DUBAI: Amazon Web Services, the cloud computing arm of the Internet giant, said it will build data centers in the UAE in the first half of 2022 as it adds to its Middle East footprint.
The AWS Middle East (UAE) region will include three so-called Availability Zones, which consist of infrastructure in geographic locations that are far enough apart that they should not be impacted by a single event, while being close enough that they reduce latency for local customers, the company said in a statement.
AWS has 80 availability zones across 25 geographic locations globally, including the Middle East’s first in Bahrain. It plans to open 18 more availability zones across six geographies, including Australia, India, Indonesia, Spain, Switzerland and the UAE.
Each Availability Zone has independent power, cooling, and physical security, AWS said.
Companies already using AWS in the Middle East include Al Tayer Group, Aramex, AXA Gulf, Axiom Telecom, Emirates NBD, Flydubai, Gulf News, MBC Group, OSN, Seera Group, and Virgin Middle East.
Samaco Automotive Company, the premium car dealer for Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche and Volkswagen, said this week it had become the first automotive dealer in the Kingdom to launch a customer service feature on the AWS and ThingLogix Solutions platforms.
However, AWS has competition in the form of regional industry upstarts such as Wasabi, which received a $25 million investment last week from Prosperity7 Ventures, a venture capital unit of Saudi Aramco.
Amazon cloud business to build data centers in UAE
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Amazon cloud business to build data centers in UAE
- AWS has 80 availability zones across 25 geographic locations globally, including the Middle East’s first in Bahrain
Saudi Arabia sees 21% jump in mining sector licenses since 2016
- The growth in the Kingdom’s mining sector licenses aligns closely with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, launched in 2016
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s mining sector has shown sustained growth, with the number of mining licenses increasing from 1,985 in 2016 to 2,401 by the end of 2024, representing cumulative growth of 21 percent, according to the 2024 mineral wealth statistics from the General Authority for Statistics.
The data highlights a steady upward trend in recent years. Licenses rose to 2,100 in 2021, marking a 6 percent increase from the previous year.
The upward trajectory continued with 2,272 licenses in 2022, 2,365 in 2023, and 2,401 in 2024, reflecting expanding exploration and investment activity across the Kingdom’s mining sector. Building material quarries accounted for the largest share of mining permits, climbing from 1,267 licenses in 2021 to 1,481 by 2024.
Exploration licenses also recorded consistent growth, supporting the Kingdom’s broader push to develop its mineral resources.
Other categories of mining activity saw significant expansion, including 2,554 exploration licenses, 744 exploitation licenses, 151 reconnaissance licenses, and 83 surplus mineral ore licenses issued during the same period.
The growth in the Kingdom’s mining sector licenses aligns closely with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, launched in 2016, which aim to diversify national income sources and strengthen non-oil sectors.
