In a recent blog post on The World Bank’s website entitled “In Saudi Arabia, Investments In Digital Infrastructure Are Paying Off,” the Kingdom was praised for focusing heavily on leveraging its digital infrastructure, which has provided the county with a solid foundation for key aspects of the new coronavirus emergency response, including continued access to various e-government services.
Saudi Arabia ranks fourth globally in the use of 5G tech and has "jumped from 150th to 10th place globally in terms of internet speed, showcasing the durability of its infrastructure" according to a representative from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. pic.twitter.com/olw8XQ4Ro7
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From physical to virtual, Saudi Arabia has been investing in all aspects of its digital infrastructure as part of its Vision 2030 strategy aimed at transforming its oil-dependent economy into a more diverse and digitalized one. Indeed, the post, which was written by Dr. Zaki Khoury, a Senior Digital Development Specialist at the World Bank’ Digital Development Global Practice, highlights how preventive measures in the nation were made easier to launch and adopt due to that fact that 91% of the population are covered by mobile broadband 4G networks.
From the New York Times to the Guardian, global news outlets have recognized Saudi Arabia's readiness and generosity in fighting COVID-19.https://t.co/0OIKz6rWXj
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In addition, an impressive three million homes in Saudi Arabia are currently connected to fixed broadband, and Internet speed has been increasing in the Kingdom, maintaining a “’relatively high speed’ of 59.24 megabits per second despite a rise in demand as people remain home.” The widespread coverage provided across the country has allowed Saudi Arabia to successfully shift education to dedicated online platforms, to enhance the capacity of public servants with unified digital systems, and to secure business continuity through digital channels that have helped various agencies deliver safe, reliable, and user-centric services.
Dr. Khoury concluded the post on the way forward for the Kingdom and other nations across the globe, writing, “Resilience, combined with agility, will be the new focus for digital government as countries emerge from the COVID-19 crisis. By harnessing secured emerging technologies and data, expanding broadband connectivity, focusing on citizen and business needs and expectations, and leveraging multiple stakeholders’ interests and engagement, governments will be well positioned to reap rewards from such digital capabilities in the future.”
