CAIRO: Egypt will allow stretches of land in the southern Sinai to be used for Saudi Arabia’s planned megacity Neom project announced by the Kingdom last October.
The agreement forms part of a $10 billion joint investment fund the two countries signed during the visit to Cairo this week by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to a Saudi official.
The size of the committed land is said to be more than 1,000 square kilometers.
Saudi Arabia’s 26,500-square-kilometer Neom project is to focus on industries including water and energy, food, media, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology and entertainment.
It forms part of the country’s Vision 2030 growth strategy which aims to diversify the country away from its reliance on oil.
The project will run along the coast of the Red Sea as well as the Gulf of Aqaba. Its borders will extend across Egyptian and Jordanian borders, making it the first private economic zone to span three countries.
The megacity project plans to pioneer the latest technologies including automated driving, passenger drones, the use of robots and developing new ways of growing and processing food.
The project is expected to attract more than $500 billon of investment from the Saudi government, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) and international investors. Neom’s contribution to the Kingdom’s GDP is projected to reach $100 billion.
As part of the newly signed Egypt-Saudi joint venture, Saudi Arabia is to build seven cities and tourism projects, while Egypt will focus on developing the existing resorts of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada.
Saudi Arabia is said to be working with Egypt and Jordan on attracting more European cruise and tourism companies active in the Mediterranean to consider operating in the Red Sea as well. An official said the Kingdom was currently negotiating with more than seven tourism-related operators.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia also signed an agreement during the Crown Prince’s visit to protect the marine environment and to maintain coral reefs and beaches in the Red Sea area.
Separately, Saudi Arabia announced last August it was planning to develop 50 luxury resorts on islands and other sites on the Red Sea, backed by PIF. Construction of this development is expected to start in 2019 and be completed in 2022, according to state news agency reports.
The Crown Prince arrived in Cairo on Sunday, meeting with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to discuss future cooperation in tackling terrorism and regional insecurity as well as how to strength business ties between the two countries.
The crown prince also met with Egypt’s Coptic Pope Tawadros II in the first such visit by a Saudi official to the spiritual center of the country’s Orthodox Christian community. He also met Egypt’s top Islamic official, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, and saw a performance at the Cairo Opera.
Prince Mohammed is scheduled to arrive in the UK on Wednesday to meet British government officials.
Egypt signs $10bn deal with Saudi Arabia to support Neom project
Egypt signs $10bn deal with Saudi Arabia to support Neom project
Makkah Route Initiative greatly improves Hajj procedures, says octogenarian Moroccan pilgrim
- 82-year-old also praised the warm welcome she received upon arrival at the Makkah Route terminal
MAKKAH: Munira, an 82-year-old Moroccan pilgrim, said she was grateful for advancements in travel and pilgrimage services after recently arriving in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
She recalled that her grandfather had undertaken the pilgrimage more than 70 years ago, traveling on foot across several countries.
The journey took almost two years and was marked by immense hardship and danger.
“Since I was a child, my father would recount the story of my grandfather’s journey, always emphasizing the struggles he endured,” Munira said. “I grew up believing that Hajj required enormous effort and sacrifice.”
Reflecting on her own experience, she added: “I never imagined I would reach Makkah in just six hours, sitting comfortably on a plane.”
Munira described her departure from Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca as smooth and efficient. She completed all procedures in record time and in a “pleasant, well-organized” manner, she told the SPA.
The 82-year-old also praised the warm welcome she received upon arrival at the Makkah Route terminal, highlighting the initiative as a significant leap forward in streamlining the Hajj experience for pilgrims.
Saudi FM arrives in Madrid for talks on Gaza crisis and two-state solution conference
- Upcoming conference will be co-chaired by the Kingdom and France
MADRID: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Madrid on Saturday to take part in an expanded ministerial meeting convened by the committee formed during the Extraordinary Joint Arab-Islamic Summit on developments in the Gaza Strip, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The meeting, which includes representatives from the Madrid Group and several European nations, will address the latest developments in both Gaza and the West Bank, with a focus on efforts to halt the ongoing conflict and alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
Discussions will also include preparations for a high-level international conference on the two-state solution, set to take place at the United Nations headquarters in New York this June.
The upcoming conference will be co-chaired by the Kingdom and France.
Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs meets US delegation in Riyadh
- Two sides review relations between countries, regional, international developments
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir met a delegation from the US House of Representatives on Saturday at the ministry’s headquarters in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The delegation was headed by Michael Lawler, member of Congress and the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee.
The two sides reviewed the long-standing relations between Saudi Arabia and the US, and also discussed key regional and international developments, as well as issues of mutual concern, the SPA added.
The meeting followed the visit of US President Donald Trump to the Kingdom earlier this month and reflects ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two nations.
Saudi authorities crack down on illegal Hajj activities
- 21 arrested for transporting, 84 pilgrims caught without permits
MAKKAH: The Ministry of Interior is continuing its efforts to prevent individuals without Hajj permits from entering or staying in Makkah and the holy sites, warning that violators and facilitators will be arrested and penalized.
The Hajj Security Forces at Makkah’s entrances arrested eight residents and 12 citizens for transporting 75 individuals without permits to perform Hajj, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
The ministry issued administrative decisions through seasonal committees against the transporters, accomplices, and those transported.
Penalties include imprisonment, fines of up to SR100,000 ($26,600), public naming of violators, deportation of residents, and a 10-year ban from re-entering Saudi Arabia after sentencing.
The ministry has also called for the confiscation of vehicles used in unauthorized transportation and for fines of up to SR20,000 for those attempting Hajj without a permit.
In a separate incident, a Saudi citizen was arrested for transporting nine visa-holding expatriates without Hajj permits, the SPA reported.
All individuals involved have been referred to relevant authorities to enforce the prescribed penalties.
The ministry has urged all citizens and residents to comply with Hajj regulations to ensure the safety of pilgrims. It warned that performing or attempting Hajj without a permit from April 29 to June 10 was prohibited.
The ministry has encouraged the public to report violations by calling 911 in Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, or 999 elsewhere in the Kingdom.
Meanwhile, security patrols in Makkah have arrested four Indonesian expatriates for fraudulently promoting fake and misleading Hajj campaigns on social media, and falsely offering accommodation and transportation within the holy sites.
They were also found promoting forged Nusuk Hajj cards and violating Hajj regulations by harboring 14 individuals without permits in a building.
The suspects were detained, legal action was taken, and they were referred to the Public Prosecution. Those harbored were referred to the competent authorities for the prescribed penalties.
Hajj Security Forces last week arrested 43 residents and 39 citizens in separate incidents for transporting 259 individuals without Hajj permits.
According to a recent report by the General Directorate of Passports, a total of 890,883 pilgrims from abroad have arrived in the Kingdom for Hajj from air, land, and sea.
The directorate reaffirmed its commitment to streamlining entry procedures by equipping all ports with advanced technology and multilingual staff.
Kingdom arrests 13,118 illegals in one week
RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 13,118 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
A total of 8,150 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 3,344 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 1,624 for labor-related issues.
The Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom, including providing transportation and shelter, could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million ($267,000), as well as confiscation of vehicles and property.
Suspected violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.
