Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the Communication and Information Technology Commission (CITC), participated in ITU Telecom World 2019 in Budapest.
His Excellency Governor of CITC Dr. Abdulaziz bin Salim Al-Ruwais delivered a speech at the event, thanking the Government of Hungary for hosting this promising event.
In his speech, H.E. Dr. Al-Ruwais pointed out the importance of ITU Telecom World 2019, as a global platform for driving innovation in the ICT sector, empowering digital transformation, and connecting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with leading public and private sector entities.
H.E. Dr. Al-Ruwais also highlighted the remarkable technological advancement the world is witnessing today, and the impact of this advancement on international competitiveness, which has shifted from relying on natural resources to relying on cognitive skills and creative capabilities. H.E. also stressed the fact that the Kingdom is keen on engaging in global tech scene through 'Saudi Vision 2030', which opened doors to a bright future, and created an environment of innovation, through utilizing the Kingdom's powerful economy, strategic geographical location and leading political role. All these factors encouraged international business sectors in the world to invest in the Kingdom's Mega Projects and be a part of laying the foundation for digitalization.
H.E. also pointed out achievements made in the ICT sector in the Kingdom over the past two years; spectrum allocated for providing ICT services increased by more than 300%.
The Kingdom has also witnessed the launch of more than 2,000 sites with 5G-network technology, including NEOM Airport, the first airport in the Middle East and Africa that incorporates 5G technology.
Another achievement was the rates of fibber optic delivery, which reached more than 3 Millions of housing units in The Kingdom, which makes the Kingdom ranks 2nd among G20 in radio spectrum.
H.E concluded by emphasizing the Kingdom's determination to continue in providing the best digital services to its nation, as it has established organizational governance to achieve faster-paced progress towards digital economy, and approved ICT strategic plan 2023, in which it will contribute to the sector's growth and increase its contribution to GDP by more than 50% by 2023.
