The Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) Governor Dr. Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Tamimi announced the Kingdom's candidacy for membership of the ITU Council at the ITU Council 2022 session in Geneva. During his speech at the Council, Al-Tamimi recalled how the Kingdom has worked alongside the ITU on many successful programs to strengthen digital infrastructure in developing countries. "As Saudi Arabia, we are committed to the ITU's continued success in connecting people and ensuring a sustainable digital future for all and support the ICT sector globally," he added. In addition, Al-Tamimi noted that Saudi Arabia is undergoing a remarkable period of profound digital transformation. The Kingdom's telecommunications and information technology market size reached $40 billion, which makes it the biggest market in MENA region, with over $19 billion worth of government-led investments in the last five years. This resulted in many achievements that paved the way for adopting several digital technologies. Saudi Arabia deployed the world-first successful trial to provide 5G connectivity through high-altitude platform systems (5G HAPS), and the launch of WiFi-6e technology which will improve Internet speeds by 5-fold for WiFi users. Saudi Arabia is a member of ITU Council for over 57 years, through which it had made major contributions in the ICT sector alongside the ITU members, making a significant impact on the global economy. The ITU Council consists of 48 countries, elected among the agency's 193 member states. As the Union's governing body, central to the Council's mandate is ensuring the activation of timely policies, strategies, and programs to guide the global ICT sector through today's rapid transformations. In addition, the Council oversees the day-to-day running of the Union, approving budgets and coordinating work programs. Saudi Arabia has been a committed member of the ITU since 1949, with an active role as Council member since 1965. The Kingdom harnessed its human capabilities to support the ITU mission and activities in managing the frequency spectrum, allocating satellite orbits, and preparing worldwide technical standards related to future networks, network security and operational aspects, as well as the quality of service. — SPA
