Ministry of Finance Deputy Minister for Technology and Development Mr. Ahmad Al-Suwaiyan stated that more than 32,000 payment orders were received via Etimad in October 2018, with a total value that exceeded SAR 20 billion. "Users registered from government bodies and private sectors surpassed 47,000 users, 450 represent government bodies and registered businesses exceeded 25,000. Registered contracts and awards exceeded 88,000; which are worth up to SAR 380 billion. Etimad platform offered more than 60,000 government tenders & procurement opportunities and direct purchases in 116 field. More than 90,000 offers were submitted by the private sector through the platform. In October, payment orders exceeded 50% of total orders", Mr. Ahmad Al-Suwaiyan said. He added: "the Ministry of Finance aims to achieve full digitalization within Vision 2030 goals to empower and support government entities attaining their objectives. The ministry tends – via Etimad – to save time and effort by eliminating traditional paperwork and accelerates the completion process through facilitating government's procedures and requirements, resulting in attaining more transparency. Etimad helps in evaluating the level of completion of projects accurately based on updated data provided by each government entity, to develop the quality e-services provided and enhance e-government compatibility with international standards." In June 2018, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud directed all ministries and government entities to stop dealing with traditional paperwork in related to financial transactions, and replace it with the e-services platform, "Etimad". This is an important step to achieve the digital transformation in the financial services provided to all beneficiaries within the framework of the Financial Services Gateway project.
