AlOhali Chairs Saudi Delegation at GSR26 Symposium in Turkey

H.E. Eng. Haytham Abdulrahman AlOhali, the Governor of the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST), chaired the Kingdom’s delegation participating in the Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR26), held in Ankara under the theme “Navigating Digital Frontier”. The symposium aims to strengthen dialogue in the ICT sector among regulators, policymakers, officials, and private sector stakeholders, serving as a platform for exchanging knowledge and expertise on key issues, emerging trends, and international regulatory best practices.

During the executive meeting of regulatory authorities leaders, H.E. delivered the Kingdom’s speech, highlighting that Saudi Arabia’s ranking as the first globally in the ITU’s Digital Readiness Framework and second in the Digital Regulation Index (G5), reflects the maturity of its digital policies and regulatory frameworks and their alignment with Saudi Vision 2030. He noted that the Kingdom has focused on integrating the socio-economic impact into digital regulations, strengthening international cooperation, and prioritizing digital inclusion through a systematic expansion of infrastructure.


His Excellency noted that, through its partnership with ITU, the Kingdom is working on developing the Global Economic Model Study (GEMS) to bridge the investment gap and shift the regulatory dialogue from mere legal compliance to development-driven strategies led by digital investments. He emphasized that the approach to regulating emerging technologies focuses on outcomes and risk levels, as well as the impact of digital services on users, markets, and investment incentives.
H.E. reviewed a number of the Kingdom’s key achievements, noting that CST Regulatory Sandbox has successfully enabled and tested more than 23 tech products from local and global companies in leading fields such as Blockchain, the Internet of Things, and immersive technologies that blend the physical and virtual worlds. He also highlighted that the Digital Regulatory Academy (DRA), has contributed to training and building the capabilities of more than 1,500 specialists from both the public and private sectors across 190 countries to address future regulatory challenges in Space and artificial intelligence. AlOhali further affirmed that the Kingdom’s nomination for re-election to the ITU’s Council reflects its strong commitment to advancing international dialogue and collaboration, and promoting digital practices that deliver tangible economic and social development. 

The Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) is an annual event organized by ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau. It gathers officials of more than 190, including regulators, policymakers, and key stakeholders in the digital sector. GSR is a leading global platform for regulators to exchange insights and shape regulatory pathways toward a resilient and inclusive digital future. Saudi Arabia hosted the 25th edition last year in Riyadh, reflecting the international community’s trust in its leading role in the digital domain, its contributions to advancing the objectives of the ITU, and its position as a hub for innovative digital regulation and global dialogue, as well as its active role in supporting SDGs and advancing efforts to connect humanity worldwide.