At the Opening of ITU Telecom World 2017 in South Korea, the Governor of the Communications Commission: Vision 2030 a Strong Driver for Enhancing the Communications and Information Technology Sector in the Kingdom

In the speech delivered by His Excellency Dr. Abdulaziz bin Salem Al-Ruwais, Governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission, during the Kingdom's participation in ITU Telecom World 2017, currently being held in the city of Busan, South Korea, he affirmed the great impact of the communications and information technology sector projects emanating from the Kingdom's Vision, aimed at creating an attractive system for large hosting centers, developing regulatory frameworks, stimulating public telecommunications service providers to invest in broadband infrastructure, developing indicators to measure and publish broadband service quality for the public, and enhancing a fair competitive environment. His Excellency noted the efforts and support of the wise leadership for the communications and information technology sector in the Kingdom, which has witnessed major developments in the past few years, represented in increasing its competitiveness through liberalizing service markets and opening the door to competition, developing regulatory policies and legislation, and expanding communications and information technology service markets to include new and advanced services that meet the needs of beneficiaries throughout the Kingdom, whether individuals, the business sector, or the government sector.

His Excellency Dr. Al-Ruwais noted that the Saudi communications and information technology market is one of the largest communications and information technology markets in the Middle East, as spending on communications and information technology services reached about ($35) billion during 2016, with a growth rate estimated at about 8% over 2015, expecting spending on communications and information technology services to grow to ($36.8) billion by the end of 2017. In addition, the Kingdom is among the top countries in the world in the growth rate of mobile phone usage penetration relative to the population, according to reports by the United Nations agency specialized in telecommunications, as well as in the penetration of broadband services over mobile communications networks, and in the growth rate of smartphone usage penetration, in addition to 95% of internet users in the Kingdom having at least one account on social media platforms, 80% of whom actively participate.

It is worth noting that ITU Telecom World is an annual event held under the umbrella of the United Nations agency specialized in telecommunications, serving as a global platform connecting small and medium technology companies with government and industry leaders around the world, and enabling the exchange of information and expertise between high-level participants, with the participation of more than 300 speakers, and more than 6,000 registered visitors, including 50 ministers, and a number of small and medium enterprises. This year's event sessions focus on topics including artificial intelligence, 5G, and the Internet of Things, with manufacturing companies showcasing their latest plans, programs, and products on these topics.