Saudi Arabia

Summary
In recent years, Saudi Arabia’s DDI value has fluctuated around 0.7, reflecting a medium level of digital dependence. Notably, Saudi Arabia remains completely dependent on foreign patents (with a value of 1.00 throughout the period), yet the value of trade in ICT services dropped rapidly from 1.00 in 2019 to 0.78 in 2023. Dependence on Chinese ICT goods remains exceptionally high, with an average value of 0.99, while dependence on American goods has grown in the last two years, fluctuating within the medium range.

Policies
As stated in the “Saudi Vision 2030”, Saudi Arabia is on a mission to reduce its overall economic dependence. Policies like the “National Cybersecurity Strategy” from 2020 show that this includes the digital sphere. By enhancing its domestic industry development and building a strong native workforce and digital knowhow, the Kingdom aims to boost its domestic capacities.