Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Riyadh
The Data Centers Xpo conference kicked off in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, under the main sponsorship of the Arab Federation for Digital Economy and organized by Exito Media Concepts. A group of global executives and experts in the fields of digital infrastructure and modern technologies participated in the conference.
The Union was represented at the conference by Dr. Ayman Mokhtar Ghoneim, Assistant Secretary-General, who presented a keynote paper titled “Arab Data Sovereignty: Bridging the Gap, Enhancing Sovereignty, and Building the Future.” He emphasized the importance of developing the region’s digital infrastructure, enhancing Arab capacity to manage national data, and keeping pace with global technological transformations.
The paper highlighted the digital divide in the Arab region, showing that internet coverage in rural areas does not exceed 50%, compared to 83% in urban areas. It also reviewed the challenges associated with the scarcity of internet exchange centers (IXPs) and the weak readiness of infrastructure related to the fifth and sixth generations (5G/6G).
Dr. Ghoneim emphasized that data represents a national asset equivalent to natural resources, noting that enhancing digital sovereignty requires establishing national and regional data centers, unifying Arab regulatory frameworks, investing in green data centers that rely on renewable energy, and building human capacity in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and semiconductors.
At the end of the paper, he presented a strategic vision in stages, which included:
- Achieving universal internet by 2030.
- Establish a regional network of Internet exchanges by 2032.
- Building independent Arab capabilities in sovereign AI computing by 2035.
The conference was attended by leading global experts and companies, such as Siemens Energy, Rittal, and Salam ICT, as well as representatives from the Saudi Ministry of the National Guard and companies specializing in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and modern digital technologies. This provided an ideal platform for exchanging expertise, showcasing the latest innovations in the data center field, and exploring avenues for Arab and international cooperation in this vital sector.
