RIYADH — The Saudi Industrial Property Authority (MODON) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Saudi Huawei to transform its industrial cities into smart industrial cities to keep abreast of developments and renaissance, enabling the factories to automate their operations and utilize advanced technologies in facilitating management, control, quality control and tracking of its products remotely.

Eng. Khalid Al Salem, Director General of MODON, said that the planning and designing of the project has already started in Riyadh 2nd. Industrial City by focusing on security and safety services. Fiber optic networks will be built and CCTV cameras installed, to monitor the traffic movement and security, as well as the operation of electronic lighting poles within the city; pointing out that this step will be followed by the implementation of some smart applications for utilities, health and environment and engineering support, along with raising the level of quality of services and sustainability and rationalization of energy and water consumption operations.

Al-Salem revealed that the project will be launched soon after MODON completes the designs, prepares specifications and selects contractors for implementation. He explained that the implementation of the project will be carried out in a phased implementation system, to ensure cost rationalization and provide sufficient time for testing and trial and to benefit from the experience while implementing it in other cities.

MODON Director General confirmed that the project will contribute to the provision of high quality ICT services through wireless networks within the industrial cities and to all factories and industrialists, in line with MODON strategy to improve the basic and essential services needed by partners in industrial cities, such as ready-built factories, residential complexes, service and support centers, as well as central warehouses and commercial centers etc.

Denis Zhang, CEO of Huawei Tech Investment Saudi Arabia, said, "As one of the leading smart city solution providers, Huawei is proud to be a strategic partner of the MODON in various fields of the Kingdom's Information and Communication Technology (ICT) needs.

“Huawei puts all its advanced technological innovations into the service of the Kingdom, and we hope that this cooperation with MODON will be in the interest of providing more smooth, smart and digital services that delight the people of Saudi Arabia.” Moreover, “Huawei reaffirms its full support for the Kingdom's and its leadership’s vision in the digitalization era and building a sustainable, knowledge-based digital economy, and we will strive to support this trend by sharing and imparting expertise, skills, knowledge and the latest global experiences in the field of information technology." — SG