RIYADH — Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Al-Swaha has stressed that sustainable and comprehensive recovery paths as well as the creation new economic horizons rely on technology and innovation.

He was referring to the bold and proactive steps Saudi Arabia has adopted to support future and innovation economics, which can be seen in the announcement made by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Research, Development and Innovation, regarding the National Aspirations and Priorities for Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI).

The Kingdom’s RDI aspirations and priorities are: Health and Wellness; Sustainable Environment and Supply of Essential Needs; Energy and Industrial Leadership; and Economies of the Future, which will enhance the Kingdom’s global competitiveness and leadership, in line with the directions of Saudi Vision 2030, and strengthen the Kingdom's position as the largest economy in the region.

Al-Swaha made the remarks at a meeting on digital economy in Bali, Indonesia, on Thursday with the participation of ICT ministers and experts in G20 member states.

The minister said: “The support received by the sectors of technology, innovation and entrepreneurship from the wise leadership has contributed to the pioneering status of the Kingdom to become a regional hub for technology and innovation in the region”. He pointed out that the qualitative growth in the bold capital investments last year by 270% exceeded what had been achieved in 2020 and 2019 combined.

As for women’s participation, Al-Swaha pointed out that the Saudi Vision 2030 is keen on supporting the Saudi women as one of the important elements for the development of the homeland. The Kingdom has improved in the women empowerment field from 7% in 2017 to over 30% in 2022, he said, revealing that Saudi Arabia, as a regional hub for technology and innovation, seeks to train more than 600 women in the Middle East and North Africa, as part of its cooperation with Apple Developer Academy.

In concluding his speech, the minister referred to innovative efforts in bridging the digital gap and enhancing green energy projects in NEOM. He praised the outcomes of Saudi Arabia’s G20 presidency, which resulted in changing G20 Digital Economy Task Force (DETF) into the Digital Economy Work Group (DEWG), which played an appreciable role in seizing opportunities provided by the digital economy age and increasing development rates and economic growth for the member countries. — SPA