Latest news with #AlOhali
Saudi Gazette
10 hours ago
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia announces its candidacy to ITU Council's membership
Saudi Gazette report GENEVA — Saudi Arabia announced its candidacy to retain its membership in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Council. The announcement was made during the 2025 ITU Council session held in Geneva, Switzerland. Addressing the council meeting on Tuesday, Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) Acting Governor Eng. Haytham AlOhali reaffirmed the Kingdom's pioneering role in supporting the global telecom and technology sector. Eng. AlOhali reaffirmed the Kingdom's strong commitment to international cooperation in bridging the digital divide, stressing the importance of accelerating global efforts to connect the unconnected and address the challenges of the digital and AI era. He pointed out that the world currently connects around 200 million people annually, and at this pace, it would take more than 13 years to connect the remaining 2.6 billion. This calls for an innovative approach to speed up connectivity efforts and reduce the timeframe by over 50%. 'Saudi Arabia is proud to be among the top nations that have successfully reduced the digital connectivity gap to below 1 percent. The Kingdom has also leveraged technology to create advanced and innovative solutions across sectors such as education, healthcare, energy, and public services,' he said. Eng. AlOhali affirmed that Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with the ITU, introduced the AI Readiness Framework, highlighting the importance of ensuring that artificial intelligence must be inclusive, human-centered, and focused on empowering youth and women. 'By innovation and collaboration, we now have the solution to accelerate the pace of global connectivity and cut the time needed to close the digital gap by over half. This could enable us to connect the unconnected within five years or even sooner. It's not just about saving time, but about unlocking opportunities and advancing inclusive social and economic development, particularly in developing nations,' he stated. Eng. AlOhali pointed out that Saudi Arabia has significantly expanded its digital workforce, increasing the number of professionals from 150,000 in 2018 to more than 380,000 by 2024. Women's participation in the ICT sector also grew from 7 percent to 35 percent, surpassing both the global and G20 averages. The Kingdom's adoption of a forward-thinking digital regulatory framework has secured it the second spot among G20 nations in the ITU's ICT Regulatory Tracker. In addition, Saudi Arabia has launched global initiatives to enhance regulatory digital maturity in over 100 countries, emphasizing the vital role of adaptable, innovation-driven frameworks in enabling inclusive digital transformation. AlOhali emphasized that the Kingdom's digital accomplishments and innovative initiatives have been driven by the strong support and guidance of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. He affirmed Saudi Arabia's commitment to leveraging its resources and expertise to support the international and ITU's efforts in building a sustainable digital future. As part of the Kingdom's ongoing collaboration with the ITU, he announced that the Kingdom will host the Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) from August 31 to September 3, 2025, in Riyadh, under the theme: 'Regulation for Sustainable Digital Development.' He invited all member states to participate in this significant forum, which highlights the Kingdom's strong relationship with the ITU and reflects its dedication to building regulatory frameworks that foster innovation, investment, and inclusive access. The ITU Council consists of 48 member states, including Saudi Arabia, out of a total of 194. The council oversees the Union's activities between Plenipotentiary Conferences (PP). Its responsibilities include: directing the ITU's tasks, ensuring the implementation of ITU policies and budgets, approving operational and financial plans, and reviewing programs, while also providing recommendations on general policies to develop the sector. This makes the council a pivotal mechanism in ensuring the efficiency and continuity of the ITU's work.
Arabian Business
13-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Saudi communication and tech sector hit $48bn last year; most popular internet times and days revealed
Saudi Arabia has witnessed a surge in the size of its communication and technology sector, with key statistics being revealed this week. The Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) revealed that the size of the communications and technology market reached SR180bn ($48bn) in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 7.5 per cent over the past five years. The announcement was made during the 11th edition of the ICT Indicators Forum 2025, held in Riyadh, in the presence of Acting CST Governor Eng. Haitham Al-Ohali. Saudi tech sector The event, attended by leading experts and sector leaders, featured five key presentations along with a panel discussion reviewing the financial performance of the Kingdom's communications and technology sector. CST General Manager of Regulations Eng. Thamer AlKhwaiter revealed that the median mobile internet speed in the Kingdom has reached 129mbps, ranking the fourth among G20 countries in 2024. Mobile telecommunications subscriptions have grown to 68.2m, with an annual growth rate of 7 per cent. He also disclosed that the space market volume reached approximately SR7.1bn ($1.9bn) in 2024. In a further presentation, Al Jazira Capital's Head of Research Jassim AlJubran delivered a comprehensive financial analysis of the sector. He reported that the total assets of ICT-listed companies in the Kingdom have reached SR255bn ($68bn), with total revenues amounting to SR128bn ($34.1bn) and a market cap of SR427bn ($113.8bn). The CST issued the Saudi Internet Report 2024, presenting key verified figures on the internet ecosystem and usage in the Kingdom and progress in internet service quality based on the latest statistics. The report highlights several indicators and data points related to user behaviour and preferences in browsing the internet in the Kingdom during 2024. It revealed that: Internet penetration in Saudi Arabia has reached 99 per cent Peak daily usage hours were recorded between 9pm and 11pm, with Saturday identified as one of the highest internet usage days of the week The percentage of internet use via mobile phones reached 99.4 per cent, surpassing all other device types 93.1 per cent of online purchases were made through local websites 21.5 per cent of internet users in the Kingdom utilise various artificial intelligence tools and applications. The report revealed detailed insights into Saudi Arabia's performance in internet-related indicators globally. The average monthly mobile data consumption per user reached 48GB, three times the global average. The annual growth in Saudi domain names reached 25 per cent, eight times the global average. Additionally, the Kingdom ranked among the top five G20 countries in mobile internet speeds, reflecting the advancement and development of its digital infrastructure and contributing to broader internet penetration and service accessibility.
