Saudis tap Cisco to create hi tech city for the Muslim world

Stuart Corner
Monday, 21 January 2008 09:14

IT Industry - Strategy

The Saudi Government is building a hi tech 'smart city'designed to attract global ICT firms, create 20,000 jobs and "encourageMuslim scientists to relocate to Saudi by providing them with the right workingand living conditions.

Madinah Knowledge Economic City(KEC) is being set up in at Al-Madinah (Medina), the home of the Prophet wherethe Quran was compiled, and because of its location is claimed to be of specialsignificance for Muslims throughout the world. It is one of one of foureconomic cities being developed in Saudi Arabia to "boost regionaldevelopment and provide employment for the country's growing population byfocusing on intellectual property, knowledge-based industries, medical,hospitality, tourism and multimedia."

The Al-Madinah KEC aims to position Saudi Arabia and youngSaudi Arabian entrepreneurs as internationally respected leaders inknowledge-based industries and to attract and develop talent from around theworld. It promises to "provide them with opportunities on a global scalewhile providing investors and entrepreneurs with infrastructure, opportunity, aunique pool of talent and the potential for a healthy return oninvestment."

 More than 20,000 jobs and accommodation for about 150,000people will be created by the project which will have a total investment ofsome $US8 billion and take up to 10 years to complete. KEC Chairman SheikhIbrahim M Alissa, said: "We are committed to boosting the Saudi economy byattracting foreign direct investments, creating jobs and encouraging Muslimscientists to relocate to Saudi by providing them with the right working andliving conditions."

 Cisco chairman and CEO John Chambers confirmed that astrategic agreement has been finalised for the infrastructure development ofthe five-square kilometre $US8 billion project. From its Connected Real Estateproduct suite Cisco will provide the network architecture for the city. Allbuildings in KEC will be interconnected and manageable over a secure IPnetwork, allowing for centralised management and reduced operational costs andfacilitating data, voice, video and mobile communications across commercial andresidential buildings.

 Wim Elfrink, executive vice president and chiefglobalisation officer for Cisc, said: "The Knowledge City project in SaudiArabia will demonstrate how technology innovations can bring about new levelsof development of brand new cities that will help attract knowledge industriesand investments while favourably impacting management and operational costs.Cisco's Connected Real Estate initiative, developed to be a globally replicablemodel, has the potential to play a major role in transforming real estatedevelopments in emerging economies."

 Cisco is also committed to establishing the Cisco NetworkingAcademy within Al-Madinah KEC to help train skilled professionals to design andmaintain networks. It says this and other Cisco Academies, "will play akey role in helping to address the shortfall of local technology talent in[Saudi Arabia]."