TODAY the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia upholds an ambitious national development vision that touches all corners of the country's social and economic fabric. Massive infrastructure projects characterize just one part of this incredible transformation. From education to healthcare, transportation and sustainable energy, the national economy is both growing and diversifying. The latest series of economic cities—including the King Abdullah Financial District—will further attract new investments and businesses into the Kingdom. Amid this backdrop, Saudi Arabia is rapidly becoming more interconnected. This connection is deepening with neighboring states and those far beyond local borders. The Kingdom's strong relationship with China—and particularly Chinese companies—is just one example of what is possible in a better-connected world. China has long had a fruitful exchange of ideas, people and goods with Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East. Chinese investor confidence in local economies has been rising in the last few years. Recent studies sight an approximate 50-fold increase in China's direct trade with the MEA region over the last decade. Like Saudi Arabia, China's economy is also witnessing significant developments in the fields of industry, education, science, healthcare, and tourism. One area where Saudi Arabia and China have enjoyed particularly strong cooperation has been in the information and communication technologies (ICT) sector. At Huawei, we believe that Saudi Arabia is an extraordinary example of a country that has very quickly raised its ICT infrastructure to a level outpacing global development. With government leaders crafting ambitious plans to diversify Saudi's growing economy, digital connectivity has proven to be an essential ingredient for powering economic competitiveness. In fact, ICT investments are driving the upgrade of nearly all traditional industries in the Kingdom today. Businesses in financial services, tourism, and real estate in particular are increasingly able to use ICT advancements to strengthen their information-analysis capabilities, enhance collaboration, and launch new products into the marketplace in a better and faster way. Saudi Arabia was one of the first countries in the region to offer high-speed 4G mobile broadband to the public and maintains one of the highest mobile and smartphone penetrations rates in the region. It is a market that experts believe will spend approximately $36.95 billion on ICT products and services this year alone—up 4.6% from 2014. Platforms such as mobility, cloud computing and social networking have all seen progressive uptake. In this space, the impact of Chinese technology companies has been clear. Leveraging worldwide research & development facilities, Huawei has supported local telecom operators for the past decade to welcome several generations of broadband connectivity into Saudi Arabia—giving more people access to the benefits of technological progress. Huawei has a long history of R&D expertise with around 45% of our global workforce devoted to research and innovation. Given the extent of investment being witnessed in the local ICT sector and the growing requirement for skilled manpower, it is also imperative that we focus on bringing highly skilled young people into the ICT industry. At the same time we must provide opportunities for the continuing education and training of existing professionals. For example, Huawei has worked closely with renowned public and private sector entities in Saudi Arabia for more than a decade, both as a key driver of ICT innovation and as a significant employer of local talent within the private sector. Since its establishment in 2006, the Huawei Training Center in Riyadh has grown steadily to meet an expanding list of educational and training objectives, and is recognized today as a major center of excellence for telecom industry training in the region. We have also created partnerships with leading Saudi universities and educational institutes. Last year for example, Huawei announced a strategic partnership with Technical and Vocation Training Corporation (TVTC) that saw both collaborate on a variety of academic programs aimed at providing students in Saudi Arabia with access to the world-class labs, experts and work experience opportunities in the technology field. Engaging with government leaders, the Saudi business community, and individuals throughout the Kingdom, there is certainly a bright future ahead for the local economy and society as a whole. The Internet of Things, e-Commerce, and digital media are driving the upgrading and restructuring of traditional industries. To learn, work, entertain, and live more conveniently, people in Saudi Arabia can expect ICT services to be more simple and easy to use. * The writer is the CEO of Huawei Saudi Arabia
