JEDDAH, 9 May 2006 — Saudi Arabia has allocated SR3 billion to set up infrastructure facilities required for providing 150 e-government services within the next five years, the Saudi Press Agency reported yesterday quoting a Cabinet statement.
“Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, who chaired the Cabinet, has approved the allocation of SR3 billion for the e-government program for the first five years, beginning with this fiscal year,” Culture and Information Minister Iyad Madani told the agency.
He said the e-government program would include 150 main services and more than 1,000 subsidiary services by 40 government agencies. “The program will start this year providing six government services in association with relevant agencies,” said Madani.
He said the program was aimed at enabling government agencies to use electronic communications to extend their services to the public and the private sector. This would improve the efficiency of government departments and help create a more investment-friendly atmosphere in the Kingdom.
King Abdullah instructed all government officials and agencies to work for realizing the vision of electronic governance and make it a success.
“This will help the public receive distinguished government services through secure electronic means from anywhere and at any time,” the king said.
Referring to the consultative GCC summit in Riyadh, Abdullah said the present delicate situation demanded a united stand by the Gulf Cooperation Council states on the basis of a clear vision and concrete plan in order to reinforce the security and stability of the region.
The king said GCC leaders had expressed their desire to strengthen the six-member regional economic and political body. GCC groups Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. He also briefed the ministers on his talks with Philippine President Gloria Arroyo.
The Cabinet meeting reviewed the situation in Palestine and called upon Palestinian factions to show restraint and work for national unity. “It’s the only way for the Palestinians to achieve their legitimate rights and establish an independent state on their land,” it added. Spelling out the Cabinet decisions, Madani said it decided to bring the Saudi Arabian Standards Organization (SASO) under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and reshuffled SASO’s board of directors, which has 14 members. The Cabinet endorsed the general agreement for cooperation with Cuba and decided to implement the joint GCC law on taking care of the health of minors.
