Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha held a series of high-level meetings during his official visit to Switzerland, aimed at strengthening the Kingdom’s global role in promoting inclusivity in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), innovation, and digital economy development.

 

 The meetings included one with UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin in which they discussed the Kingdom’s longstanding partnership with the ITU spanning over 76 years, as well as its pioneering initiatives to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the future of the digital economy by enabling global telecommunications infrastructure and accelerating progress in international technological initiatives that serve humanity worldwide.

 

 The minister also met with Algerian Minister of Post and Telecommunications Sid Ali Zerrouki to expand partnership opportunities in the areas of digital governance, AI, and digital infrastructure.

 

 Moreover, Alswaha met with the Somali Minister of Communications and Technology Mohamed Adam Moalim Ali to discuss partnership opportunities in developing digital infrastructure, advancing digital government initiatives, and empowering national talents in line with the aspirations of both countries.

 

 He also discussed with World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Director-General Daren Tang opportunities to enable sustainable innovation and strengthen intellectual-property protection in the context of emerging technologies. They further discussed expanding partnerships in technology transfer initiatives and the development of innovation-supportive policies.

 

 Additionally, at the headquarters of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva, Alswaha met with Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan to discuss advancing sustainable digital development and supporting economic growth toward building a technology- and innovation-driven digital future.