• ‘The current state, emergence and future of esports’ session reviews UAE’s and Saudi Arabia’s experiences and expectations in the field
• H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa bin Shakhbout Al Nahayan: The UAE will soon enter the domain of international competitive esports
• H.R.H. Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud: Many competitive advantages of the Middle East region favour the growth of the gaming sector

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa bin Shakhbout Al Nahayan, President of the Emirates Esports Association, said that the UAE will be able to compete internationally in esports in the next few years, and highlighted the importance of viewing esports as an economic, social, and cultural enabler for the young generation worldwide.

Meanwhile, H.R.H. Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, President of the Saudi Arabian Federation for Electronic and Intellectual Sports (SAFEIS) and the Arab Esports Federation (ARESF), drew attention to the wealth of competitive advantages that the Middle East region offers in favour of the growth of the gaming sector, including a high percentage of young people and the availability of digital infrastructure.

Their comments came during a panel discussion on ‘The current state, emergence and future of esports’ at the Esports Conference that took place at the fourth edition of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit on Friday in Dubai. Hosted by the Global Esports Federation (GEF), the event was part of the GMIS Week that runs from 22 to 27 November at Expo 2020’s Dubai Exhibition Centre.

During the session, H.H. Sheikh Sultan provided an overview of the efforts of the Emirates Esports Association, stressing that it has been working since its establishment in 2015 to build a vibrant esports community by communicating with youth and families, and encouraging players to develop their skills.

He pointed out that many companies are working to transfer economic and social activities to the metaverse, which already exists in the world of electronic games. This confirms the immense opportunities esports offer in diverse fields.

Noting that the UAE leadership has always been keen to keep pace with global developments across the board and play a leading role in them, H.H. Sheikh Sultan said: “The UAE has a lot to offer esports on an international level, and we are proud to support the nation’s message of tolerance by organizing the UAE Tolerance Esports Games championship, which reflects the spirit of esports that connect people regardless of their nationalities and backgrounds.”

He expressed hope that esports will one day make it to the Olympics so that players can compete, win medals, and raise their countries’ flags high. He emphasised the importance of regional and global cooperation to promote these games and benefit from the opportunities they provide. In this context, he praised the efforts of SAFEIS and GEF that align with the Federation’s slogan, ‘#worldconnected’.

For his part, H.R.H. Prince Faisal said that electronic games recorded unprecedented growth since the COVID-19 outbreak that exceeded 70% compared to the previous year.

He added: “What is important to us is growth at the regional level, and we are keen to ensure that we make progress in all esports communities. We are proud to have an active regional community of esports players.”

H.R.H. Prince Faisal noted the importance of the human factor in esports, referring to Saudi Arabia’s experience in this regard. He said: “The most important thing in esports is that you get to know people and start building bonds and relationships with them based on their skills without knowing their identities or backgrounds. We saw this for ourselves in the Kingdom when we organized the Gamers Without Borders event, and it was an excellent opportunity to see how young people are leading this stage of change and to study ways in which they can help us advance towards our goals.”

He added: “It’s more than just playing – it’s related to society as well as mental health. Games encourage human communication and do not isolate people from one another. Rather, they have become a means to enhance communication and bring people together around one activity, and if we can build on the principle of gathering young people and giving them opportunities to get to know each other, to connect and lead the future, we will have achieved a lot.”

Paul J. Foster, CEO of GEF, said that during the past two years, the Federation was able to reconnect the world despite the pandemic through the events it held in the US, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

He added that humans instinctively turn towards communication, competition, acquaintance, and building bridges, which is what electronic games provide by nature. He highlighted the Federation’s continued work to encourage innovation, inclusiveness, and tolerance through esports as a means of communication that connects people from across the globe in a virtual world.

Foster outlined the opportunities electronic games present, saying they serve as a vital tool for improving mental health as well as for the digital economy, including digital currencies, and stressed the importance of the Middle East in GEF’s future strategies and the Federation’s intention to invest significantly in the region.

The session culminated in the signing of a strategic partnership agreement between GEF and the Emirates Esports Association to enhance cooperation in setting strategies and developing the esports segment.

About GMIS:

The Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) was established in 2015 to build bridges between manufacturers, governments and NGOs, technologists, and investors in harnessing the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s (4IR) transformation of manufacturing to enable the regeneration of the global economy. A joint initiative by the United Arab Emirates and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), GMIS is a global platform that presents stakeholders with an opportunity to shape the future of the manufacturing sector and contribute towards global good by advancing some of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The first two editions of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit were held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in March 2017, and Yekaterinburg, Russia in July 2019, respectively, with each edition welcoming over 3,000 high-level delegates from over 40 countries. The third edition, GMIS2020, was held virtually in September 2020 and convened over 10,000 attendees and close to 100 thought-provoking leaders from governments, businesses, and civil society.

#GMIS2021, the fourth edition of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit, will be held once again in the United Arab Emirates from November 22 to 27, alongside EXPO Dubai, under the theme – Rewiring Societies: Repurposing Digitalisation for Prosperity.