RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s open-source government software will contribute SR5 billion ($1.3 billion) to the Kingdom’s digital economy for the next four years to 2026, the Digital Government Authority’s governor said. Ahmed Mohammed Al Suwaiyan added the software will also create 2,000 job opportunities, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The open-source government software strategy was launched in November 2021 by the Digital Government Authority to drive digital transformation in Saudi Arabia. Open source software is software that is released with its source code, which allows others to study, change, and further distribute that product. Relying on emerging technologies has become a priority, with the pandemic accelerating the digital transformation process, according to 92 percent of decision-makers in government, Al Suwaiyan said. He said it was important to boost the Kingdom’s digital economy by localizing talent and new communications and information technology firms in the country. Al Suwaiyan comments came during the Saudi Made Exhibition in Riyadh, which runs from Feb. 13 to Feb. 16.