With Participation from 134 Countries, Kingdom Chairs Committee of the World Telecommunication Development Conference

The World Telecommunication Development Conference organized by the International Telecommunication Union concluded its work in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, with the participation of more than 1,400 participants from 134 countries, with the Kingdom chairing one of the five most important committees at the conference, concerned with determining the scope of work of the ITU's Telecommunication Development Sector.

The Kingdom's statement was delivered by His Excellency Eng. Majed bin Mohammed Al-Muzaid, Deputy Governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission for Infrastructure and Technology and head of the delegation, and Chairman of the conference committee concerned with determining the scope of work of the development sector, in which he explained that the Kingdom's government recognized the importance of the telecommunications and information technology sector from an early stage, as it enables the digital economy that supports telecommunications and information technology sector projects emanating from Saudi Vision 2030. Eng. Al-Muzaid reviewed the Saudi Vision 2030 programs, which include strategic goals related to the telecommunications and information technology sector, most notably: developing infrastructure, enhancing broadband provision, and promoting innovation in advanced technologies. The head of the Kingdom's delegation affirmed that the telecommunications and information technology market in the Kingdom is the largest telecommunications market in the region, with spending on telecommunications and information technology services reaching approximately $35 billion in 2016, a growth rate of more than 8% compared to 2015.

It should be noted that the Kingdom participated effectively in the conference, with members of the Saudi delegation chairing many working groups emanating from the committees of the World Telecommunication Development Conference, which is one of the main conferences of the International Telecommunication Union, held every four years, with more than 1,400 participants from 134 countries participating this year. The conference sets strategies and objectives for the development of telecommunications and information technology, and provides future directions and guidance for the ITU's Telecommunication Development Sector.