RIYADH: The “Palm Tree in Civilizations” pavilion at the International Dates Conference and Exhibition in Riyadh, running until Nov. 28, highlights the historical significance of the palm tree across ancient cultures.

The pavilion explores how date palms supported food and economic sustainability, offering a historical journey through the ages.

It also showcases the palm’s importance in ancient Egypt through carvings and murals depicting its role in daily life and religious rituals, as well as in agriculture, construction, and fertility practices.

Organized by the National Center for Palm and Dates under the theme “World of Dates,” the exhibit also highlights the palm’s significance in Mesopotamia and the Levant, featuring ancient texts like the Code of Hammurabi, which protected palm cultivation, along with carvings illustrating their role in trade and society.

Artifacts from the Dilmun civilization highlighted the reliance of ancient Arab societies on palms for agriculture and trade.

The pavilion also showcases the palm’s symbolic role in the Levant, particularly among the Canaanites and Arameans, with depictions from historical sites like Palmyra emphasizing its importance in religious and artistic traditions.

Saad Alnajim, vice president of the Antiquities and Heritage Association in the Eastern Province, said: “Beyond providing food, medicine, and shade, the palm symbolizes belonging and pride, reflected in its place on Saudi Arabia’s national emblem.”

Abdulaziz Al-Tuwaijri, chairman of the National Committee for Environment, Water and Agriculture, said that dates are central to the Saudi economy, with Vision 2030 aiming to make the Kingdom the world’s largest date exporter.

He added: “Today, the Kingdom is the largest producer and exporter of dates, thanks to the clear vision of the crown prince, whose efforts we are now benefiting from.”

According to the UN Comtrade database, Saudi Arabia exported dates worth over SR1.4 billion ($373 million) to 119 countries by the end of 2023.

The Saudi General Authority for Statistics reported production exceeding 1.9 million tonnes, reflecting a 152.5 percent increase in export value since 2016, solidifying the Kingdom’s position as the world’s largest date exporter.

Meanwhile, a panel of global climate and agriculture experts discussed the impact of climate change on date palm cultivation.

The session focused on challenges such as delayed fruit maturation, reduced yields, pests, and pollution, and explored innovative solutions to address these issues. The panel emphasized the need for international cooperation and sustainable farming practices.

The discussion highlighted global best practices, including improved irrigation and smart agricultural techniques, as well as the importance of farmer education and technical support.

Recommendations included enhancing international collaboration, supporting research on climate-resistant varieties, and promoting awareness for sustainable date palm cultivation.

The exhibition offers a variety of entertainment activities, including folklore shows, regional poetry, and cooking competitions.

It also features a museum that takes visitors on a journey through the history of palm trees and dates over the past 1,000 years.

Additionally, a live cooking area brings together local and international chefs to prepare a variety of date-based dishes.

RIYADH: The EU is keen to expand its cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the energy sector as the world increasingly shifts toward green energy, according to a senior EU official.

In an interview with Arab News on the sidelines of the World Investment Conference, Christophe Farnaud, the EU ambassador to Saudi Arabia, emphasized that the EU possesses significant expertise in the green energy sector, which could help accelerate Saudi Arabia’s clean energy transition, as well as support the broader Gulf Cooperation Council region.

Saudi Arabia, with its ambitious initiatives such as the world’s largest green hydrogen plant in NEOM, is leading the energy transition in the region, aiming for net-zero emissions by 2060.

“One of the many sectors where we are investing and what the partnerships are developing is the energy sector. It comes against the backdrop, not just of the regional needs, but also with this view of facing the green transition that we committed worldwide, not just as the Europeans, but also the Saudi government. This is where can make a difference,” said Farnaud. 

He added: “The EU has a strong expertise in that field (green energy). And the energy sector has been in many ways a key factor in the development of the Kingdom. So we already have relationships, between EU companies and Saudi Arabia. But now we will have a stronger focus on energy transition.” 

