Syria’s Ministry of Local Administration and Environment signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18 with Saudi company GO Telecom – Ejad Tech to build a digital transformation strategy and smart city solutions.

The ministry said the step aims to build a broad framework for cooperation and integration in digital transformation strategies, network infrastructure, information security, and technical knowledge transfer to develop Syria’s local administration and environment sector.

The memorandum, which is valid for one calendar year, provides for cooperation in designing and implementing integrated digital platforms to link local databases with unified central systems affiliated with the ministry, supporting decision-making through smart dashboards and analytics.

According to the ministry, the areas of joint work include applying sustainable smart city solutions and the Internet of Things (IoT) to manage energy monitoring, lighting, and waste tracking, as well as developing smart environmental monitoring systems to measure air and water quality and industrial emissions.

The agreement also focuses on data governance and protection through advanced encryption technologies to counter digital attacks and breaches, while providing consultations and technical support to qualify and train Syrian national cadres, according to the ministry.

The ministry added that the memorandum also provides for making the source code available within an open and controlled environment, giving the ministry the right to review and modify it as needed, while keeping the code applied in production environments encrypted and protected by the ministry.

A joint committee will also be formed to hold periodic meetings, follow up on projects, and set priorities for joint digital initiatives.

Implementing Enterprise Governance Systems

Ahmad Alolewi, director of digital transformation at the Ministry of Local Administration and Environment, told Enab Baladi that the signed memorandum of understanding comes as part of efforts to support digital transformation in the ministry and includes digital infrastructure and specialized software systems.

Alolewi added that the first projects to emerge from the memorandum will involve implementing enterprise governance systems, including warehouse automation, supply and procurement management, project, task, and meeting management, as well as compliance, internal control, internal audit, and human resources management systems.

He said the partner company was selected after a comprehensive study and evaluation of its products and user experiences, stressing that it is among the best companies in digital solutions and information security due to its responsiveness, software development efficiency, and the advanced expertise of its technical team.

According to Alolewi, the company has a successful record of working with a number of government bodies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has actively contributed to digital transformation projects for ministries, governorates, and general secretariats there.

Alolewi said the ministry conducted verification visits and contacted the company’s clients to confirm the quality of the solutions it provided and their success in previous applications.

According to Alolewi, the ministry will begin implementing a pilot project inside the ministry, which will later be applied in one governorate before being rolled out to all governorates.

The director of digital transformation stressed that the memorandum of understanding does not include any financial commitments or figures, but rather forms a framework for cooperation in digital transformation, whether at the level of software or infrastructure.

Plan Axes

Regarding the sustainability of the systems planned for implementation, Alolewi said the ministry’s plan is based on three main axes:

• The first is to benefit from global software products that have proven successful with other governments.
• The second is to use international consulting companies to follow up on workflow and ensure compliance with technical requirements.
• The third is to involve Syrian national companies, as the ministry intends to sign memorandums of understanding with them soon so they can take on the tasks of developing and maintaining systems and providing technical support.

GO Telecom Company

Etihad GO Telecom Company is one of the leading companies in the Middle East’s telecommunications sector. It was founded in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2009 and is listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange, Tadawul, as a Saudi joint-stock company.

The company has one of the most important and developed portfolios in business solutions and information and communications technology in Saudi Arabia. These solutions include network and internet connectivity services, voice solutions, managed services, digital solutions, IoT, fiber internet, wireless internet services, and many other services.

Syrian-Turkish Cooperation

On April 21, the Syrian Ministry of Local Administration and Environment signed a memorandum of understanding with the Turkish company Türksat.

The ministry said through its official platforms that the step aims to launch a path of cooperation in digital transformation, network infrastructure, and digital information security.

According to the ministry, this contributes to developing systems and services and improving institutional performance in the local administration and environment sector.

The memorandum, according to the ministry, focuses on building a general framework for cooperation in developing secure digital infrastructure, data centers, and the protection of systems and information, in addition to supporting the design and implementation of technical solutions and digital platforms that strengthen data integration and support decision-making.

The areas of cooperation also include smart environmental monitoring systems, smart city applications, waste management solutions, and the exchange of technical expertise and training of national cadres in digital transformation and information security.