RIYADH: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on Sunday. The agreement will increase cooperation between the two countries in the field of telecommunications and information technology. Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Sawaha and the Japanese Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Masatoshi Ishida signed the agreement in the presence of a number of officials from both sides. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the G-20 Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting in Japan, in which Al-Sawaha is participating. The ministerial meeting is seen as preparation for the G-20 Summit in Japan later this month. “The agreement focuses on several key areas of work, including the development of human capital, improving the quality of digital infrastructure, supporting the IT industry, and investing in innovation and emerging technologies,” Al-Sawaha explained. He stressed that the development of human capital is the central pillar of a comprehensive development process. “This is why the ministry is keen to help young Saudis develop their skills,” he said. Under the agreement, exchange visits, forums, conferences, workshops, and other activities will be organized between the two countries. Regarding the ministerial meeting, Al-Sawaha said the meeting tackled policies related to the digital economy, and the need for effective solutions to the challenges facing the global digital economy, the digital security of products and services, and the free flow of data, to achieve sustainable development objectives. He added that the meeting also discussed encouraging innovation and digital entrepreneurship, empowering emerging technologies via appropriate regulatory frameworks, and developing small and medium enterprises to generate comprehensive economic growth. The G-20, which comprises the world’s most powerful economies, accounts for 80 percent of global trade, 90 percent of the world’s total gross domestic product, and 66 percent of the global population. Its members are Saudi Arabia, Germany, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Korea, China, the US, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Britain, Russia, South Africa, Turkey and the EU.