In 2016, Saudi Arabia announced Vision 2030, a plan built on three intrinsic pillars: a vibrant society, a thriving economy and an ambitious nation. Data is key to the vision’s success – so location intelligence derived through geographic information systems (GIS) will play a pivotal role. Government officials, C-suite executives, and architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms around the globe have adopted a geographic approach to finding solutions for issues like quality of life, urban and community planning practices, and the construction of smart cities.
In the Middle East and North African region (MENA), many leaders have embraced GIS technology to incorporate data-driven analysis in high-level decisions on policy, science, and community designs. Smart maps and mapping applications help organisations improve workflows, contextualise projects, increase collaboration throughout project life cycles, and deliver repeatable solutions.
For decades, Esri, the global leader in GIS software, location intelligence and mapping has helped customers across MENA unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Esri software is deployed in more than 350,000 organisations globally and over 200,000 institutions, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, non-profits and universities.
In Saudi Arabia, Esri has served partners across industries including, but not limited to, utility organisations such as Saudi Electricity Company, the National Water Company, as well as telecom operators like Saudi Telecom Company, Mobily. Clients such as Saudi Aramco, Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have also adopted Esri solutions.
Moreover, Esri software has already supported Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, being used in several gigaprojects like NEOM, AMAALA, The Red Sea Project, ROSHN, the Diriyah project and AlUla project. According to Middle East Business Intelligence, the kingdom’s gigaprojects are the ‘crown jewels’ of Vision 2030, linked to Saudi Arabia’s future with an announced expenditure of $719bn for 15 known projects.
Among these plans, Esri technology assisted two key projects for long-term objectives like urban planning and city operations, while maintaining resources.
“Esri technological innovations are helping decision-makers to plan, monitor, and forecast urban development on the national level to enhance the quality of life while achieving their business objectives,” says Mohamed Issa, Regional Manager at Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia at Esri.
Creating a GIS-based national spatial data infrastructure in Saudi Arabia
After announcing Vision 2030, governmental leadership realised a national spatial data infrastructure (NSDI) would play a key role because data is fundamental to evidence-based decision-making, policy development and government operations.
To build and manage the platform, leaders turned to The Saudi Arabia General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information (GASGI), which historically was responsible for producing national topographic, hydrographic, imagery, and geodesy data and map products. GASGI would now be responsible for the platform of 12 fundamental datasets and regulating the geospatial sector throughout the kingdom.
GASGI staff used ArcGIS commercial off-the-shelf software to create the NSDI portal, configuring ArcGIS Enterprise sites and creating a dedicated, tailored site for each of the 12 foundational data sets. Organisations accessing the authoritative portal can use the data to create modern and engaging websites without additional coding, reducing one-off requests for data and maps, and improving data transparency and collaboration.
Very recently, GASGI and Esri signed an agreement to enhance their cooperation in establishing national level geospatial infrastructure and in providing ArcGIS products and services across government. The NSDI is expected to contribute more than $6.2bn to the Saudi economy over the next few years.
Developing a geospatial strategy for historical sites: The Royal Commission for AlUla
Historically, AlUla was a principal trading capital and today a beloved UNESCO World Heritage Site. AlUla’s cultural and natural heritage is protected by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), which, in 2018 embarked on a long-term plan to deliver a sensitive and sustainable transformation to the region to prepare for global tourism.
Central to the plan was creating a unified and scalable GIS infrastructure that utilises smart maps and web applications to support all RCU’s data needs. This infrastructure provides decision-makers with authoritative data, data management, base map viewing, and advanced geospatial analysis capabilities like change detection. The system’s design is adaptable to technological advances and can include other data sources and processes like artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and virtual reality. By modernising their GIS, RCU staff now leverage a data-driven approach for their work with historical conservation of the sites, planning and operating nearby destination marketing, and resource maintenance – ultimately establishing a road map for RCU to align with Vision 2030.
“GIS products and data are the main enablers for smart city, environment, wildlife conservation and other work,” says Dr Maher Al Subhi, GIS Director at the RCU.
“RCU considers geospatial data as a single point of truth, and we use it as a baseline for all geographic based initiatives and projects.”
The first Esri User Conference in KSA hosted in Riyadh
In January 2023, Esri hosted the company’s first User Conference in Saudi Arabia; providing about 500 attendees in the kingdom and the region with a unique opportunity to discover numerous state-of-the-art GIS solutions like digital twins, smart cities, geoAI and analytics, machine learning, geospatial infrastructure, imagery and remote sensing, and more to help solve national challenges. Leaders also had the opportunity to learn more about the impact of GIS on projects across the country.
For conference presentations, reach out to the Esri Saudi team. To learn more about Esri’s work in the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia, visit the regional page.
