CITC and RIPE NCC Launch "Train the Trainer" Initiative in the Kingdom

The Communications and Information Technology Commission and the RIPE NCC organization announced the "Train the Trainer" initiative on the sidelines of the Internet Protocol version 6 event currently held at the Commission's headquarters in Riyadh. The "Train the Trainer" initiative aims to train national expertise to become the nucleus of a highly skilled team capable of disseminating knowledge and expertise through training courses and workshops to support the deployment and use of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) in the region.

Since the depletion of Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) addresses, internet and telecommunications network operators around the world have faced growing pressure to transition to using Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), to keep pace with the continued growth of the internet and its services. The Communications and Information Technology Commission was a pioneer in this field, having formed a dedicated IPv6 task force (Saudi IPv6 Task Force) since 2008 to prepare for the gradual transition from the current protocol (IPv4) to version 6 protocol (IPv6).

This continuous cooperation between the task force and network operators in the Kingdom has borne fruit, with about 21% of internet networks in the Kingdom now using Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), compared to about 10% in the Middle East region and 19.23% globally.

Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al-Freih, General Manager of Internet Services at the Communications and Information Technology Commission, explained the strategic importance of Internet Protocol version 6, and localizing expertise and competencies in this field through holding training workshops, preparing trainers, and disseminating expertise to ensure the continued growth of the internet and its services and a smooth transition to Internet Protocol version 6.

In this regard, Paul Rendek, Head of External Relations at RIPE NCC, stated that the organization is committed to providing all types of technical support and assistance to its members in the Kingdom among telecom and internet service providers, noting that Saudi Arabia is making gradual and significant progress in the use of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6). He added: "The 'Train the Trainer' initiative, in partnership with the Communications and Information Technology Commission in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, will lead to positive results by attracting Saudi expertise and giving them the opportunity to become professional trainers and contribute to supporting development and growth in all economic sectors in the Kingdom."

RIPE NCC is one of the five regional internet registries and is an independent, non-profit organization that provides global internet resources and related services, such as internet numbers (IPv4 & IPv6) and autonomous system numbers (AS numbers) for its members in its region of operation, in addition to numerous other services for the benefit of the internet community at large. RIPE NCC's headquarters is located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in addition to a regional office in Dubai serving the Arab region and the Middle East.