'Silicon Desert' to Localize Technology in Gulf States
Abdulaziz Al-Marzouq affirmed that Gulf states possess the prerequisites to transform into a technological power and introduced the concept of the 'Silicon Desert'.
Translated by Qiyas from الوسط — Original source
State Minister for Economic Affairs and Investment and Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry, Abdulaziz Al-Murrouq, affirmed that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries possess the necessary foundations to transform into a rising global economic and technological power, given their abundant energy resources, sovereign wealth, developed human capital, and an investment-attractive regulatory environment.
Speaking at the Global Investment Forum 2026 held in Doha, Al-Murrouq stated that Kuwait’s vision for the future of investment focuses less on the volume of foreign investments flowing into the region’s countries and more on their quality and the value added they can generate for the regional economies.
In this context, Al-Murrouq proposed the concept of a “Silicon Desert” to localize modern technology industries in the region, noting that investing in infrastructure and localizing specialized, particularly technological, industries could position the GCC as a key hub for the future of the global economy in the coming decades.
