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Government agencies will only be allowed to make formal communication with entities overseas or foreign missions in the Kingdom through the Foreign Ministry, new rules regulating official communications published in the official gazette Umm Al Qura showed last week. The rules, which will come into force in August, were approved by the Cabinet last month.
The rationale: The rules aim to regulate formal incoming and outbound communications between governmental bodies and between government and the outside world. It also aims to maintain the security of documents throughout the process.
Ironing out the details: The rules stipulate that only nationals who are trustworthy will be allowed to handle government documents, with every government entity obliged to take adequate measures to ensure the safety of their electronic documents. The rules also prohibit the use of language indicating “reverence” in formal government communications whether on paper or online.
The rules also entail:
- Guidelines on how to write: A detailed description of the structure of a formal letter / email between government agencies;
- The use of terms related to prioritizing urgency and confidentiality, with urgency categorized through “Immediate”, “Very Urgent” and “Urgent” depending on the level of importance;
- Guidelines to protect documents from damage, including a ban on smoking, food and drinking during working hours;
- Provisions on confidentiality of data.
