RIYADH: Sweden will train female Saudi entrepreneurs under a new agreement signed on the sidelines of the first Saudi-Swedish Joint Committee meeting in Riyadh early this week.
The agreement was inked by Ghassan Ahmed Al-Sulaiman, governor of the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and Annika Rembe, director general of the Swedish Institute in the presence of Commerce and Investment Minister Majid Al-Qassabi and Swedish Minister of Trade Ann Linde, who visited the capital to attend the joint committee meeting.
According to a diplomat from the Swedish Embassy in Riyadh, under the training program, initially 20 Saudi female entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to avail themselves of the program. These programs will be carried out both here and in Sweden according to the nature of the programs.
During the opening session of the Saudi-Swedish Joint Committee, Al-Qassabi stressed the need to build bridges of fruitful and constructive cooperation between the two countries. “Having strong relations and common interests between Saudi Arabia and Sweden is an important incentive for increasing trade and economic relations, and for developing joint ties among the business communities in both countries,” he added.
“The rapid changes in global conditions and the transformations based on advanced and modern technology have made it important for Saudi Arabia to adopt Vision 2030, which is based on a diversified economy and an open market. It is imperative for us to work together with our partners around the world to achieve our common goals and interests,” the minister said.
“This is a great advantage for further cooperation to develop trade and investment, and for realizing the aspirations of the leaders of the two countries,” Al-Qassabi noted.
Linde praised the achievements of the Kingdom in the last decades at all levels, especially in the fields of infrastructure, health, education and others, stressing the desire of the Swedish private sector to build business and investment partnerships with the Kingdom.
During a visit to the Swedish Embassy, Linde inaugurated the solar panels that now provide energy to the entire embassy and residence, which will decrease their emissions by 540 tons of carbon dioxide per year.
The buildings of the mission used 110,000-120,000 kWh per year. “The solar panels installed will produce approximately 142,000 kWh per year, covering the needs for the embassy buildings and charging two batteries for use during the nights and cloudy days,” the official said.
Sweden to train female Saudi entrepreneurs
Sweden to train female Saudi entrepreneurs
KSrelief’s Masam Project clears 840 mines
- The Masam team successfully cleared four unexploded ordnances in Zinjibar
- The team successfully removed 14 unexploded ordnances from Al-Waht district
ADEN: The Masam Project, an initiative launched by the Saudi aid agency KSrelief, successfully dismantled 840 mines across various regions of Yemen during the third week of November, including 29 anti-personnel mines, 129 anti-tank mines, and 682 unexploded ordnances.
The Masam team successfully cleared four unexploded ordnances in Zinjibar in the Abyan Governorate, and 162 in Aden Governorate. Two anti-tank mines in Al-Khawkhah and one unexploded ordnance in Hays, in Al-Hudaydah Governorate, were also removed. The team cleared one anti-personnel mine and one unexploded ordnance in the Qataba district of Al-Dhale Governorate.
The team successfully removed 14 unexploded ordnances from Al-Waht district and 22 from Al-Madaribah in Lahj Governorate, while in Marib Governorate four unexploded ordnances were cleared in the Al-Wadi district, along with 12 anti-personnel mines and 120 anti-tank mines in the Marib district.
Authorities enforce ban on non-compliant trucks
- This initiative reflects the authority’s commitment to regulating the sector
- Foreign trucks are restricted to transporting goods from abroad to designated delivery points
RIYADH: The Transport General Authority has announced the seizure of many foreign trucks found violating transportation regulations and legislation while transporting goods between cities in the Kingdom.
This initiative, undertaken in collaboration with relevant authorities, reflects the authority’s commitment to regulating the sector, promoting compliance, ensuring fair competition, enhancing the security and safety of transportation services, and preserving public resources and road infrastructure.
The authority said that the mechanism adopted to control foreign truck transport operations — in coordination with various government entities — prohibits traders, factories, importers, institutions and companies from contracting with non-Saudi vehicles.
Foreign trucks are restricted to transporting goods from abroad to designated delivery points in Saudi cities or on their way back to their country of origin. This return must originate from the same delivery point or from any city along the return route. Such operations also require a permit issued by the authority.
Saudi citizen wanted on suspicion of corruption extradited to Kingdom from Russia
- Abdullah bin Awadh Aydha Al-Harthi was wanted on suspicion of financial and administrative corruption crimes
RIYADH: A Saudi citizen suspected of corruption crimes has been extradited back to the Kingdom from Russia, the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, Nazaha, announced on Friday.
