Amazon Web Services (AWS) is expanding its global pursuits and this robust engagement is evident in its recent opening of the AWS Middle East region in a global summit held in Bahrain (September 2019). The call for the summit witnessed AWS launching its first ever live Direct Connect location in the region to boost AWS Cloud-transformative empowerment to organizations of all sizes, right from start-ups and governments to educational institutes and every other business that twinkles under its possibility radar. Moreover, the addition of the AWS infrastructure in the region is aimed to help countries innovate and grow their economies, utilizing technology that is patterned to be directed via AWS Educate & AWS Activate.

Citing with excitement the vast scope presented to its newly acquired region, Teresa Carlson, the Chief of Public Sector & VP of AWS World Wide Public Sector Businesses, stated, “This launch is truly transformative because it’s been allowed access for technology for everyone. It doesn’t just limit the access to those with servers, rather it allows access to every imaginable educator, researcher or individual who want to explore, be it universities to government agencies, to start-ups. So the key here is to support and sprout cultural builders to create and sustain the needs of all groups here in this region.” “We look forward to serving new and existing customers in the Middle East and working with APN Partners across the region,” she further added.

Availability, Usage & Security

The availability for the usage of AWS cloud programmes is open to every kind of establishment seeking growth. Be it in terms of utilizing its platforms for business development or outreach, or in terms of gaining knowledge based on its systems and functions. In order to fuel these opportunities, the AWS system accommodates an AWS educate program and AWS academy to power technology for diversity and inclusion. The launch of the training and education program along with the University of Bahrain is evidence of this promising opportunity.

The AWS cloud computing program has already signalled positive growth where, Government organizations working with AWS has testified cost-efficient solutions along with better serving of citizens in the region. For instance, the Bahrain Institute of Public Administration had moved their Learning Management System to AWS, reducing costs by over 90 percent. Therefore with its customer obsessed approach and keen vision, AWS aims at aiding government customers to walk-the-walk rather than merely talk-the-talk presenting them as real leaders marching across the chasm for digital transformation. Thus, in an interview with AWS, Bahrain’s Crowned Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister had highlighted that by leading the expansion of regional cloud capacity alongside AWS, the kingdom is positive on fortifying ongoing efforts to transform the role of the public sector from the central driver of development to a regulator and active partner with the private sector in economic development.

The model of the program follows a backward progress of training individuals with job-ready skills, to enter into an organization with prior knowledge & understanding of cloud & its functions. AWS has tied-up with educational institutes from across the globe to implement this as part of their in-house curriculums and cater to the same. Teresa stated, “We are considered as the largest cloud computing provider in the world we are committed to closing the gap on the lack of cloud skills. We have therefore come up with training and education and off-labourers around the world who are very committed to this vision through our AWS educate program & academy”. Quoting these beneficial repercussions, Teresa urges to exploit the opportunities offered by cloud by even creating builder skills like learning the system and its functions.

In instigating this large-scale progress in terms of growth via technology, AWS highlights the significance of extending relevant partnerships. These partnerships are projected to boost innovations and bring about new services in the digital realm. She added, “Partners are going to be key to the ME strategy for success and it was really exciting for us to see 36 partners that launched with us when the region went live, especially with such innovative tools. These partnerships will aid in supporting start-ups and other small-scale businesses in new ways and innovate on services that can help them perform better.”

Striking the right chords with assuring security, Teresa quoted “Security is considered Job-Zero”. Moreover citing the large inflow of customers joining aboard, especially in the Middle East region, AWS marks its prime responsibility to work hand-in glove with partners and customers to ensure they understand Cloud security and its reliable functions promising that its medium offers better, faster and less expensive solutions with security by design.

When questioned about furthering grounds in this domain, Teresa said, “We will continue to scale up. As of now we are focusing on expanding and that demands job-creation and Amazon has 30,000 job openings a part of which is here in the Middle East. More than this availability we are helping to create jobs because we are hiring local people and you will see us continuing to scale. We have a region here and the region has 3 availability zones, in those zones are data centers we intend to hyper-scale on so there is immense opportunity for growth for which we have made significant investments in land, utility, networking, servers, and people in the region and this is going to be a very successful undertaking”.