JEDDAH: Digital information technology and telecommunications play a key role in improving quality of life, and have a great effect on economic and urban development in the world, according to Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Jawaan, the second secretary at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “As society is an essential element of development, we cannot lose sight of the positive and negative effects of digital information technology and telecommunications on all individuals and groups of society,” he said in a speech during a general debate on the use of information and communications technology for sustainable development, as part of the work of the second economic and financial committee during the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly.  “It has become a major and important tool that helps people and communities achieve self-sufficiency in meeting their basic needs through facilitating their daily lives or by using this progress in increasing their scientific and cognitive achievements.” He pointed out that Saudi Arabia urges the UN, and the wider international community, to intensify its efforts to ensure that all people, especially those in developing countries, have access to technology and modern means of communication, and that the Kingdom is keen to harness technology to serve the country’s citizens and residents. Al-Jawaan said Vision 2030 is highly dependent on technology, and the National Transformation Program (NTP) 2020 aims to increase the productivity of government institutions and make them more efficient and competitive, to facilitate the work of more than 130,000 companies in the Kingdom, serve the business sector and improve the procedures that must be completed to start doing business in the country. He said that Saudi Arabia shares the concerns of the UN about the increasing security risks posed by some uses of the Internet, and the resultant importance of information security and cybersecurity, and that security of information and privacy is a key international issue.  He added that the Kingdom recently earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records by organizing the “Hajj Hackathon,” the largest gathering of experts in information security, cybersecurity, programming and drones, attended by about 2,950 experts from all over the world. Al-Jawaan said that the Kingdom would continue to cooperate with the UN in all activities that harness the use of information and technology to serve humanity, and to fight against any misuse or exploitation.