RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is exploring partnership opportunities with Germany, Japan, and France in emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, and digital infrastructure, as officials convened in Riyadh during the 19th Internet Governance Forum.
Running from Dec. 15 to 19 at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, the UN-organized forum convened global leaders to promote international digital cooperation and address emerging challenges in Internet governance.
On the sidelines, Vice Minister of Communications and Information Technology Haytham Al-Ohali held discussions with officials from the three nations to strengthen collaboration in the digital economy space.
This comes as Saudi Arabia is working to position itself as a global leader in AI and digital transformation under Vision 2030. Goals include increasing the digital economy’s gross domestic product contribution from 14 percent in 2022 to 19.2 percent by 2025, digitizing 92 percent of government services, and raising the ICT sector’s GDP share to 4 percent.
At the forum’s opening, the Kingdom unveiled the Riyadh Declaration, a commitment to developing inclusive and responsible AI technologies to address global challenges and drive economic value.
Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha highlighted the declaration’s focus on AI’s role in increasing digital accessibility, enhancing digital literacy, protecting the environment, and promoting economic inclusion.
He underscored the importance of ensuring fairness, inclusivity, and safety in the development and deployment of AI technologies while leveraging data for societal advancement.
“The Kingdom is committed to addressing key challenges such as unequal access to algorithms, data, and computing resources,” Al-Swaha said.
As part of its Vision 2030 goals, the Kingdom plans to provide high-speed broadband access to 90 percent of households in densely populated cities, implement nationwide e-invoicing to enhance tax compliance, and rank among the world’s top 15 countries in AI by the end of this decade.
Al-Ohali’s meeting with Stefan Schnorr, state secretary at Germany’s Ministry for Digital and Transport, focused on strengthening technical cooperation and promoting innovation.
His talks with Takuo Imagawa, the vice minister for international affairs at Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, explored Saudi-Japanese partnerships in AI and emerging technologies.
Similarly, Al-Ohali’s meeting with French Ambassador for Digital Affairs Henri Verdier centered on advancing joint initiatives in technical innovation and the digital economy.
Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Al-Budaiwi underscored the significance of Saudi Arabia hosting the IGF, reflecting the Kingdom’s leadership in digital governance and commitment to Vision 2030’s objectives.
“This enhances the Kingdom’s position as a key destination for global events aimed at achieving sustainable development across various sectors,” he said.
Al-Budaiwi added that the event highlights Saudi Arabia’s communications, information technology, and digital government capabilities.
The forum, attended by over 9,000 participants from 170 countries, features more than 300 sessions under themes such as Harnessing Innovation and Balancing Risks in the Digital Space, Advancing Human Rights and Inclusion in the Digital Age, and Improving Digital Governance for the Internet We Want.
The event highlights Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in digital governance and its efforts to harness innovation to drive global sustainability and digital inclusion.
