Many political and scientific decision-makers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) area have adopted GIS technology to combine data-driven analysis into high-level choices on policy and community planning. Organizations may enhance processes, contextualise projects, foster more teamwork across the project life cycle, and provide repeatable solutions with the use of smart maps and mapping tools.

 

Esri, the industry pioneer in GIS software, location intelligence, and mapping, has been assisting clients in the MENA region for years in maximising the use of data to enhance operational and commercial outcomes. More than 200,000 institutions, including Fortune 500 firms, governmental organisations, non-profits, and educational institutions, use Esri software, which is used by over 350,000 organisations worldwide.

 

Esri has worked with partners in a variety of sectors in Saudi Arabia, including but not limited to utility companies like Saudi Electricity Company and the National Water Company and communication providers like Saudi Telecom Company and Mobily. Esri products have also been chosen by clients including Saudi Aramco, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).

 

Moreover, Esri software has already supported Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, being used in several megaprojects like NEOM, AMAALA, The Red Sea Project, ROSHN, the Diriyah project and the AlUla project. According to Middle East Business Intelligence, the kingdom’s megaprojects 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.

 

Regional Manager for Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia at Esri, "Esri technological innovations are assisting decision-makers to plan, monitor, and forecast urban development on the national level to improve the quality of life while achieving their business objectives."

 

Saudi Arabia building a comprehensive geographic data infrastructure based on GIS

Governmental leadership realised a national spatial data infrastructure (NSDI) would be important after unveiling Vision 2030 since data are essential for decision-making based on evidence, developing policies, and running the government.

 

The Saudi Arabia General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information (GASGI), which previously was in charge of creating national topographic, hydrographic, imaging, and geodesy data and map products, was entrusted by the leaders to create and maintain the platform. The platform comprising 12 basic datasets and the control of the geospatial industry across the kingdom will now fall under the purview of GASGI.

 

The NSDI portal was created by GASGI personnel using ArcGIS commercial off-the-shelf software, which they customised to produce a specific, bespoke site for each of the 12 core data. By using the data to build engaging websites without the need for extra coding, organisations having access to the authoritative portal may decrease the number of one-time requests for data and maps while increasing cooperation and data transparency.

 

Recent agreements between GASGI and Esri to increase their collaboration in developing national-level geospatial infrastructure and delivering ArcGIS products and services throughout government have been struck. Over the following several years, the NSDI is anticipated to provide more than $6.2 billion to the Saudi economy.

 

Creating a GIS plan for historical locations The AlUla Royal Commission

 

AlUla was a significant commerce hub in the past and is now a well-loved UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), which set out on a long-term strategy to bring about a sensitive and sustainable transition to the area to get it ready for international tourism, protects the cultural and ecological legacy of AlUla.

 

Developing a unified and expandable GIS infrastructure that makes use of smart maps and online apps to meet all of CU's data requirements was essential to the strategy. This infrastructure offers accurate data, data management, base map viewing, and sophisticated geospatial analytic tools like change detection to decision-makers. The system's architecture is flexible enough to include new data sources and computing techniques including artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and virtual reality. RCU staff now uses a data-driven approach for their work with historical site conservation, planning and running local destination marketing, and resource management thanks to the modernization of their GIS. This has helped RCU build a road map that is in line with Vision 2030.

 

The CU's GIS Director, "GIS products and data are the major enablers for smart city, environment, animal conservation, and other activity."

RCU views geospatial data as a single source of truth and uses it as a starting point for all efforts and programmes that are geographically driven.