Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, accompanied by Foreign and Expatriates Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and an official delegation, visited the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) headquarters as part of his ongoing visit to Saudi Arabia.

The president was welcomed by Minister of State, Cabinet Member, and National Security Advisor Dr. Musaed Al-Aiban, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha, SDAIA President Dr. Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) Governor Majed Al-Mazyad, Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) Governor Eng. Suhail Abanmi, and other senior officials.

During the visit, President al-Sharaa toured SDAIA's cutting-edge facilities specializing in data and artificial intelligence.

Dr. Al-Ghamdi provided an overview of the Kingdom’s AI-driven initiatives, emphasizing their alignment with Saudi Vision 2030—a national transformation plan led by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, who also chairs SDAIA’s Board of Directors. The plan aims to establish Saudi Arabia as a global leader in artificial intelligence and a data-driven economy.

Dr. Al-Ghamdi highlighted Saudi Arabia’s advancements in leveraging AI and big data across various sectors, particularly in enhancing digital services for citizens, residents, and visitors.

Among the initiatives showcased was the "Tawakkalna" application, which plays a key role in improving accessibility to essential services for residents, pilgrims, and Umrah performers.

The visit also featured presentations from key entities in the Kingdom’s digital economy sector, including the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) and Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA), demonstrating Saudi Arabia’s commitment to digital transformation and technological leadership.

Joining the Syrian delegation were Saudi Minister of State and Cabinet Member Mohammed bin Abdulmalik Al Al-Sheikh and Saudi Ambassador to Syria Faisal Al-Mujfel.