According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) latest report, governments in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) spent US$12.8 billion on information and communications technologies (ICTs) in 2019. Experts at IDC expect this figure to go up during the coming years at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8%, crossing the US$15 billion mark by 2023. 'Governments across the region are under mounting pressure to become both more efficient and more effective. However, this is proving to be a troublesome task as many government organisations are simply not prepared for digital redesign. Whether it's finding ways to integrate 5G, AI and Blockchain or protect against intrusions on digital trust, government agencies have a whole new set of IT skills to learn,' noted IDC's Group Vice President and Regional Managing Director for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa Jyoti Lalchandani.