Page 69 - SAMENA Trends - November-December 2019

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Saudi ICT Spending to Hit US$2.13 Billion in 2020

Saudi Arabia’s government organizations changes across government agencies the need for a comprehensive platform
are expected to increase their can constrain opportunities. Given that that addresses the various aspects of DX
2020 spending on information and the Saudi government is at the forefront in government is more pressing than ever
communication technologies (ICT) by 6.1 of driving DX in the Kingdom as part of before,” he added.
percent compared to the anticipated spend its ambitious Saudi Vision 2030 initiative,
for 2019, International Data Corporation
(IDC) said. The global technology research
and consulting services firm also expects
government ICT spending in the kingdom
to increase at a compound annual growth
rate (CAGR) of 6.4 percent over the 2018–
2023 period, outperforming the overall
enterprise market’s CAGR of 4.7 percent.
“As the Kingdom continues to pursue
the goals of its National Transformation
Program (NTP), much of the government’s
ICT spending focus will be directed towards
digital transformation (DX) enabling
technologies,” says Massimiliano Claps,
IDC’s Research Director for Government
Insights across Europe, the Middle East,
and Africa. “In this era of rapid evolution,
pressures on resources and structural

TRA Bahrain Organizes 5G Network Training Session

The Telecommunications Regulatory Fourth National Telecoms Plan (NTP4). telecommunications networks. The 5G
Authority (TRA), in collaboration with Among the subjects discussed in the panel age in Bahrain is inevitable as companies
Huawei, Ericsson & the GSM Association, and workshop was 5G motivation and are working to phase out the next level of
held a 5G network training session for developments in the market, 5G network technology nationally. TRA says mobile
telecom service providers, government architecture and key technologies, as service carriers began deploying 5G
officials and business leaders in the well as presenting recent use cases for towers as early as July 2019, rendering the
Kingdom of Bahrain on November 26. The 5G and international best practices. It Kingdom a leader in implementing 5G not
event aims at raising awareness of the also addressed the key challenges facing only in the country, but worldwide.
next wave of 5G technology and cultivating the sector, including the procedures
local ICT talent under the umbrella of the needed to embrace the Kingdom’s

Saudi Arabia Ranks Third for Competitiveness in MENA

King Salman’s Vision 2030 and the eco- their economy away from oil, the structur- to adapt to digital technologies. Creating
nomic and social reforms that the Kingdom al transformation is most evident in the opportunity for foreign investors to expand
has implemented in the last few years have ICT adoption pillar, improving by 16 posi- into the Kingdom and allowing the mar-
had monumental effects on the market. It tions. This is primarily due to a sweeping ket to evolve into a diverse and dynamic
has improved its’ competitiveness, access adoption of broadband and internet users economy. The Saudi government are con-
to the market and opened opportunities around the country. Leading to an increase tinually improving conditions of the Saudi
for foreign investors and innovation in the in innovation capability, number of patent market to attract foreign investors into the
Kingdom. These changes helped moved applications and expenditure on research Kingdom and boost the economy. Evident-
Saudi Arabia up 3 positions globally, who and development. As e-commerce and fin- ly, their efforts are producing positive re-
now sits in 36th place for global competi- tech grows in the Kingdom, it placed Saudi sults which we see has drawn numbers of
tiveness, and third in the MENA region. As in third place among G20 countries for IT foreign investors into the Kingdom.
the Saudi government continue to diversify governance, defined as a country’s ability
69 NOVEMBER 2019