The Mobile World Congress 2026 (MWC26) opened in Doha on 8 November 2026 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC). The event, organised in partnership with the Qatar Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), will run for three days and aims to shape the next phase of the mobile economy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), which is expected to generate $470 billion in economic value by 2030. The opening ceremony was attended by Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, and the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai, who delivered the welcome address. In his remarks, Al Mannai highlighted the changing requirements for telecommunications infrastructure, noting that as artificial intelligence evolves to perform tasks through intelligent agents, demand for more resilient networks and advanced computing capabilities continues to rise. He also stressed the importance of diversifying communication routes and ensuring service continuity amid global challenges. During the opening, GSMA Secretary‑General Vivek Badrinath and ITU Secretary‑General Doreen Bogdan‑Martin participated in a fireside‑chat discussion. Badrinath identified key priorities for MENA connectivity, including continued commitment to international standards that maintain network and service interoperability across markets, and renewed efforts to expand connectivity for people who remain unconnected to the internet. He said, “Progress only matters if everyone shares in it. That means two things: international standards that keep networks, services and devices working across borders, and coordinated efforts to connect those who still lack internet access.” The conference will run concurrently with the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP‑26), bringing together policymakers, innovators and industry leaders to develop standards and build networks that support the region’s connectivity vision.
Article source: Miyazaki Daily News | Image credit: Miyazaki Daily News