17 Shawal 1427 (H) - 8 November 2006 (G)
Bill Gate and Dr. Al Ghoneim : we have established solid relation between AL Elm Company and Microsoft to serve Saudi Citizen
Al-Elm Information Security Company signed a strategic understanding document with Microsoft Arabia in the field of information technology. The Chairman of Microsoft, Mr Bill Gate participated personally by signing and attending the signature ceremony besides the attendance of the General Manager of Microsoft Arabia, Dr. Khaled Al Dhaher. Also, the vice president of Al-Elm Information Security Company, His Highness: Prince Dr. Bandar bin Abdullah Al Mashari Al Saud signed on behalf of Executive President, Dr. Khaled bin Abdel aziz Al Ghoneim. This agreement aims at boosting the wheel of technical cooperation between Microsoft and Al-Elm Information Security Company through building strong relationship between the two companies serving the Saudi Citizen.
After signing the agreement, the Vice President of the Executive President of AL Elm Company declared to Microsoft that this agreement is studied carefully by the company in order to build partnerships for technical complementarities with a number of leading parties in this field for the company’s leading status in the field of Electronic Business.
It is worth to mention that “Muqeem” Service ( the portal of staff affairs to residents’ information) will be the centre of business treated by these strategic partnerships, since AL Elm Company converts “Muqeem” service to an integrated parted in the package of the programs of staff affairs widely prevailing in the area, and belong to a number of local and international companies, such as Microsoft and alike.
In this respect, Muqeem service was launched more than one year. It has achieved a clear success in the field of applying electronic government. The administrations of staff affairs subscribed in “Muqeem” become capable to follow up all information relevant to its residents from the reality of what is registered in Government Data each moment. Besides, they become able to print the statistical list of their employees as per the information specified and other added services.
Among the important additions to “Muqeem” service in the near future is the service of issuing re-entry visa in a complete electronic form, since any subscribed company in the system can issue re-entry visa for its employees without the need to visit the General Directorate of Passports Department. Thus, everything will be done from inside enabling residents to go directly to the airport.
It is expected that this service will be launched in the first quarter of the year 2007.
It is worth saying that the service of electronic issuance of re-entry visas is the first interactive service achieving all conditions of electronic government services at the level of the Kingdom. It was announced in Gitex Dubai 2006 within the third participation of AL Elm Company in such technical exhibition which is considered as the biggest of the three world exhibitions.