Assistant Undersecretary for Digital Industry Affairs at MCIT, H E Reem Al Mansoori; CEO of GSMA, John Hoffman with other officials during the event. PIC: Rajan Vadakkemuriyil
Doha, Qatar: Hosting the inaugural MWC25 Doha is an important milestone for Qatar and the region. “It reflects our commitment not only to advancing digital transformation under the Digital Agenda 2030 and Qatar National Vision 2030, but also to positioning Doha as a global meeting point for technology, policy, and innovation,” Minister of Communications and Information Technology H E Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai has said.
To reveal details of the inaugural edition of MWC25 Doha, scheduled for November 25–26 under the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the GSMA held a press conference at the DECC, yesterday
The press conference featured Assistant Undersecretary for Digital Industry Affairs at MCIT, H E Reem Al Mansoori; Director of Public Relations and Communication at MCIT, Khalid Taiss Aljumaily; CEO of GSMA, John Hoffman; and CMO at GSMA, Lara Dewar in presence of several dignitaries.
“By joining Qatar’s calendar of leading global technology events, MWC25 Doha strengthens Qatar’s position as a destination for technology dialogue, digital transformation in the region, and fostering global collaboration. Together with GSMA, we bring the world’s leading voices in ICT to Doha for the first time, to explore the future of AI, 5G, and digital economies,” Minister Al Mannai added.
The inaugural edition is expected to attract participants from over 60 countries, with more than 200 speakers representing leading organisations in the ICT sector.
The press conference featured the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding between the GSMA and national institutions, including the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), Qatar University, Media City, Ooredoo, and Vodafone.
MWC25 Doha is the first edition of the GSMA’s flagship series to be held in the Middle East and North Africa, following previous editions in leading cities such as Barcelona, Shanghai, and Las Vegas. Doha will continue to host 5 editions of the conference from 2025 to 2029.
The conference will feature five stages for showcasing the latest innovations, 11 summits addressing key industry topics, and four keynote sessions delivered by global leaders, focusing on the future of connectivity, the digital economy, and knowledge-driven innovation.
Addressing the conference, H E Reem Al Mansoori emphasised that hosting MWC25 Doha in partnership with GSMA affirms international confidence in Qatar’s position as a key ICT hub. She noted that the conference serves as a strategic platform to bring together top leaders, innovators, and investors from around the world to shape shared visions and pioneering solutions for advancing the global digital economy.
This collaboration strengthens Qatar’s role as a regional and global center for digital transformation, in line with the Digital Agenda 2030 and Qatar National Vision 2030, Al Mansoori noted.
“Performance indicators in the ICT sector reflect Qatar’s growing prominence on the global digital stage, with sector revenues exceeding QR11.4bn in 2024. The market is experiencing sustainable growth, with the data center market expected to reach $259m by 2029 and the cloud computing market projected to hit $303m by 2026. These figures confirm that Qatar offers an advanced digital environment, reinforcing its role as a regional and global hub for digital innovation,” she added.
Director General of GSMA, Vivek Badrinath said: “We are extremely excited to host our first MWC in the region in Doha, and grateful to MCIT for their partnership to make MWC Doha a success. With bold ambitions, strong investment capacity and a policy environment that largely supports innovation, MENA is one of the world’s most exciting digital markets right now. And with Qatar at the forefront, Doha is the perfect location for this event. We look forward to welcoming the global tech ecosystem to MWC25 Doha in November.”
The press conference also revealed key features of the MWC25 Doha exhibition, with 150 exhibitors confirmed and expectations to surpass 200 by the event’s opening in November. Confirmed companies include Cisco, Dell, Google Cloud, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Huawei, Mannai, Microsoft, Nokia, Ooredoo, PwC, Qatar University, VEON, Vodafone, ZTE, and Meeza.
The Qatar Pavilion will serve as a unified national platform at the exhibition, bringing together government, semi-government, and private sector entities to showcase pioneering digital initiatives and projects that highlight the country’s leadership in innovation and digital transformation. It will also serve as a platform to attract investments, foster global partnerships, and exchange expertise with international partners, reflecting Qatar’s digital transformation journey and future ambitions.
