On the sidelines of the G20 ministerial meeting in India, the minister of communications and information technology of Saudi Arabia met with counterparts from Egypt and Turkey to discuss ways to foster cooperative relationships in the digital economy. These conversations demonstrated the Kingdom's dedication to supporting global alliances in the field of digital transformation.
Discussions between Abdullah Al-Swaha and Amr Talaat, Egypt's minister of communications and information technology, centered on strategic initiatives to support entrepreneurship, women's empowerment, and youth. Additionally, as the Egyptian Ministry noted, there was a consensus that it was crucial to strengthen bilateral cooperation in crucial areas including communication infrastructure and underwater cables.
Additionally, as stated by SPA, Al-Swaha's discussion with Turkey's Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacir focused on ways to improve collaboration in emerging technologies, support entrepreneurs, and grow the digital economy. Al-Swaha emphasized that through empowering youth and women and constructing a sustainable future based on technology and innovation, Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plays a crucial role in enhancing the leadership and competitiveness of the country.
The Saudi minister emphasized that the digital economy has the potential to generate new employment opportunities and business models, but he also drew attention to the global issue of the approximately 2.7 billion people who do not have access to the internet and the need for 4 million data scientists and 4 million cybersecurity experts.
He cited programs that reduced the digital divide to only 1% in Saudi Arabia and three other G20 countries. Al-Swaha mentioned the success of Saudi Arabia in linking 99 percent of its population to digital infrastructure when discussing the nation's digital accomplishments.
The minister and India's Ashwini Vaishnaw, minister of railroads, communication, electronics, and information technology, also signed a cooperation pact on digitization and electronic manufacturing during the visit.