RIYADH: The “paperless courts” project has allowed the Ministry of Justice to win a UN-sponsored technical excellence award at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva recently, the ministry said.
The ministry reportedly won the award following a global contest — on the best information and communication technologies (ICT) initiatives — where more than 1.1 million votes were cast for the sixth edition of the WSIS prize contest.
Voters selected from a list of 345 ICT success stories were nominated through a comprehensive review by the WSIS Prizes Expert Group from 467 submitted projects.
In January, the Saudi Minister of Justice launched a series of “paperless courts” in a number of parts in the Kingdom aimed to cancel paper-based transactions in all enforcement courts Kingdom-wide.
He said the (paperless) project handles all transactions in an integrated electronic process to save a lot of time, effort and money.
The project provides mechanisms to enhance judge powers through the direct electronic link to a number of government agencies such as the Ministries of Commerce, Interior and Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA), a matter that raised the efficiency of courts and restoration of rights to beneficiaries.
Salih Al-Miqrin, assistant ministry undersecretary for Information Technology, said obtaining such a global award affirms the success of the ambitious plans of the Saudi government in developing services in various government agencies in line with the Vision 2030 and the digital transformation in the Kingdom.
He said the electronic applications and services implemented by the Ministry of Justice are aimed to facilitate procedures and services provided to visitors, and raise efficiency as one of the ministry’s objectives in the National Transformation Programs (NTP) 2020.
The UN secretary-general will hand over the WSIS award to the Ministry of Justice in a ceremony to be held in Geneva in the middle of the holy month of Ramadan.
The UN-sponsored WSIS prize is a contest organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in collaboration with the UN Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD), UNESCO and the UN for Development Program (UNDP).
Saudi Justice Ministry wins UN-sponsored technical excellence award
Saudi Justice Ministry wins UN-sponsored technical excellence award
Japan consulate in Jeddah celebrates emperor’s birthday, highlights strong cultural and economic ties
- In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Yamamoto highlighted the growing cultural exchange between the two nations
JEDDAH: The consulate general of Japan in Saudi Arabia celebrated the upcoming birthday of Japanese Emperor Naruhito with a reception at the residence of the consul general Daisuke Yamamoto in Jeddah on Thursday night.
The event was attended by Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, governor of Jeddah; Farid bin Saad Al-Shehri, director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Makkah Region; Saleh Ali Al-Turki, mayor of Jeddah; and other Saudi officials, diplomats, business leaders, and members of the local community.
In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Yamamoto highlighted the growing cultural exchange between the two nations.
“The relationship between Japan and Saudi Arabia is particularly strong in the cultural field. Saudi people are very fond of Japanese pop culture, especially anime and manga, and many are motivated to learn Japanese just to enjoy the original works,” he said.
Yamamoto noted that while enthusiasm is high, challenges remain in expanding language education. “Currently, we don’t have a dedicated Japanese language institute in Jeddah. Some institutes exist in Riyadh, but here people mostly study Japanese on their own, which is difficult without interacting with native speakers. Establishing a permanent institute is one of our goals, but we cannot do it alone; we need Saudi partners,” he explained.
During his speech at the reception, Yamamoto said: “Japan is Saudi Arabia’s third-largest trading partner. Bilateral trade reached $36 billion by the end of 2024, reflecting a 50-percent increase since 2016. Many Japanese companies are investing directly in the Kingdom, across sectors such as petrochemicals, energy, automobiles, electronics, and titanium production.” He also encouraged Saudi investors to explore opportunities in Japan’s market.
He also highlighted recent initiatives designed to strengthen cultural ties, including the three-day Hayy Matsuri Japanese cultural festival at Hayy Jameel, which welcomed more than 12,000 visitors, and a two-day Kabuki performance organized in partnership with the Historic Jeddah Project and teamLab. “These cultural exchanges offer a chance for Saudis to experience Japan firsthand, from traditional arts to contemporary innovations,” he said.
Yamamoto welcomed the Kingdom’s participation in upcoming international events in Japan, including the 2026 Asian and Paralympic Games in Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture, as well as the GREEN×EXPO 2027 in Yokohama.
The evening concluded with a ceremonial cake cutting alongside a showcase of Japanese cuisine.
Reflecting on the broader Japan–Saudi relationship, Yamamoto praised the enduring friendship between the two nations.
“Our countries share a history of partnership that spans generations. Celebrations like today not only honor the emperor’s birthday, but also reinforce the enduring collaboration and mutual respect between our peoples,” he said.
He expressed hope for continued growth in cultural, educational, and economic collaboration, emphasizing the strong foundations laid under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
