RIYADH: Supporting local companies to enhance production and quality through working with international companies will be one of the key aims of the Armed Forces Exhibition for Diversification of Local Manufacturing (AFED).
Gen. Attiya Al-Maliki, spokesman for the exhibition and director general of the department overseeing the localization of manufacturing, said that Turkey would be guest of honor at the armed forces exhibition. The Ministry of National Guard would also participate in the exhibition.
During a press conference in Riyadh on Wednesday, Al-Maliki said the AFED, held from Feb. 25 to March 3 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, was in line with the Vision 2030 strategy.
Al-Maliki said there would be seminars and workshops during the event to present obstacles and how to overcome the challenges with proposals for industries. He said it would be a good opportunity for manufacturers and investors to identify business opportunities.
He said that when hearing about the AFED, many people “believe the companies are exclusive in showcasing only military needs, but that is not correct. In truth, we use products that are used both for military and civilian needs.”
“AFED is in line with Vision 2030 to support local products and manufacturing, and this is a tool to make Vision 2030 a reality,” he said.
The aim of the exhibition is to locally manufacture arms so that the nation’s factories benefited from sales rather than buying them from abroad.
The first AFED exhibition was launched in 2010 in Riyadh exclusively for the armed forces. The second exhibition was held in Dhahran in partnership with Saudi Aramco and Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC). The third exhibition was held in Riyadh in 2016 with Saudi Aramco, SABIC and a growing number of companies.
Earlier, Al-Maliki said that the exhibition was part of the government’s economic reforms, which aimed to stimulate investment, support non-oil exports and develop a knowledge-based economy.
Turkey will be guest of honor at Saudi armed forces exhibition
Turkey will be guest of honor at Saudi armed forces exhibition
AI training for 334,000 Saudi citizens completed
- Launched in September 2024, AI skills program targets citizens of all ages and professional backgrounds
RIYADH: A total of 334,000 Saudi Arabia citizens have benefitted from a government program aimed at empowering citizens with artificial intelligence skills, according to the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.
The “One Million Saudis in AI” program was set up in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in September 2024.
During the keynote session of the Non-Profit Sector Forum in Education and Training 2025 in Riyadh on July 2, SDAIA chief Abdullah Alghamdi highlighted key features of the program.
He said the partnerships the authority had forged with other government agencies have positioned the Kingdom globally in empowering women in AI, and community awareness, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
Launched at the Global AI Summit, the SAMAI initiative targets citizens across all age groups and professional backgrounds.
Alghamdi also cited several national initiatives that resulted from this collaboration, including the National Olympiad for Programming and Artificial Intelligence, or ATHKA Competition.
More than 260,000 male and female students from intermediate and secondary schools participated, with 10,000 advancing to the final stage, he said.
One key initiative cited by the SDAIA chief was the “Road to ATHKA,” which trained more than 570,000 students on AI concepts.
Another was the “Future Intelligence Programmers” initiative, which trained over 10,000 teachers.
The SDAIA and Education Ministry had also established the Center for Excellence in Education.
This was “designed to institutionalize technological integration within the education sector, sustain future-oriented initiatives, and leverage AI to enhance learning outcomes.”
Saudi crown prince receives UAE national security advisor
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received UAE National Security Advisor Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Salam Palace in Jeddah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The crown prince and Shiekh Tahnoun, who is also the deputy ruler of Abu Dhabi, discussed relations between the Kingdom and the UAE and ways to enhance them.
Saudi authorities close 996 establishments over health violations
RIYADH: A total of 5,912 inspections covering 4,307 establishments were carried out across the Kingdom by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority in April and May.
A total of 996 were shut down due to various violations, while 136 were closed for operating without required licenses and for product safety breaches.
Additionally, production lines at 127 establishments were halted and 1,750 types of products were seized.
The initiative is part of the SFDA’s efforts to ensure compliance with approved regulations and to uphold high quality standards.
At one food establishment, inspectors found raw materials of an unknown origin, employees without health certificates, the absence of a tracking system and inadequate measures being taken to prevent cross-contamination. These led to the closure of the business and the implementation of necessary legal measures.
Need for global collaboration to fight drought stressed
- Saudi Arabia, along with partners, launched the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership on the first day of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development
RIYADH: As part of the Kingdom’s efforts to mitigate the impacts of desertification, improve air quality and achieve its sustainable development goals, Saudi Arabia, along with partners, launched the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership on the first day of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development.
Held in Seville, Spain, from June 30 to July 3, the four-day event saw the participation of 70 countries, including attendance by local and international ministers, environmental organizations and financial development entities.
Among the participants was Saudi Deputy Minister for Environment, Water and Agriculture Osama Faqeeha.
Faqeeha, who is also the adviser to the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties Presidency, emphasized the significance of collaborative efforts and innovation to address the escalating threat of climate change that resulted in complicated and devastating environmental issues such as drought.
Faqeeha said: “The Riyadh Drought Resilience Partnership will serve as a global facilitator, a ‘one-stop shop’ for drought resilience, promoting the shift from reactive relief response after drought hits to proactive preparedness.
“We also seek to amplify global resources to save lives and livelihoods around the world.”
The deputy minister said that solutions should be applied through strategies and mechanisms to ensure enhanced resilience in the areas that were mostly affected by drought and climate change globally.
He praised the partnership with the International Drought Resilience Alliance, a global coalition that aims to build resilience against droughts and climate change.
He said it was fundamental to bridging the gap between the political and financial aspects to ensure the achievement of long-term sustainable development objectives.
The discussion highlighted some of the national efforts and strategies for environmental sustainability, including efforts by the OPEC Fund for International Development, the Islamic Development Bank and the CAF Development Bank of Latin America.
Saudi Shoura Council members visit Turkish parliament
ANKARA: Members of the Saudi-Turkish Parliamentary Friendship Committee of the Saudi Shoura Council met with their counterparts from Turkiye during a visit to the country.
During the meeting, held in Ankara, the two sides reviewed ways to further boost their relations and discussed other topics of common interest.
The Saudi delegation also met with Numan Kurtulmus, president of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
