emirates Post Group.
