AWS to Launch an Infrastructure Region in KSA

Amazon Web Services (AWS), a subsidiary of Amazon.com, has announced its intention to launch an AWS infrastructure region in Saudi Arabia by 2026.^[1]  

The forthcoming AWS Region will comprise three availability zones upon its launch, contributing to AWS's global network of 105 availability zones spread across 33 geographic regions. This expansion aims to offer customers in Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East greater flexibility in managing their applications while ensuring data residency requirements are met. Each availability zone will be equipped with independent power, cooling, and physical security measures interconnected through redundant, ultra-low-latency networks to support high-availability applications.

With an investment exceeding $5.3 billion, AWS seeks to bolster its infrastructure and service offerings within the Kingdom. 

Furthermore, AWS is committed to supporting the kingdom's Vision 2030, particularly its goal of empowering women in the workforce. To this end, AWS will launch the AWS Saudi Arabia Women's Skills Initiative, a comprehensive upskilling program in collaboration with Skillsoft Global Knowledge. This initiative aims to train up to 4,000 women in AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials, providing them with valuable skills in cloud computing to kickstart their careers.

Additionally, AWS will continue its efforts to upskill students, local developers, technical professionals, and non-technical professionals through various training programs such as AWS Academy, AWS Educate, AWS Re/Start, and AWS Skill Builder. These initiatives are designed to equip individuals from diverse backgrounds with the necessary expertise to thrive in the cloud computing industry.

In line with its commitment to fostering innovation, AWS will establish two new innovation centers in the Middle East and North Africa, offering technical mentorship and training to startups on advanced AWS technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Furthermore, AWS will provide grants for graduate student research and offer free AWS Skill Builder subscriptions to support small and medium-sized enterprises in Saudi Arabia.