Huawei Middle East & Central Asia and SAMENA Telecommunications Council jointly hosted the 5G-A Leaders’ Forum in Dubai, bringing together industry experts to explore how 5G-A and AI are creating new value and monetization opportunities for the telecommunications sector.
Under the theme “Exploring 5G-A and AI Experience Monetization, Creating New Value,” the forum convened regulators, technology vendors, telecom operators, and ecosystem partners from across the region. The gathering underscored how operators are uniquely positioned to capitalize on the transformative potential of 5G-A and AI as they pursue business growth and enhanced operational efficiency.
As emerging services continue to demand more from network infrastructure, 5G-Advanced networks have become essential enablers of next-generation applications. With capabilities including 10 Gbps downlink speeds, 1 Gbps uplink, massive capacity, and ultra-low latency, 5G-A represents a fundamental shift in how operators can deliver value in the digital economy.
Mr. Eng. Saif Bin Ghelaita, Executive Director, Technology Development Affairs, TDRA, delivered the opening speech at the summit, emphasizing the UAE’s commitment to technological advancement and the critical role of 5G-A and AI in driving the nation’s digital transformation agenda. “Let’s remember that the true power of these technologies lies not just in innovation, but in their ability to drive meaningful, positive change for our communities, economies, and societies. As telecom regulators, we carry the responsibility to craft policies that strike the right balance—fostering innovation while ensuring fairness and transparency,” Mr. Ghelaita added.
In his opening remarks, Mr. James Chen, President of Carrier Business at Huawei, noted that 5G-A, cloud computing, and AI are driving the TechCo transformation of carriers across the region. “Huawei is committed to supporting this journey by providing cutting-edge technologies in both connectivity and computing while fostering local tech talent,” Mr. Chen added.
In today’s evolving digital era, carriers are actively working to transform from traditional telecommunications companies (Telcos) into technology companies (TechCos) to address the competitive challenges and rapidly changing landscape of the industry. This transformation is essential for driving sustainable business growth and ensuring long-term viability.
Mr. Alex Xu, President of Carrier Business at Huawei Middle East & Central Asia, delivered a keynote presentation on enabling intelligent self-evolving networks. “To seize the opportunities presented by 5G-A monetization, SA services, and mobile AI applications, Huawei is committed to collaborating with industry partners. Together, we will build a thriving ecosystem for 5G-A, SA, and AI, accelerate commercial innovation, and empower operators to create an ultimate experience-driven network integrating 5G-A, SA, and AI,” Mr. Xu said.
The forum featured an engaging panel discussion moderated by Dr. Mohamed Madkour, Vice President of ICT Strategy & Marketing, Huawei Middle East and Central Asia, under the theme of “AI-Native 5G-A for Intelligent Networks and New Business Paradigms”. The panel featured Mr. Saleh Al Maimani, Senior Manager, Residential, Omantel; Mr. Danial Mausoof, Vice President, Technology and Solutions MEA, Nokia; Mr. Ali Cheema, Head of Government & Industry Relations Middle East & Africa, Ericsson; and Mr. David Lee, Vice President of IoT Business, Huawei Consumer Business Group, Middle East & Africa Region. The esteemed panelists explored how AI-Native 5G-A enables intelligent self-evolving networks to achieve new business paradigms. The panelists shared insights on commercial use cases, business model development, and how 5G-A, SA, and AI networks can support commercialization efforts.
Mr. Tair Ismailov, Strategic Engagement Director at GSMA, emphasized the importance of industry collaboration and standardization in driving regional 5G-A adoption. At the same time, representatives from du UAE, China Mobile International, and iFlytek offered perspectives on various aspects of 5G-A commercialization and AI adoption.
Mr. Abdul Muqeet Mohammed, Senior Solution & Project Manager, China Mobile International, MENA Region, said, “5G Advanced and IoT innovations are more than just technological milestones, they’re the building blocks of a smarter, more connected world. By integrating these advancements, we’re not only enhancing speed and efficiency but also creating meaningful solutions that improve lives, transform industries, and drive progress in ways that truly matter. This is about turning cutting-edge potential into real-world impact.”
Mr. Nikola Yuan, President of MENA Region, iFlytek, commented, “iFLYTEK remains committed to empowering global digital transformation through self-developed and controllable artificial intelligence technologies. Addressing the diverse linguistic and cultural landscape of the Middle East, we have innovated and developed a cloud-edge-device integrated multilingual technology ecosystem. By achieving critical breakthroughs in Arabic dialect recognition and multilingual translation, our system now enables millisecond-level real-time interpretation between Arabic and over 20 global languages based on 5G-A network, empowering customers to experience unbounded communication.”
The forum highlighted how organizations such as SAMENA and the World Broadband Association (WBBA), alongside Huawei, foster dialogue and promote best practices to accelerate next-generation technology deployment. Participants agreed that 5G-A and AI represent a technological evolution and a fundamental shift in how telecom operators create value in the digital economy.
As part of the 2025 Year-Round Middle East and Central Asia 5G-A Highest Specification Marketing Campaign, the forum demonstrated how operators can achieve commercial success through new services, innovative packages, and cutting-edge technology. The event reinforced the region’s position as a global leader in telecommunications innovation and its commitment to building the intelligent networks of tomorrow.
