TikTok hosted the UAE Forward Forum at Dubai’s Museum of the Future, bringing together government officials, industry leaders, entrepreneurs and creators to explore the future of the UAE’s digital economy and the role digital platforms play in advancing innovation, entrepreneurship and digital trust.
The forum focused on how public-private collaboration is helping build a safe, inclusive and thriving digital ecosystem in line with the national visions 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 broadening the discussion to include creator-led entrepreneurship, responsible innovation, digital wellbeing and online safety.
Among the speakers were 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 of Economic Affairs 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.”
Jenan Mohamed Alhashili, Head of Public Policy, GCC, at TikTok, said: “The UAE has created an environment where creators, entrepreneurs and small businesses can thrive. 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 partnership 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 enabling them to reach customers, build brands and expand their businesses.
According to the report, more than 70,000 SMEs actively advertise on TikTok in the UAE, while over 10,000 entrepreneurs—including 3,500 women and 1,400 Emiratis—said they launched their businesses through the platform. This activity generated AED1.1 billion in gross value added (GVA) for the UAE economy and supported approximately 7,000 jobs.
The report also highlighted TikTok’s expanding contribution to the UAE’s creator economy, educational content ecosystem, cultural expression and tourism sector, demonstrating the platform’s growing role in supporting economic participation across multiple industries.
Throughout the forum, speakers underscored that sustainable digital growth depends on trust, safety and digital wellbeing. Discussions highlighted the importance of continued collaboration between government entities, industry and communities to equip families, educators and young people with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the digital world safely through awareness campaigns, digital literacy initiatives and practical online safety measures.
“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 at TDRA. “Building a trusted digital ecosystem requires continued collaboration between government, industry and communities to ensure innovation is matched by strong digital safety and wellbeing.”
As part of its commitment to online safety, TikTok offers more than 50 built-in safety, privacy and security features designed specifically for young users. Its Family Pairing feature enables parents and guardians to link their accounts with their teenager’s account, allowing them to customise privacy settings, manage daily screen time, schedule screen-free periods through Time Away, monitor follower activity and access additional supervision tools that encourage balanced digital habits. These features complement TikTok’s broader investments in age-appropriate experiences, privacy protections and digital wellbeing resources.
The forum also highlighted TikTok’s ongoing 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.
The UAE Forward Forum concluded by reaffirming that the continued growth of the UAE’s digital economy will be driven not only by innovation and entrepreneurship, but also by trusted digital environments that enable creators, businesses and communities to thrive safely.
