The Government of Saudi Arabia has embarked on an ambitious electronic transactions program, recognizing that there is a tremendous opportunity to better utilize information technology to improve the quality of care/service, lower the cost of operations, and increase customer satisfaction. To ensure the secure, efficient transmission and exchange of information electronically MCIT has created a National Public Key Infrastructure as part of its mandate to develop the ICT sector in the country, named as National Centre for Digital Certification (NCDC). NCDC is created by an act of law and its mandate is stipulated in the Saudi e-Transaction law, articles 19 & 20. NCDC provides trust services to secure the exchange of information between key stakeholders. Participants include government, citizens and the business sector. NCDC has the following goals:

• Supervise the tasks relating to management of digital certificates; coordinate matters relating to standards and specifications; prepare regulations and policies to organize the Centre’s work; develop and promote the usage of digital certificates in the Kingdom
• Define the technical specifications for the Certificates Issuance System, certificate contents and form, electronic signature initiation process, and its documentation system.
• Determine the controls for issuance, sending, maintaining and cancellation of digital certificates.
• Manage the related PKI policies and procedures.
• Qualify new Certificate Services Provider’s request in the kingdom.
• Manage the relationship between the different Certification Services Providers.
• Assist in developing regulations to organize the electronic transactions and to coordinate with the concerned authorities.