أمير نجران يجتمع بوزير الاتصالات ويطّلع على التقدم في المؤشرات الرقمية والتقنية بالمنطقة

The Emir of Najran, Prince Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaid, confirmed that digital enablers represent a fundamental pillar in empowering regions to invest in developmental opportunities, enhance service efficiency, and improve the beneficiary experience. He pointed out that investing in digital infrastructure and developing national capabilities contributes to creating a smarter, more efficient, and sustainable future, aligning with the aspirations of the wise leadership towards a thriving digital economy.

This came during a meeting he held at the emirate's headquarters with the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Engineer Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha, in the presence of several leaders from the emirate and the Ministry of Communications.

The meeting discussed the efforts of the communications and information technology system in the Najran region, the priorities for the upcoming phase in enhancing digital enablers, expanding the scope of technical infrastructure, and harnessing technologies to build a smart future that supports economic and social development and enhances the region's competitiveness.

The Emir of Najran emphasized the importance of directing technology to serve humanity and maximizing its developmental impact on the local community.

During the meeting, he was briefed on a presentation regarding the development of telecommunications services and digital infrastructure in the Najran region, where the speed of 5G mobile internet reached (196.3) megabits/second, and the coverage of 4G for the population reached (99%). Additionally, the number of homes connected to fiber optics reached (29) thousand, an increase of (222%) from a baseline of (9) thousand homes in 2017, while the coverage of high-speed wireless broadband in villages and hamlets reached (10) thousand homes, an increase of (400%) from a baseline of (2000) homes in 2017.

Training More Than 5,000 Beneficiaries

The presentation also reviewed indicators of human capital development in the region, where more than (5) thousand beneficiaries from the sons and daughters of Najran were trained in the fields of data, artificial intelligence, computer science, and cloud computing, in addition to adopting an artificial intelligence curriculum at Najran University and providing learning resources and virtual labs in partnership with global entities, enhancing the readiness of national competencies to shape the smart future.

In the field of digital entrepreneurship, the Emir of Najran was informed about initiatives supporting technological innovation in the region, most notably the Najran Tech Hackathon, supported by the Digital Entrepreneurship Center (Code), which contributed to empowering national talents and developing innovative digital solutions to address community challenges, with awards exceeding (1.5) million riyals, and supporting the winning projects to ensure their sustainability and transform them into applicable models.

At the end of the meeting, the minister expressed his deep gratitude and appreciation to the Emir of Najran for his support and interest, emphasizing that continuous integration with the emirate and relevant entities forms a fundamental pillar to enhance digital enablers, accelerate the building of a smart future, and stimulate technological investment, thereby supporting the growth of the digital economy in the region.