Amazon Web Services (AWS) has recently announced plans to establish a data center in Saudi Arabia. AWS intends to invest over $5.3 billion in the region with the aim to launch an AWS infrastructure region by 2026. This initiative will enable customers to run workloads and securely store data in Saudi Arabia, while also offering services with reduced latency.
To boost the adoption of cloud services in the Saudi region, AWS is expanding its training programs. A significant portion of this investment is allocated to the "AWS Saudi Arabia Women's Skills Program," which offers free AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials training to 4,000 women. Additionally, AWS plans to enhance skill development for students, technical, and non-technical professionals.
This substantial investment in Saudi Arabia is of great importance to the region. As a leader in cloud computing, AWS has consistently aimed to provide stable, efficient, and secure cloud services globally. This investment will not only strengthen AWS's service capabilities in the Middle East but also propel the digital transformation of Saudi Arabia and the broader region. AWS's presence will bring advanced cloud computing technologies and solutions to Saudi Arabia, attracting more international investment and collaboration opportunities, and fostering the continuous development of the Saudi economy.
In Saudi Arabia's cloud computing sector, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) dominate due to their cutting-edge technology, extensive service experience, and early global strategic positioning. These global giants have established data centers in Saudi Arabia to offer a wide range of cloud services. Additionally, they have solidified their foothold in the Saudi market through collaborations with local enterprises, gaining a deep understanding of Saudi market demands and cultural context. While local Saudi cloud computing companies started later than these international corporations, they have shown rapid growth, with the Saudi Cloud Computing Company (SCCC) being a notable example. SCCC has quickly emerged in the market, supported by Alibaba Cloud's technology and the resource advantages of Saudi Telecom.
Chinese enterprises entered the Saudi market later and currently hold a smaller market share. At LEAP 2024, SCCC's CEO Talal Albakr, a joint venture of Alibaba Cloud in Saudi Arabia, announced a plan in collaboration with Tuwaiq to establish the Alibaba Cloud Academy training center. This initiative aims to empower over three thousand young people with Alibaba Cloud technology and course design, focusing on cultivating Saudi digital talent. Huawei Cloud made a notable appearance at the LEAP exhibition, showcasing its innovative services concept of "Everything as a Service." Huawei Cloud demonstrated its advanced cloud capabilities at the Riyadh node, ten systemic innovations for AI, the extensive industry applications of its PanGu large model, and innovative AI solutions tailored for Saudi Arabia. Tencent Cloud announced at LEAP its collaboration with Mobily to launch the "Go Saudi" plan. This plan aims to provide an integrated enterprise cloud platform comprising computing, networking, storage, and other services, thereby enhancing Saudi Arabia's digital ecosystem and global business development.