Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies has taken a significant step to bolster its online service offerings in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by inaugurating a cutting-edge cloud data centre in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. This move aligns with the company’s commitment to enhance its presence in this burgeoning digital landscape.
This newly established cloud data centre in Riyadh marks Huawei’s 30th worldwide and holds great promise for the Saudi Kingdom’s government services and the broader regional market. During a recent briefing, a company official emphasized that this facility would support the Kingdom’s government services while also enabling the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) applications and language models in Arabic, further tailoring Huawei’s services to the specific needs of the MENA region.
“The implementation of Huawei cloud is not just about us, but is a bridge that will bring other Chinese companies to Saudi Arabia,” explained Steven Yi, Huawei’s regional president. He highlighted the collaborative nature of this expansion, foreseeing a positive impact on the digital economy of Saudi Arabia. Huawei has also solidified its commitment to the region by inaugurating its regional headquarters in Riyadh earlier this year.
Saudi Arabia has shown its determination to foster local and regional business partnerships. The government has previously stated its intent to engage with foreign companies that establish regional headquarters within the Kingdom, signaling a welcoming environment for global tech players.
In a broader context, Huawei is making significant strides in the global cloud services market. According to research consultancy Canalys, the company held the fifth position in the global cloud services market during the first quarter, boasting a market share of 2.4 percent. Notably, Huawei’s prominence is even more pronounced in its home market of mainland China, where it stands as the second-largest vendor.
This latest development comes after Huawei’s announcement in February that it plans to invest $400 million in the Saudi Arabia cloud region over the next five years. As the digital landscape in the MENA region continues to evolve rapidly, Huawei’s expanded presence through this new cloud data centre underscores its commitment to innovation and partnership in the region.
