ICT
From The Report: Saudi Arabia 2020
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The ICT sector is at the forefront of the digital transformation outlined in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, and is poised to be a key element of diversifying the economy towards greater non-oil growth. In the last few years ICT has become much more prominent, and it has become increasingly dynamic as the country ramps up investment in technology to become an international leader in the digital economy. At the same time, further expansion will be needed going forwards to meet demand for digital services. To that end, citizens, businesses and the government are actively pursuing greater adoption and capacity development, and this trend is anticipated to continue in light of the youthful population and expanding non-oil sectors. This chapter contains an interview with Prince Naif bin Sultan bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabeer, Chairman, Zain Saudi Arabia.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Well connected: 5G and other innovative technologies encourage sector growth
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Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 – the Kingdom’s longterm economic development and diversification programme – is seeking a digital transformation across society, government and the economy. The ICT sector is at the forefront of this change, and is poised to be a key element of diversifying the economy towards non-oil growth. In the last few years ICT has become much more prominent, and it has also become increasingly dynamic as the country ramps up investment in technology to become an…

Interview

Digital ecosystem: Prince Naif bin Sultan bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabeer, Chairman, Zain Saudi Arabia, on leveraging 5G technology to provide better services and develop local content
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Interview:Prince Naif bin Sultan bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabeer What is being done to ensure that Saudi Arabia’s ICT sector remains competitive? PRINCE NAIF BIN SULTAN BIN MOHAMMED BIN SAUD AL KABEER: Saudi Arabia’s ICT sector is the largest in the Middle East, and its contribution to the national economy is projected to reach SR50bn ($13.3bn) by 2025. In 2018 alone the country’s digital operators outperformed the local stock market by $18bn, thanks to a major digital development strategy.…

Analysis

Regulated success: Oversight and organisational rehaul aim at jump-starting technological innovation and economic diversification
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Saudi Arabia introduced key changes in recent years related to ICT, including the creation of new oversight authorities and regulatory frameworks. These reforms are expected to help further develop and support growth in the sector as the country shifts towards a knowledge-based economy. As a sign of the importance that the Kingdom places on technology, and in recognition of the country’s role in the adoption and promotion of innovation to enhance socio-economic development throughout the…

Analysis

In the cloud: Data centres emerge in the push for localisation, as large-scale projects drive next-generation innovation
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Managed services such as cloud computing have seen significant growth in Saudi Arabia in recent years. This was reflected in the Kingdom’s jump of 16 places in the ICT adoption pillar of the World Economic Forum’s 2019 global competitiveness index, with the country ranking 38th out of 141 countries, up from 54th in 2018. Both the public and private sector have a strong interest in managed services, as they can allow businesses and departments to outsource operations and reduce in-house…

Analysis

Secure access: The authorities work to enhance cybersecurity and resilience in the face of evolving online threats
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Cybersecurity is a priority for Saudi Arabia, a country that is making significant investment in boosting its capacity and is rapidly advancing as a global leader in the space. The Kingdom was the top-ranked Arab country in the International Telecommunication Union’s 2018 global cybersecurity index, and ranked 13th overall out of 175 countries. Increased focus on cybersecurity has also driven growth in the wider ICT sector, as players and investors become more secure, and new technologies…