Partnerships

Partnerships Driving Saudi Arabia's Digital Transformation

Digital Government Authority (DGA) spearheads national, regional, and global partnerships to advance the Kingdom's Vision 2030. These collaborations emphasize innovation, inclusivity, and integration while leveraging public, private, and civil sector expertise. The partnerships operate across multiple levels, focusing on advancing digital governance, modernizing administrative systems, and fostering a sustainable digital economy.

The DGA prioritizes a strategic, globally integrated approach to collaboration, establishing Saudi Arabia as a leader in digital governance and transformation. Guided by a culture of international cooperation, the DGA actively strengthens partnerships with national and global stakeholders. Its agility in building, developing, and enhancing these collaborations underscores its commitment to fostering innovative and sustainable digital ecosystems.

Core Strategies and Commitments

• Global Engagement: DGA maintains an active presence in international digital governance by continuously upgrading participation strategies, emphasizing adaptability and innovation.
• Mutual Agreements: Partnerships are governed by international agreements and memoranda with relevant organizations, encompassing projects, research, and participation in global events like committees, conferences, and workshops.
• Alignment with Global Standards: DGA ensures compatibility with international digital governance indicators, consistently aiming for advanced rankings to showcase Saudi leadership.

This strategic approach positions the DGA as a global collaboration hub dedicated to achieving sustainable progress through sound partnerships and innovative digital practices.

Vision and Goals for Partnerships

The DGA's partnership strategy operates along two complementary tracks and across three levels, ensuring flexibility and adaptability to meet evolving national and international needs:

Two Tracks of Partnerships

• Development Partnerships: Focused on enhancing Saudi Arabia's digital transformation by collaborating with local or global entities to strengthen the Kingdom's digital ecosystem.
• Collaborative Partnerships: Pursuing shared goals with partners, ensuring mutual benefits for all stakeholders involved.

Three Levels of Partnerships

• National Partners: Collaborating with Saudi government entities and local organizations to drive internal digital transformation initiatives.
• International Partners: Engaging with foreign governments, private sector actors, and multilateral stakeholders to foster bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
• Global Organizations: Partnering with international bodies such as the United Nations to align with global sustainability and development goals.

Government Collaborations

• Digital Consulting Program: launched by the DGA, the program supports digital transformation by offering advisory services to government entities. It aims to accelerate digital services, align government strategies with global standards, and boost the digital economy. The program provides consulting on digital strategies, operating models, and platforms, along with services like market research, innovation labs, and performance improvement, to help agencies implement agile and sustainable digital transformations.
• Etimad: A Joint Digital Services Platform: launched by the Ministry of Finance in partnership with the DGA, the platform enhances financial and operational efficiency across government agencies. It provides cloud computing services, including virtual CPUs, storage, and backup, streamlining digital procurement and improving service delivery. By integrating major platforms like Absher, Tawakkalna, and Madrasati, Etimad fosters collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are pivotal in driving Saudi Arabia's digital transformation, fostering innovation, and improving public sector services. These collaborations span various sectors, including education, healthcare, housing, and infrastructure, to improve efficiency and create value through joint efforts. Key initiatives have included the Ministry of Education's partnerships for infrastructure and specialized centers, the Ministry of Health's private sector involvement in national health services, and the Ministry of Housing's collaboration for affordable housing solutions. Additionally, the environmental and transport sectors have seen significant progress through PPPs, focusing on sustainability and modernizing infrastructure to meet the demands of Vision 2030.

The Digital Government Authority (DGA) has been at the forefront of sector-specific digital partnerships. These collaborations include licensing digital government businesses and forming agreements with companies like SAP, SITE, QSS, and Masdar to enhance digital services and promote AI solutions. The DGA has also launched initiatives to improve government digital platforms' efficiency and quality through partnerships with local and international technology companies. These efforts contribute to the broader goal of increasing the digital economy's growth, improving government service delivery, and fostering innovation.

To learn more about specific sector partnerships and their impact on Saudi Arabia's digital transformation, please visit the Private Secor Partnerships page.

The non-profit sector, with over 3,100 organizations, is pivotal in fostering tolerance, coexistence, and humanitarian values. Initiatives like the National Volunteer Portal, the Societies' Financial Sustainability Fund, and partnerships in e-commerce, franchising, and marketing demonstrate a commitment to creating a cohesive, ambitious society while supporting sustainable development and increasing the sector's GDP contribution to 5% by 2030.

Sector-specific partnerships extend across key areas. The Ministry of Health spearheads efforts like the Wateen Initiative for blood donation and partnerships supporting individuals with disabilities. The Ministry of Education collaborates with organizations to enhance special education and integrate Saudi cities into UNESCO's Learning Cities network. Similarly, the housing and justice sectors emphasize social harmony through programs like the Joud Housing Program and the Shaml Initiative, which facilitate community-focused solutions for pressing needs. Additionally, the General Authority for Awqaf's Endowment Investment Funds project highlights innovative financial tools for societal development.

Through these targeted efforts, Saudi Arabia is building a collaborative ecosystem of civil society partnerships that aligns with its transformative vision. 

To learn more about specific sector partnerships and their impact on Saudi Arabia's digital transformation, please visit the Civil Society Partnerships page.

Partnerships with United Nations Organizations

• UN DESA: Collaboration with the Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government (DPIDG) supports innovative governance and has significantly improved Saudi Arabia's E-Government Development Index (EGDI) ranking.
• UN ESCWA: Partnerships have led to Saudi Arabia's leadership in the Government Electronic and Mobile Services Maturity Index (GEMS) and support for digital transformation in Arab Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
• UNU EGOV: Joint efforts focus on advancing professional digital governance, with Saudi Arabia climbing EGDI rankings consistently.

Collaborations with Other Global Organizations

• World Bank Group: Joint initiatives address digital innovation challenges, with studies like the "Saudi Arabia Digital and Distance Education Overview" demonstrating the Kingdom's leadership in education and ICT integration.
• International Telecommunication Union (ITU): Collaborations on the Global AI Readiness Framework and cybersafety initiatives underscore Saudi Arabia's commitment to sustainable and ethical digital transformation.

Regional Partnerships

• Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) Initiatives: Saudi Arabia plays a central role in implementing e-government strategies across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, fostering harmonized regulations and shared digital services.
• Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) Membership: As a founding member of the Digital Cooperation Organization, Saudi Arabia drives inclusive digital transformation and global economic integration.
• Group of Twenty (G20): Saudi Arabia actively contributes to the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG), focusing on issues like high-speed mobile broadband, digital inclusion, sustainable infrastructure, and cybersecurity in the digital economy.