DUBAI (ALETIHAD)
TikTok hosted the UAE Forward Forum, exploring the future of the UAE's digital economy and the role digital platforms play in supporting innovation, entrepreneurship and digital trust.
Held at the Museum of the Future in Dubai, the forum brought together government leaders, industry experts, creators and entrepreneurs to discuss how public-private collaboration is helping shape a safe, inclusive and thriving digital ecosystem aligned with the ambitions of ''We the UAE 2031'' and ''UAE Centennial 2071''.
The event also revisited the findings of The TikTok Effect: Enabling the UAE's Dynamic Digital Economy, unveiled earlier this year at the World Governments Summit (WGS) 2026, while exploring broader conversations around creator-led entrepreneurship, responsible innovation, digital wellbeing and online safety.
Distinguished speakers included Alia AlHammadi, Vice Chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office; Eng. Mohammed Al Zarooni, Deputy Director General of the Information and Digital Government Sector at the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA); Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi, Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism; Abdulla Al Nuaimi, Chief Marketing Officer at Dubai Future Foundation; Mohammed Al Zarooni, Executive Director of Strategic Planning at the National Media Authority; and Khalid Mohammed Al Nuaimi, Director General of the Federal Youth Authority.
"For four centuries, selling to the world required the scale of an empire — fleets, warehouses, an army of employees. Today it requires a phone, courage, and a country that clears the way," said Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi, Assistant Undersecretary of Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism.
"This report documents more than 10,000 UAE businesses that were not capitalised into existence — they were distributed into existence. That is not just a digital platform story. It is a story of how entrepreneurship is being reinvented, and the UAE intends to lead the economy of the future."
"The UAE has created an environment where creators, entrepreneurs and small businesses can thrive," Jenan Mohamed Alhashili, Head of Public Policy, GCC, at TikTok, added.
"Today's discussions reinforced that a successful digital economy is built not only on innovation and opportunity, but also on trust, safety and responsible collaboration."
Developed in collaboration with Redseer Strategy Consultants, The TikTok Effect: Enabling the UAE's Dynamic Digital Economy found that TikTok is helping more small and medium-sized businesses participate in the digital economy by making it easier to reach customers, build brands and grow their businesses.
More than 70,000 SMBs actively advertise on TikTok in the UAE, while over 10,000 entrepreneurs, including 3,500 women and 1,400 Emiratis, say they started their businesses because of the platform.
This activity contributed Dh1.1 billion in gross value added (GVA) to the UAE economy and supported approximately 7,000 jobs.
The report also highlights TikTok's growing contribution to the UAE's creator economy, educational content ecosystem, cultural expression and tourism sector, demonstrating the platform's role in supporting economic participation across multiple industries.
Discussions throughout the forum also reinforced that a thriving digital economy depends on trust, safety and digital wellbeing. Speakers highlighted the importance of collaboration between government, industry and communities to help families, educators and young people navigate the online world safely through awareness campaigns, digital literacy initiatives and practical safety tools.
"As the UAE continues to advance its ambitions around digital transformation and the knowledge economy, digital platforms are increasingly shaping how businesses grow, how destinations are discovered and how people engage with work and learning," said Eng. Mohammed Al Zarooni, Deputy Director General of the Information and Digital Government Sector, TDRA.
As part of this commitment, TikTok provides more than 50 preset safety, privacy and security features designed specifically for young people. Recognising that every teen and every family is different, Family Pairing allows parents and guardians to link their account to their teenager's account and customize privacy settings, manage daily screen time, set screen-free periods with Time Away, review who their teen follows and who follows them, and access additional supervision features that encourage balanced digital habits.
The discussion also highlighted TikTok's continued collaboration with organisations across the UAE, including TDRA and the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority's UAE Children's Digital Wellbeing Pact, to promote digital literacy, online safety and responsible platform use.