Oracle launches second public cloud region in Saudi Arabia

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Technology giant Oracle has inaugurated its second public cloud region in Saudi Arabia, located in Riyadh.

This expansion aims to facilitate public and private sector organisations in migrating various workloads to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), providing access to a comprehensive suite of cloud services for modernising applications and leveraging data, analytics, and AI, according to its press release.

The new Oracle Cloud Riyadh Region is hosted by Center3 and is part of Oracle’s broader strategy to expand its cloud infrastructure.

This initiative is backed by a $1.5bn investment to enhance cloud capabilities within the kingdom, contributing to the burgeoning AI economy projected to reach $135.2bn by 2030.

Oracle’s footprint in the kingdom

The Riyadh cloud region complements the existing Oracle Cloud Jeddah Region and the upcoming Oracle Cloud Region in NEOM, further extending Oracle’s presence in Saudi Arabia.

“The opening of Oracle’s new cloud region in Riyadh underscores the Kingdom’s relentless drive to bolster the digital economy through cutting-edge technologies and innovation,” said Haytham Alohali, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. 

“This move will significantly empower both international and local companies to foster innovation and advance the adoption of AI and cloud computing technologies across various sectors, enhancing Saudi Arabia’s regional and global competitiveness.”

Richard Smith, executive VP and general manager of EMEA Cloud Infrastructure at Oracle, remarked, “With the rapid expansion of our cloud footprint in Saudi Arabia, Oracle is dedicated to supporting the country’s ambition to develop one of the world’s strongest digital economies.”

“The Oracle Cloud Riyadh Region, as part of our extensive investment in the kingdom, will expedite the adoption of cloud and AI technologies, promoting innovation across all sectors of the Saudi economy and helping organisations comply with local data hosting requirements.”

The dual cloud regions in Riyadh and Jeddah will offer customers and partners low-latency access to cloud services, enhancing the value derived from their data. 

Additionally, they can utilise high availability, backup, and disaster recovery capabilities to ensure business continuity and comply with local regulations for data hosting, added the official statement. 

Fahad Alhajeri, CEO of Center3, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “We are thrilled to partner with Oracle as they expand their cloud infrastructure in Saudi Arabia with the new Riyadh cloud region.”

“This strategic initiative aligns with our shared vision of fostering technological innovation and advancing the Kingdom’s digital economy. Oracle’s cloud regions will play a pivotal role in enhancing data sovereignty, driving digital transformation, and empowering businesses across the country to achieve greater agility and growth,” he concluded.

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