RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has urged Gulf states to build a shared, sustainable digital network and pool computing power, protecting data sovereignty so Gulf Cooperation Council firms can compete worldwide.
The proposal was outlined by Communications and Information Technology Minister Abdullah Alswaha at the 30th Meeting of the GCC Ministerial Committee for Post and Telecommunications in Bahrain on Oct. 18, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Alswaha said it would strengthen Gulf integration in the age of artificial intelligence and turn member states’ technological and economic strengths into a collective force.
The proposal builds on rapid growth in the Kingdom’s digital infrastructure, where data center capacity rose from 68 megawatts in 2021 to more than 467 MW in the first quarter of 2026, backed by investment above SR56.2 billion ($14.9 billion).
“He stressed that the next phase requires GCC member states to operate as one integrated Gulf ecosystem across data, computing, cloud services, and artificial intelligence,” SPA reported him as saying.
Three pillars for Gulf integration
Alswaha said Saudi Arabia, under the directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, was working with fellow GCC members on three priorities: advancing from digital resilience to AI leadership; integrating energy and computing capabilities while protecting data sovereignty; and developing common markets for entrepreneurship to improve global competitiveness.
He said the next phase required GCC states to operate as an integrated digital ecosystem spanning data, computing, cloud services and AI, with interconnected infrastructure allowing citizens and businesses to access services seamlessly across the bloc
Connectivity modeled on the power grid
Saudi Arabia has added more than 8.4 terabits per second of international capacity to support data traffic and telecommunications across GCC states, bringing its total capacity to 18 Tbps, an increase of about 80 percent, Alswaha said.
The Kingdom has also submitted a proposal to the GCC General Secretariat and the country holding the bloc’s rotating presidency to establish sustainable digital interconnectivity modelled on the GCC electricity interconnection network.
The proposal aims to embed digital resilience within a shared regional framework, according to SPA.
14 GW for data centers
On energy and computing, Alswaha said Saudi Arabia has made available a range of sites and 14 gigawatts of power capacity for data centers. These would serve the Kingdom, GCC states, the wider region and the world. He called for a sustainable model of cooperation on data centers.
Opening markets for Gulf companies
Alswaha called for GCC countries to open their markets and harmonise standards to help regional companies expand beyond domestic markets and compete internationally.
He said GCC states were home to more than 20 unicorn companies and accounted for about 95 percent of venture capital investment in the region, highlighting the bloc’s potential to support entrepreneurship and innovation.
He said the next phase also needs interconnected infrastructure, so citizens and businesses can use these services seamlessly across the bloc. Connecting existing capabilities, he concluded, will be the foundation of the GCC’s global competitiveness.