Saudi Arabia partners with South Africa to grow communication and IT sectors

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has signed a memorandum of cooperation with South Africa’s Department of Communications and Digital Technologies to enhance development in the fields of communications and information technology.

The memorandum of cooperation also aims to achieve technical development and expansion in the information and communication sectors markets in the two countries, Saudi Press Agency reported.

According to the report, the memorandum was signed by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Abdullah Amer Al-Sawah and Minister of Transport of South Africa, Fikile Mbalula, on the sidelines of the Saudi-South African Investment Forum in Jeddah.

As a part of the deal, the two countries will work together in a number of areas which include education, health, e-government, tourism, smart cities, fixed and wireless broadband, IP networks and data centers, internet applications and wireless services, including satellite communications.

According to the memorandum, they will also cooperate on several topics, including studies and research to facilitate joint investment projects in information communication technology infrastructure, digital communication and emerging technologies.

They will also work together to develop digital economy policies, research and development, innovation, and cooperation in the areas of artificial intelligence, the internet of things, cloud computing and digital government.

During the forum, Saudi Arabia and South Africa also signed 11 agreements and memorandum of understanding in the government and private sectors, aimed at promoting developments in the investment sector.

These deals covered the fields of energy, water, green hydrogen, waste diversion, logistics and aerial survey services.

During the forum, Saudi Arabian Investment Minister, Khalid Al-Falih said that the Kingdom is growing at the fastest rate among the Group of 20 economies. It enjoys a strategic location linking three continents with a coastline of 1,200 km along the Red Sea, through which about 15 percent of global trade travels.

Al-Falih also noted that Saudi-South African trade is constantly growing. It has increased from $4.6 billion in 2019 to around $4.8 billion last year, and is expected to exceed $5.3 billion in 2022.