RIYADH, 29 February 2004 — The Saudi government has been paying great attention to the development of telecommunication and information technology all these years, according to Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Muhammad ibn Jameel Mulla.
“This can be reflected by the fact that existing regulations provide IT with independence and the capability of enforcing that all service providers carry out their obligations, and protect their rights and the rights of consumers,” he said on the occasion of the “Saudi Communications 2004” show at the Riyadh Exhibition Center.
He noted that the major development in this sector is what the Kingdom is experiencing nowadays under the reign of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd.
“The government has adapted to all technical, economical, and social changes and came up with the most suitable systems and norms to provide the citizens of the Kingdom with the best modern communication infrastructure and facilities and connected all the Kingdom’s regions with the full range of communication technologies available: Land- based, satellite, and wireless and opened specialized educational institutions in these matters,” he said.
The government has also taken upon itself the last few years to develop the service sectors including the communications and information technology sectors, since the private sector at that time was unable to carry these responsibilities due to many financial and technical reasons. The government took the initiative at that time to develop the services to serve the country.
Once the government felt the readiness of the private sector in all technical and financial aspects, it started handing over, step-by-step, all service-related matters and opened the way to the private sector.
“This step required restructuring the telecommunication and IT sector. It established the Saudi Telecom Company (STC), also renamed the ministry to Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, and established a Communications & Information Technology Commission,” he said.
This enabled focusing on four key participants: The commission that creates general policy, the commission that organizes the sector, the company that provides the service, and the consumer that receives the service.
In appreciation of the role that conferences and seminars provide in delivering up-to-date information, latest technologies, and exchange of experience and knowledge, the ministry has been keen to participate in these activities.
“Recently, the ministry sponsored a number of these seminars and gatherings that included the Electric Document Management Forum, and the gathering of the public sector information managers. The ministry also participated in the GCC Ninth Industrialists Conference in Oman as well as the roundtable for the ministers responsible for information technology, held under the auspices of UNESCO-Paris, and in the global summit for the Information Society held in Geneva.
“I look forward to the contributions that this conference will make based on the objectives and program that are clarified in this publication,” he said.
He added that “at this special occasion, I would like to thank all the contributors to the success of this event, sponsoring companies and the various entities participating.”
“I would like to specially thank STC for organizing this conference. The Communications and IT Commission, and the Riyadh Exhibitions Company (REC) for all their continuous work, and persistent efforts, to ensure the achievement of the desired objectives of this conference, and the exposure of the role of the Kingdom and its achievements in these matters and the development of the communications and information technology sector, as an important service, and promising industry, and a key growing segment of the national economy,” he said.
