Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we’re thinking about how governments will learn from Covid-19 and deliver services more efficiently. – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy

THE BIG TAKE

Public Services After the Pandemic

Despite some setbacks, the global recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic is underway. Yes, there is a record-breaking infection surge taking place in India, and more waves of infections are likely in other parts of the world. But containment is underway thanks to an incredible vaccine rollout starting in the West. As the economy continues to open up and workers even return to their offices, we can begin reflecting on the lessons learned from Covid-19. Reviewing what went wrong and what went right over the past year is especially important for governments on all levels. Welcome the dawn of a new era of public services. 

Hard lessons: Experts and analysts agree that the most valuable test that we experienced from Covid-19 was in the realm of public health and safety. Countries that mobilized public health resources, established clear science-based communication with the public, and effectively rolled out vaccines have proven to be the most effective in managing this crisis. These countries include New Zealand, Israel, and the UAE. This was by no means a small undertaking. Rather it involved everything from efficient public services to a national reevaluation of supply chains to ensure that vaccine supplies were secured and administered. 

Building on the foundation: Some countries were able to manage themselves through this crisis better because they had better infrastructure and leadership in place before the virus took over the world. This is especially clear in a country like the UAE and a city like Dubai. With one of the most efficient vaccine programs globally, the UAE was able to control the pandemic, keep its public safe, and ultimately reopen its economy much faster than most countries in the world. This is partly due to the public services infrastructure already in place before the pandemic and leadership decisions that reflected a deep understanding of the need to manage this crisis effectively. With the pandemic under control, for the time being, an exciting new chapter is opening in which the lessons of Covid-19 are going to be implemented to make public services even more effective. The pandemic has been a test of our collective wills, but there are silver linings, and they are becoming clear for all to see.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“My destination is no longer a place, rather a new way of seeing."

– Marcel Proust

OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK

The final frontier: You might have missed the flood of space news this month. The most historic news of recent days was the successful flight of Nasa’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter. As Nasa continues its historic mission to Mars, other space-related events have unfolded closer to home. The UAE’s ambitious space program is kicking into full gear with a raft of new developments. The UAE announced new astronauts, including a woman to the space program, a new date for its Moon rover, and plans to establish a city on Mars. We took a deep dive into the latest space news and explored how it will impact life at home. 

Economic horizon: Circular economies are rising. The idea of an economic model focused on reducing, reusing, recycling, and remanufacturing resources to ensure growth has transitioned from academic theory to a guiding ideology. This week, we took a deep dive into how circular economies operate and explore the benefits the model would have in Dubai. The potential upside is staggering.

A MESSAGE FROM SPIDERSILK

Practical cybersecurity: In today’s online world, cybersecurity is a critical line of defense for any business. Enter SpiderSilk, a Dubai-based cybersecurity firm specializing in simulating the most advanced cyber offenses on your technology so you can build your best security defenses. Mitigating risk and protecting digital infrastructure can be achieved through the most advanced adversarial simulations and advisory services.

SPOTTED ELSEWHERE

Joining the club: The pandemic has given way to several breakout apps and platforms. One of these is Clubhouse, the iPhone-only audio chat platform, which skyrocketed in popularity over the last couple of months. Its rise has been particularly sharp across the Gulf region. But what if it was all just a fad? According to Input Magazine, the Clubhouse app was downloaded 72 percent fewer times in March than in February. That’s a staggering decline that might have something to do with more people leaving home as lockdowns have eased. We will see what the future holds for Clubhouse, but it seems like the end of the pandemic will be rough for some.  

New kid on the block: A new Chinese-founded social network is taking the Middle East by storm. Yalla, which has many similarities to Clubhouse in the design of its platform, saw its users increase fivefold in less than a year. The company is a rare Chinese tech hybrid with a team of engineers in Hangzhou and the rest of the operations in Dubai. Combining local intelligence in Dubai with Chinese technology is proving to be a powerful combo that will likely define the tech space for years to come.

QUICK HITS

• Artificial Intelligence can be hacked. 

• From food waste to tech waste, there is a lot of waste in the world.

• Remember the office?

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