Abdullah bin Awadh Aydha Al-Harthi was wanted on suspicion of financial and administrative corruption crimes, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The transfer was carried out as part of a memorandum of understanding between Nazaha and Russia’s Public Prosecution, and “underscores the strong commitment of both nations to uphold the rule of law and promote international cooperation in the fight against corruption,” SPA added.
Nazaha highlighted the role played by the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office in responding to its official request to extradite Al-Harthi and praised the support of the global Globe E Network and INTERPOL for its continued assistance in tracking individuals involved in corruption crimes and curtailing their safe havens.
Nazaha reaffirmed its resolve to pursue corrupt individuals both within and beyond the Kingdom’s borders, holding them accountable in accordance with Sharia and legal frameworks.
The authority said it remained steadfast in its mission to recover state funds and assets misappropriated through corruption, ensuring they are returned to the national treasury.
Heritage Commission, KSGAAL launch global blog to preserve cultural and linguistic heritage
- The Naqsh blog aims to preserve Arab cultural and linguistic heritage
- Naqsh is a visually documented linguistic blog for Arabic inscriptions found on stones, tablets, rocks or any other artifacts in the Kingdom
RIYADH: The Saudi Heritage Commission, in collaboration with King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, or KSGAAL, launched the Naqsh blog on Thursday on the sidelines of the Saudi International Handicrafts Week exhibition.
The Naqsh blog aims to preserve Arab cultural and linguistic heritage, providing a reliable source for researchers and those interested in archaeology, history, the Arabic language and comparative studies, an official statement said.
The blog also seeks to enhance the scientific reference for trustworthy Arabic data and develop AI models for analyzing and interpreting inscriptions, in alignment with the objectives of the Human Capital Development Program, one of the Saudi Vision 2030 initiatives, and the National Culture Strategy.
Abdullah Al-Washmi, secretary-general of KSGAAL, said that the path of linguistic blogs served related scholars and researchers and was an integral part of the academy’s linguistic work, projects and institutional initiatives.
Naqsh is a visually documented linguistic blog for Arabic inscriptions found on stones, tablets, rocks or any other artifacts in the Kingdom.
The blog includes commemorative, religious, literary and commercial inscriptions that reflect the cultural and social conditions throughout the ages, he said.
The blog highlights the historical and linguistic significance of Arabic inscriptions, understanding the linguistic and cultural development in the region, and also serves as a crucial source for studying the evolution of writing and Arabic calligraphy through the ages, he said.
In early 2024, KSGAAL launched the “Falak” platform for linguistic databases, which includes several linguistic platforms featuring advanced computational tools.
These tools facilitate text analysis and linguistic data tagging and enable Arabic language enthusiasts to collaborate in the field of Arabic language computing.
The “Falak” platform also aims to enhance the scientific reference for reliable Arabic linguistic data. It is one of the academy’s prominent initiatives in the field of linguistic computing, containing more than 1.5 billion words.
Sami Al-Mukhayzim, chairman of the Saudi Historical Society, told Arab News that the Naqsh blog serves as a highly significant historical resource.
Inscriptions are among the oldest tools documenting vivid and accurate information about ancient civilizations. These inscriptions contribute to illustrating the development of writing, ideas, beliefs and the daily interactions of those civilizations, he said.
Abdullah Al-Khuzam, a craft trainer at the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, said that documenting human heritage was one of the fundamental administrative and civilizational methods and an essential enabler for building a growing future grounded in a distinctive historical and archaeological depth.
The Naqsh blog will serve as a reference for future generations, providing them with a foundation as they venture into new and contemporary horizons, drawing inspiration from heritage to develop ideas in a modern form that suits today’s world, he said.
Saudi, Japanese agencies agree to cooperation on humanitarian work
Saudi aid agency KSrelief and the Japan International Cooperation Agency have agreed to cooperate on humanitarian work.
KSrelief director of partnerships and international relations, Hana Omar, and JICA’s representative from its Yemen office Kato Ken met on the sidelines of the International Conjoined Twins Conference in Riyadh.
They discussed humanitarian relief affairs, topics on the agenda of the conference, and prospects for cooperation between the two organizations, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
JICA praised the Kingdom’s humanitarian and relief programs.
