RIYADH — The World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA-20) elected Saudi Arabia’s representative, of the United Nations' specialized agency for communications and information technology — International Telecommunication Union (ITU) — during the assembly’s meeting in Geneva held on March 1-9.

Al Hassan, who is the Deputy Governor of the National Cybersecurity Authority for the Strategy and International Cooperation Sector, said the election of the Saudi representative is a recognition by the international community of the Kingdom’s pivotal role in formulating and enabling international standards related to technology and pushing forward the economic growth and sustainable development at the international level.

Al Hassan said Saudi Arabia's election reflects its active role in international organizations, and its accumulated experience in dealing with international issues in this regard, adding that the Kingdom’s election happens for the first time for an Arab candidate to assume such a post since the founding of TSAG in 1993.

The ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector was established more than 60 years ago, and the Communications and Information Technology Commission is the representative of the Kingdom and its point of contact with the Union and is keen to protect and develop the interests of the Kingdom through active participation in the various teams and committees of the Union, especially in the standardization sector, to set international technical standards that would provide a common base for development in this field, push innovation and adopt emerging technologies and industry.

The global scope of the study committees of the union includes setting standards for future networks, artificial intelligence, smart cities, and the Internet of things, as well as enhancing confidence and security in the use of communications and technology Information and quantum computing. The Telecommunication Standardization Sector is comprised of 193 countries, and more than 260 members from the private sector, in addition to more than 160 research and academic bodies. — SPA