RIYADH — Oracle, an American computer technology company, specializing in database software, has picked Saudi Arabia to be the regional hub for its cloud data center in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), which is one among 20 global centers. The center was launched in the presence of Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha and senior officials of Oracle Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia was chosen to be the first site in the Middle East and Africa region due to the strategic importance of the Saudi technology market. The launch of the center comes to support the government efforts exerted by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and related authorities in promoting technological innovation and advancing digital transformation by providing platforms for emerging technologies and their applications such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things (IoT) and blockchain to enable entrepreneurs and innovators to translate their ideas and projects into success stories. The center will support the Fourth Industrial Revolution system in the Kingdom, which is a key enabler in achieving the Kingdom"s ambitious vision 2030, along with its contribution to making the Kingdom a hub for data exchange. It will help disseminate technical awareness among the younger generation and promote a culture of innovation, especially among startups and entrepreneurs.