Farnaud noted that European firms have significant opportunities to collaborate in Saudi Arabia’s expanding renewable energy sector, particularly with the Kingdom’s substantial investments in solar power and green hydrogen projects. He also mentioned that European energy companies could work with Saudi energy giants like ACWA Power to help speed up the green energy transition.

In addition to energy, Farnaud pointed out that there are numerous other areas where Saudi Arabia and the EU could strengthen cooperation, including transport, machinery for emerging industries, entertainment, and tourism.

“Machinery is currently already a key sector for the exchanges between the EU and the Kingdom. But I also wanted to insist on the fact that even the new sectors for the Kingdom, like entertainment, tourism, which are a major asset for the coming years, and the EU has a well-known competence and expertise in these industries,” he said. 

The EU ambassador also noted that European companies are increasingly aware of the transformation taking place in Saudi Arabia and are eager to explore new opportunities in the Kingdom.

“We had the first ever EU-Saudi investment forum last year in October. We had around 1,400 companies registered and it shows  the strong interest from them. It shows also the commitment by the Saudi government and EU to promote these exchanges,” said Farnaud. 

He added that the EU is also helping small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe understand the potential of the Saudi market, and highlighted how the Kingdom’s updated investment law could benefit firms entering the country.

Saudi Arabia’s revised investment law, introduced in August, promises enhanced protections for international investors, including adherence to the rule of law, fair treatment, property rights, and stronger safeguards for intellectual property, while facilitating smooth fund transfers.

Wider EU-GCC cooperation

Farnaud also discussed broader EU-GCC relations, noting that the EU-GCC Summit held in October underscored the importance of “partnership in the economic field,” with energy cooperation identified as a key area for strengthening ties.

“The EU and GCC have very dynamic economic relations. And it is not just about Saudi Arabia and the EU, where already the investment stocks from EU in the Kingdom is above €31 billion ($32.58 billion) which is quite significant. But if you enlarge the picture to the GCC as a whole, we are above €215 billion,” he told Arab News. 

During a panel discussion on the second day of the World Investment Conference, Farnaud highlighted that European companies are playing an active role in most of Saudi Arabia’s major “giga-projects,” including NEOM, Qiddiya, and AlUla.

He also emphasized that Europe offers an open market with a highly skilled workforce, which countries in the GCC, including Saudi Arabia, can tap into to accelerate their economic diversification efforts.

Regarding foreign investments, Farnaud said: “Investment is a two-way thing, and it is a question of trust and mutual knowledge. It is not just us going to the GCC, which is important, it is also GCC countries coming to Europe. In that way, they are already doing it. About 50 percent of foreign investments of GCC countries go to Europe.”

Progress on Vision 2030

During the same panel, Prince Sultan bin Khalid Al-Saud, CEO of the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, highlighted Saudi Arabia’s socio-economic progress since the launch of Vision 2030. He described the Kingdom as unique, thanks to its “positive energy and optimism.”

The SIDF CEO stressed that Vision 2030 is designed to benefit both current and future generations of Saudis, with a particular focus on investing in people.

“For Saudi Arabia, development starts with investing in people. No matter how you look at Vision 2030, or how you slice it, it’s all about the people—it’s about investing in them, trusting their abilities, and empowering them to create something not just for this generation of Saudis, but for all future generations,” he said.

Affirming the growth of the startup ecosystem in Saudi Arabia, the SIDF chief said that venture capital in Saudi Arabia has grown at a compound annual growth rate of 86 percent in the last five years. 

He also added that Saudi Arabia’s women participation in the workforce is higher than that of Western Europe. 

According to the latest report by the General Authority for Statistics, unemployment among Saudi nationals fell to 7.1 percent by the end of the second quarter, a quarterly drop of 0.5 percentage points and an annual decline of 1.4 percentage points. 

The report added that the unemployment rate among Saudi females also witnessed a sharp quarterly decline of 1.4 percentage points at the end of the second quarter reaching 12.8 percent.