The General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) emerged as one of top 15 government agencies for providing online services and streamlining procedures online, according to the Digital Government Services Maturity Report for the e-government program Yesser.
Commenting on this achievement, Ahmed Mohammed Al-Omran, assistant governor for IT, said GOSI is working relentlessly to realize the ultimate goal of a complete digital transformation in line with the National Transformation Program 2020.
GOSI is a semi-state body that enjoys administrative and financial independence. It was established to implement the provisions of the Social Insurance Law and follow up the process of achieving compulsory insurance coverage, collecting contributions from employers and paying benefits to eligible contributors or their family members.
GOSI has adopted technology to efficiently implement social insurance and e-GOSI has been realized to be a crucial part of e-government. It is considered a huge leap in social insurance, as it comprises a group of electronic channels.
Al-Omran graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science from King Saud University in 1995.
He followed it up with a master’s in the same subject from Florida Institute of Technology, US.
He has been associated with GOSI since 1996 during which he worked on several key projects and served in top positions. Al-Omran was promoted to his current position in 2013. His Twitter handle is @omranahmed1973.
Ahmed Mohammed Al-Omran, assistant governor for IT at GOSI
https://arab.news/w7m64
Ahmed Mohammed Al-Omran, assistant governor for IT at GOSI
- Al-Omran graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science from King Saud University in 1995
Saudi wildlife center records rare sighting of critically endangered leatherback turtle in Red Sea
- NCW says the leatherback traveled thousands of kilometers to reach the Red Sea
- The closest known nesting grounds are located in India’s Andaman Islands, some 6,500 km distant
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's National Center for Wildlife (NCW) has documented a rare sighting of a leatherback sea turtle in the Red Sea, marking a significant biological record for one of the planet's most critically endangered marine species.
The sighting occurred approximately 30 kilometers off the coast of Al-Qunfudhah within the Blue Holes Protected Area, a newly established marine reserve, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The NCW confirmed that the presence of a leatherback in these waters is an exceptional event. Recognized as the largest turtle species on Earth, the leatherback can weigh up to 900 kilograms. It is easily identified by its unique leathery, black carapace—distinguished by five longitudinal ridges rather than a hard bony shell—and its ability to dive to depths exceeding 1,000 meters.
Noting the species' migratory nature, the center explained that leatherbacks travel thousands of kilometers foraging for jellyfish. The specimen likely navigated through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in search of food.
This is considered a remarkable journey, the NCW said, noting that the nearest known populations reside in the Indian Ocean, spanning waters from South Africa to Sri Lanka (roughly 7,000 to 8,000 kilometers away). The closest known nesting grounds are located in India’s Andaman Islands, approximately 6,500 kilometers distant. No nesting activity has been recorded in the Red Sea.
According to the IUCN Red List, the leatherback is Critically Endangered in the Indian Ocean. While data for the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf is scarce, recent isolated sightings include a juvenile recorded in Jordan in December 2025 and another off Djibouti in 2019.
The NCW emphasized that these rare appearances highlight the ecological importance of the Kingdom's marine conservation efforts in the Red Sea. The center pointed to the Farasan Islands Marine Protected Area, along with the new Blue Holes and Ras Hatiba reserves, as critical sanctuaries that could support the potential expansion of such endangered species' ranges.
