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Four years ago, Saudi Arabia and Egypt worked together to launch the first Saudi-Egyptian Digital Economy Forum, with the participation of 160 Egyptian and 40 Saudi companies and institutions to provide new partnership opportunities and promote investment between the two countries.

The kingdom’s commitment to a digital economy is shown once again as Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Abdullah Al-Swaha, held talks with his Egyptian and Turkish counterparts on the sidelines of the G20 ministerial meeting in India.

The Saudi Press Agency stated that the discussions showed the kingdom’s commitment to building international partnerships in the digital transformation sector. 

Al-Swaha and Egyptian Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat discussed strategic projects promoting youth, women, and entrepreneurship, highlighting the importance of enhancing bilateral cooperation in critical areas such as communication infrastructure and submarine cables.

Al-Swaha also met with Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacir to discuss opportunities to enhance collaboration in emerging technologies, support entrepreneurs and boost the digital economy. 

The Saudi minister highlighted the potential of the digital economy to create jobs and new business models and noted the global challenges of 2.7 billion people without internet access and a demand for 4 million data scientists and 4 million cybersecurity specialists.

He pointed to initiatives that have narrowed the digital divide in Saudi Arabia and three other G20 nations to just 1%. He noted that Saudi Arabia has connected 99%of its population to digital infrastructure.

The kingdom, an active member of the G20, plays a critical role in shaping digital policies and leading several initiatives to drive global efforts in bridging the digital divide.