UAE Microsoft Cloud centers have a positive impact on economic growth

• A study has shown Cloud ecosystem will generate $27 billion in the next four years

• Microsoft and its partner ecosystem will spend about $2.3 billion in the data centers for services and products 

Microsoft’s UAE cloud data centers are having a positive impact on the economic growth, the company said on the completion of two years of the establishment of these centers.

Citing a recent International Data Corporation study, the company said in a statement that the Microsoft Cloud ecosystem will generate US$27 billion over the next four years. The research also revealed that the company and its partner ecosystem will spend about $2.3 billion in the data centers for services and products that are developed in the region. 

Additionally, IDC estimates that 69,000 new jobs, including 16,000 for skilled technology professionals, will be created by the Microsoft Cloud ecosystem by 2024.

The two data centers, based in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, were the first global Hyper-scale Cloud in the UAE and the Middle East. 

“The centers continue to empower customers and partners to accelerate their digital transformation journeys, re-imagine new ways of working, optimize operations and reinvent business models, as part of Microsoft’s more than thirty years of commitment to the country’s growth,” the statement said.

“The UAE data centers have brought high reliability, operational excellence, cost-effectiveness, and a trustworthy digital experience to customers and partners across the region,” said Sayed Hashish, General Manager, Microsoft UAE. 

“Crucially, they will continue powering the country’s AI ambitions and support the export of innovative ideas and solutions from the UAE to the world.”

The facilities have also been pivotal in eliminating barriers to market entry for many start-ups, especially those that seek to operate in highly regulated industries such as finance. 

Microsoft has worked closely with regulatory authorities to enable compliance-focused cloud services for these businesses, and the company’s US$1-billion annual global investment in cybersecurity R&D has supported these efforts.

Upon their launch in 2019, the UAE data centers joined a network of more than 60 regions worldwide and enhanced the connection of Middle East businesses to the global digital economy. 

Since then, public and private entities in the region have been using Microsoft Cloud, prominent among them are Emirates Group, Emaar Properties, Majid Al Futtaim, Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts, Landmark Group, Abu Dhabi Global Markets (ADGM), and Dubai Tourism.