Microsoft has announced the completion of construction work on all three Azure availability zones, with availability anticipated in 2026, in its updates on the progress of its datacentre region in Saudi Arabia. 

 

The updates came after a recent site visit by a delegation of government officials from the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) as well as Microsoft executives from the company’s headquarters and Saudi Arabia. 

 

Located in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, each of the three Azure availability zones features independent power, cooling, and networking infrastructure. They will be equipped with state-of-the-art hardware to enable government and private sector companies in Saudi Arabia to seamlessly run their workloads in the cloud with low latency and high availability options. 

 

Enterprise-grade reliability

The new datacentre region in Saudi Arabia will offer enterprise-grade reliability and performance combined with customer privacy, data residency, and high-speed latency standards on par with the rest of Microsoft’s global cloud infrastructure of more than 60 Azure regions – one of the largest and most secure in the world. 

 

The investments are consistent with Microsoft’s commitment to empowering every person and organisation on the planet to achieve more and include a focus on responsible cloud practices including security, digital safety, privacy, compliance, and transparency, as well as adherence to Microsoft’s core values and ethical principles.

 

The completion of the construction phase is a testament to Microsoft’s 25-year presence in Saudi Arabia, and the company’s continued commitment to empowering public and private sector institutions to harness technology to drive business and economic growth. 

 

Cloud region

Microsoft, in partnership with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), announced its intention to develop a cloud region in Saudi Arabia in February 2023, in response to strong demand for its highly trusted and scalable enterprise-grade cloud solutions from organisations of all sizes and across all industries. 

 

Once operational, the datacentre region will be pivotal in accelerating progress towards the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and strengthening the kingdom’s position as a global hub of innovation, trade, and investment. 

 

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy minister for technology at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Eng Mohammed Al Robayan, said: “Saudi Arabia is well positioned to become a thriving global hub of technological breakthroughs, empowering organisations across industries to innovate new cutting-edge solutions that enhance the quality of life for all. 

 

“We are proud to see the progress on Microsoft’s cloud region, which marks a significant milestone in our journey to achieve our national goals. This infrastructure will enable businesses to unlock new possibilities, harness the power of AI, and drive sustainable growth for the kingdom and the whole region.”

 

Remarkable appetite

The delegation, including Eoin Doherty, Vice President, EMEA Regional Leader, Microsoft Cloud Operations + Innovation and executives from Microsoft Arabia, discussed the progress that had been made on the site. Turki Badhris, President of Microsoft Arabia, commented: “Public and private sector organisations in Saudi Arabia have demonstrated a remarkable appetite to leverage the latest cutting-edge technologies such as AI to thrive in the new digital age and are already relying on Microsoft’s trusted cloud to accelerate their business growth and AI innovation. Now, together with the MCIT, we are excited to share these latest updates on our Saudi Arabia datacentre region, which demonstrate the significant progress we’re making and our commitment to strengthening the kingdom’s position as a global innovation hub, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.”

 

Many organisations in both the government and private sectors are already harnessing the advanced capabilities of Microsoft Azure through its extensive global infrastructure. Trusted by over 95% of Fortune 500 companies, Azure is facilitating the development and deployment of innovative AI solutions that address significant challenges and enhance customer and employee experiences. 

 

For example, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Education has chosen Microsoft Azure to host and secure its Madrasati platform, which manages remote learning activities, conducts exams, and oversees additional educational courses, tracking the activities of 7 million students and teachers. 

 

In addition, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority’s (SDAIA) Arabic Large Language Model, ‘ALLaM’, was built and trained on Microsoft Azure’s robust and scalable infrastructure. 

 

Microsoft’s commitment to empowering everyone to achieve more in the new AI era, includes helping advance AI literacy across the kingdom’s public and private sectors. The company has launched several initiatives, in collaboration with local partners, with the aim to empower 100,000 Saudi nationals with vital AI skills by 2025. 

 

Enhancing employability

As a major milestone toward this goal, Microsoft and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology established a Centre of Excellence to empower professionals across Saudi Arabia with the advanced AI and cloud computing skills needed to thrive in the new digital era, and to enhance their employability. 

 

Microsoft also announced the establishment of the Microsoft AI Academy in collaboration with the SDAIA Academy to build national AI capabilities through various joint programmes, including the Microsoft Azure Professional Certificate Programme, which will equip national talent with globally recognised professional certifications. 

 

Such initiatives, along with the datacentre region in Saudi Arabia, will play a critical role in accelerating the development of a future-ready workforce, fuel economic growth, and foster innovation in an AI-powered world.--TradeArabia News Service