Saudi Arabia is lifting its ban on voice and video calling applications, including WhatsApp and Skype, aiming to boost productivity and economing growth.

According to its Ministry of Communications, the Saudi population's access to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) would be "widely available to users" as of today, having blocked them for "failing to comply with regulations".

Both surveillance and censorship in Saudi Arabia intensified following the Arab Spring, where authorities have previously claimed to be using IP address-blocking to prevent citizens accessing 400,000 websites, according to the BBC.

Telecommunication companies were informed by the Saudi Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) in 2013 that they needed to comply with regulations over VoIP.

The commission claimed it wished to "protect society from any negative aspects that could harm the public interest".

The Ministry of Communication stated that lifting the ban was "an important step in the kingdom's internet regulation" that would "reduce operational costs and spur digital entrepreneurship".

"Digital transformation is one of the key kick-starters for the Saudi economy, as it will incentivize the growth of internet-based businesses, especially in the media and entertainment industries," it added.