RIYADH: French multinational giant Thales Group has voiced its support for Saudi Arabia’s national defense production. Thales serves the defense, aerospace, transport and security sectors.
Thales chairman and CEO Patrice Caine was in Riyadh on Saturday giving an overview of the group’s regional activities. He affirmed Thales’ commitment to assisting Saudi localize its defense industry, in line with Vision 2030.
“Our strategy is to localize activities and further develop capabilities in the region through training and knowledge-transfer programs within our defense as well as security and civil businesses,” Caine said.
“A big step toward this is through the opportunity to localize part of the manufacturing element of our business here in the region. Thales has partnered with Saudi companies to produce certain products specifically for the Saudi market within the Kingdom. This is something we are extremely proud of as a company, where it will allow us to contribute to the development of the Kingdom’s economy in line with Vision 2030.”
Caine praised the launch of Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) in May, calling it “a great initiative” and claiming that Thales already has “great ideas” to be developed in partnership with it.
Thales is ramping up its presence in the region, he said, with the Middle East defense market set to reach $180 billion by 2020. Caine noted that Saudi Arabia and the UAE are in the world’s top 10 spenders on defense.
“At the moment, roughly 60 percent of our projects in the region are defense-related,” Caine added. “We are … trusted to assist armed forces to achieve and maintain tactical superiority and strategic independence over any form of threat.”
Caine explained that Thales currently serves five markets in the region: defense, security, ground transportation, aeronautics, and satellites.
Referring to the blossoming Saudi-Thales relationship, Caine noted: “A key involvement for us is the security of the holy sites in Saudi Arabia — Makkah and Madinah — which is supported by Thales’ technology.”
In terms of physical presence, Thales’ operations cover the entire Kingdom through its offices in Riyadh, Jubail, and Jeddah. “We have over 700 employees including 30 percent Saudis covering the group’s entire sector portfolio,” the Thales chief explained.
French giant Thales lends support for Saudi military industry
French giant Thales lends support for Saudi military industry
Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief continues aid work in new year
- The work reflects Saudi Arabia's ongoing commitment through KSrelief to help those most in need
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has continued its humanitarian work at the start of 2025, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
In Syria, 892 families received food aid and health kits in the Afrin and Aleppo governorates of the war-torn country, benefiting 5,352 individuals.
The agency also distributed bags of flour, winter kits, and personal-care bags to 211 families in Syria’s Al-Rastan area, benefitting 968 individuals.
In Syria’s Rural Damascus governorate, KSrelief distributed bags of flour, food aid, personal-care bags, and shelter kits to 164 families.
In Pakistan, there were 2,821 food parcels, benefiting 18,638 people, distributed in the Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan areas of Punjab province, and the Hingol area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
KSrelief also distributed 1,082 clothing vouchers to families in Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan’s Amman, Zarqa and Balqa governorates.
Saudi Museum of Contemporary Art to host ‘Manga Hokusai Manga’ exhibition
- Exhibition is homage to renowned Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai
The much-anticipated “Manga Hokusai Manga” exhibition will be held at the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art in JAX Diriyah from Jan. 15 to Feb. 8.
Held in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan and the Japan Foundation, the exhibition, ratified by the Kingdom’s Museums Commission, will showcase the works of the renowned Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai.
It will highlight the history and evolution of manga, and provide a perspective on how Hokusai’s classical illustrations have influenced modern visual arts, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
Hokusai published his first collection of art in 1814, featuring sketches of “daily life, landscapes and whimsical creatures,” according to a post on X by the museum.
The Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art aims to foster cultural exchange between local and international creators.
Rain for 3 days over most parts of Saudi Arabia
- Warning of high waves along the Kingdom’s coastlines
RIYADH: Rain of varying intensities will fall over most parts of Saudi Arabia from Jan. 10 to 12, the National Center for Meteorology stated on Thursday.
In a weather bulletin, the NCM warned of downpours accompanied by winds of up to 60 kph, and the possibility of torrential rain and hail. High waves are expected along the nation’s coastlines.
The regions of Al-Jouf, the Northern Borders, and Hail will have rainy conditions on Friday and Saturday.
On Friday, rain is expected in the Tabuk and Madinah regions; on Saturday and Sunday in the Eastern Province, Asir and Jazan; and on Saturday in Qassim.
For the Riyadh and Al-Baha regions, rain is expected from Friday to Sunday.
The NCM urged the public to stay updated on the weather conditions in the Kingdom by checking the daily reports on its website, the Anwaa application, or its social media accounts.
Saudi Falcons Club CEO and Kazakhstan ambassador discuss ways to boost cooperation
RIYADH: The CEO of the Saudi Falcons Club, Ahmed Al-Hababi, met Kazakhstan’s ambassador to the Kingdom, Madiyar Menilbekov, in Riyadh on Thursday to discuss opportunities for cooperation and ways in which these might be enhanced to benefit mutual goals.
One of the topics was the Hadad Program, a leading initiative developed by the club with the aim of returning falcons to their natural habitats and saving the species from the threat of extinction.
Menilbekov praised the club for the important role it plays in enhancing falconry and preserving its cultural heritage.
The club said the meeting was part of its efforts to strengthen international partnerships in keeping with the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification.
Saudi envoy to US outlines efforts to maintain safety of Saudi citizens amid LA wildfires
LOS ANGELES: Saudi ambassador to the US, Princess Reema bint Bandar, reaffirmed on Thursday the embassy’s commitment to the safety and security of Saudi citizens in Los Angeles and surrounding areas impacted by wildfires, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
In a statement, Princess Reema emphasized that the embassy and the consulate general were working tirelessly to support citizens affected by the fires.
She highlighted that ensuring their well-being remains a top priority for Saudi diplomatic missions in the United States.
She said the team was monitoring the situation closely and was prepared to provide immediate assistance to those in need. The embassy and consulate were dedicated to ensuring the security and safety of all Saudi citizens in affected areas, she added.
The embassy and consulate have activated a round-the-clock response team to address concerns and offer necessary support, SPA added.
The wildfires in California have prompted widespread evacuations and caused significant disruptions in the Los Angeles area, with officials working to contain the blazes.
