IBM and Elm collaborate to define Riyadh Municipality’s Blockchain Roadmap
Riyadh Municipality, the leading technical solutions provider in Saudi Arabia (Elm), and IBM have announced today that they will work together to define a roadmap for implementing the blockchain technology for the municipality with the aim to digitally facilitate the governmental services and applications for beneficiaries. This is one of the key steps the municipality is taking to achieve the Saudi Vision 2030.
Mr. Tarek Al Fares, Mayor of Riyadh Region, expressed his high hopes in this collaboration that brings Riyadh Municipality together with an experienced national tech company (Elm) and a leading international tech company (IBM) to build the municipality’s blockchain technology. This step is expected to enhance both citizen and resident services in Riyadh.
Mr. Al Fares explained that this step comes in accordance with the guidance of the wise leadership, which urges raising the level of municipality services and facilitating them for beneficiaries and encourages the use of state-of-the-art technologies that will properly support the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. Mr. Sulaiman Al-Bathi, the Under-Secretary for Services in Riyadh Municipality and the supervisor of this initiative, stated that Riyadh Municipality, IBM, and Elm will conduct workshops in cooperation with key government, semi-government, and private sector organizations in Riyadh to prioritize the municipal services that can be enhanced by this technology.
Mr. Al-Bathi said that the three parties will work together to identify a high-value use-case in which blockchain can be applied. IBM will then design and develop the municipality’s first blockchain based solution, while Elm will be responsible for the integration of the blockchain technology with the broader government system to serve all types of beneficiaries (individuals and businesses).
For his part, Dr. Abdulrahman AlJadhai, Elm's CEO, expressed Elm's pride in this collaboration, as it will advance the methods and procedures implemented in the services provided by Riyadh Municipality. Dr. AlJadhai emphasized that Elm will continue to utilize its expertise, innovative capabilities, national resources, and international partnerships to achieve an impactful digital development that supports the National Transformation Program 2020.
Dr. AlJadhai further highlighted the efforts Elm has exerted and continues to exert to enrich the beneficiary's experience, to provide best solutions to public and private organizations, and to contribute to the transition towards an e-government model that aligns with Saudi Vision 2030.
As for Mr. Tarek Zarg El Aioun, the Country General Manager of IBM Saudi Arabia, he stated that "blockchain is a modern transactions technology that can improve business and government transactions ". He also emphasized that the collaboration between Riyadh Municipality, Elm, and IBM will be able to help the Saudi government reimagine and advance the ways in which services are provided to citizens, residents, visitors, and businesses.