LONDON: Saudi Arabia is counting on the power of sport to help drive its nation to economic victory, according to Princess Reema bint Bandar.
“I am building an entire sports ecosystem: From the athletes, to the female ushers, and security guards, we’re going from the micro to the macro to the triple macro. Every sector in the country requires a down chain,” the princess told the Chatham House think-tank in London.
“Sport impacts every industry sector across the board and it will draw in crowds globally.”
Since last October, the Princess has headed the Saudi Federation for Community Sports (SFCS) and is the vice president for Development and Planning at the Saudi Arabian General Sports Authority. Princess Reema is the first woman in Saudi Arabia to head such a federation. As chief of SFCS she has the task of developing a sports ecosystem in the Kingdom, largely from scratch.
She said: “From the staff who clean the machines, to the trainers, to the doctors, to the athletes, everything to do with sports must be included in the future planning of the country — that’s my job.”
This year has already seen significant sports advances in the Kingdom as restrictions on women watching and playing sport have been lifted. Females can now attend football matches, pump iron in gyms, partake in sports themselves, and girls can take physical education classes in school.
Since Princess Reema took up her role, she has played a part in helping to mobilize women’s sport. “I’ve encouraged women to go out on the streets and into the public parks to exercise. I’ve been telling women they don’t need permission to exercise in public, they don’t need permission to activate their own sports programs. And more and more they are doing it.”
Some National Transformation Program (NTP) 2020 initiatives under Princess Reema’s extensive remit are: The promotion of sports and physical activities; improved return on investment in sports clubs and facilities; and enabling Saudi elite athletes to achieve high performance on a sustainable basis in different sports.
As well as targeting significantly improved performance at international sporting games, there is a heavy emphasis in the NTP initiatives on improving sports infrastructure and grassroots facilities through the addition of women’s sports facilities, and through local communities, where previously investment has been very limited generally.
Princess Reema said: “The choices that women have today are greater than yesterday and every day they will grow more.”
She said she is working on licensing women’s gyms throughout the Kingdom. “The gyms have always been there but they were grey market and unregulated. We’ve created the formal structure for the licensing of women gyms and by putting them into the light we can regulate them,” she said.
The princess said the Kingdom now has 47 live gyms and she is targeting the licensing of 500 medium-sized gyms by June. She estimates that each gym will directly employ around eight people. “That’s already 4,000 jobs for women,” she said. “Then when you add the indirect jobs, such as trainers, the number goes up further.”
Wes Schwalje, COO of research firm Tahseen Consulting, agrees that the cultivation of Saudi Arabia’s sports will help boost jobs and grow the Kingdom’s economy. “Saudi Arabia has budgeted almost $600 million to build the foundations for a sports ecosystem by 2030. While this figure does not include infrastructure spending and just covers the next two years, it gives a sense of the magnitude of spending that is planned for sport,” he said.
“It is likely that $3 billion to $5 billion will be spent on developing a sports ecosystem by 2030. The sport will have a significant, positive impact on the Kingdom’s economy through its contribution to growth and jobs,” Schwalje added.
The COO said in the EU, for example, the sports sector (narrowly defined) makes up 1.13 percent of gross value add and 1.5 percent of employment on average. “If Saudi Arabia were to achieve a similar share of sport-related value add, that could mean an incremental $7 billion per year added to the gross domestic product and approximately 100,000 jobs,” he said.
Schwalje said several other sport-related industries will also benefit from the growth of sports in the Kingdom, as part of a “multiplier effect.”
“We would expect to see sizeable indirect impact in the food and hospitality sectors, construction, and media sectors,” he added.
Princess Reema: It’s time to focus on Saudi women’s capabilities, not their clothes
Princess Reema: It’s time to focus on Saudi women’s capabilities, not their clothes
Saudi Reef Forum to focus on rural sustainability
- Al-Ahsa event to promote communities’ role in economic growth
RIYADH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture will host the 1st International Forum for Saudi Reef in Al-Ahsa from Dec. 16-18, aiming to strengthen rural communities, and promote their role in driving sustainable development.
Maha Aldhahi, head of the forum’s executive committee, said: “The forum is pivotal in advancing rural development, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Saudi Vision 2030. It will support rural communities, while contributing to global efforts and research on sustainable agriculture.”
Aldhahi said that the forum will unite regional and international experts to address the challenge of rural-to-urban migration, a widespread issue. To counter this, the forum will propose practical solutions to ensure rural areas remain economically viable, vibrant, and sustainable.
Additionally, it will explore innovations in agriculture and rural development, fostering economic growth and social cohesion through job creation and investment promotion, she added.
Aldhahi said that the forum builds on the Saudi Reef Program, recognized by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization as the world’s largest development initiative of its kind.
The program has supported over 77,000 agricultural projects, achieved a self-sufficiency rate exceeding 65 percent in vital sectors, and provided upskilling and career opportunities for rural communities.
Ghassan Bakri, secretary-general of the Saudi Reef Program, said: “The program is a model of sustainable growth, addressing food security and job creation while preserving cultural heritage. By hosting this forum, we aim to attract global partnerships and exchange cutting-edge solutions for rural empowerment.”
Bakri added that the forum will feature dynamic discussions on key topics, including sustainable agricultural practices, rural entrepreneurship, and the role of modern technology in agriculture.
The three-day event will also include an exhibition showcasing unique rural practices, handicrafts, and the work of local farmers, artisans, and entrepreneurs. It will highlight how traditional techniques integrate with modern innovations to create sustainable livelihoods.
Kingdom arrests 19,696 illegals in one week
- A total of 11,336 people were arrested for violations of residency laws
Riyadh: Saudi authorities arrested 19,696 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
According to an official report, a total of 11,336 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 5,176 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 3,184 for labor-related issues.
The report showed that among the 1,547 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 65 percent were Ethiopian, 32 percent Yemeni, and 3 percent were of other nationalities.
A further 71 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and 22 were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators.
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 ($260,000), 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.
Gaza victims praise Saudi Arabia’s lifesaving humanitarian efforts
Riyadh: Palestinians in Gaza who received Saudi aid have expressed gratitude to the Kingdom for its humanitarian support through aid agency KSrelief.
They likened the Saudi assistance to rain that quenches their thirst for hope, alleviates suffering and rekindles optimism amid immense challenges, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Samaher Eid Awkal, 47, said she struggled with health issues while living in Khan Younis with her blind mother in a basic tent. She thanked KSrelief for providing her family with a suitable tent, which has eased their hardship and restored hope.
A Gaza mother who endured freezing conditions with her children without shelter also expressed appreciation after receiving essential aid. She described the support as a source of joy and hope during difficult times.
Mahmoud Nabil Abu Alwan, displaced from Rafah to Mawasi in Khan Younis, thanked KSrelief after he received a new tent. He previously lived in a dilapidated tent borrowed from relatives amid shelling and harsh displacement conditions.
Saudi Orchestra performance in Tokyo helps ‘bridge cultural boundaries,’ CEO says
TOKYO: Paul Pacifico, CEO of the Saudi Music Commission, who is in Tokyo with the Saudi National Orchestra, says music “bridges cultural boundaries and has a very important part to play in each of the three main pillars of Vision 2030” as it represents a proud nation, a vibrant society and diversified economy.
Bringing the Saudi National Orchestra to Tokyo, he said, gives people the opportunity “to communicate with our language and it allows everybody to come together and share an experience that allows us to appreciate each other’s cultures and really to be in harmony. And that’s why I think it’s so special that the orchestra is here for the first time.”
The program includes traditional music directed by Saudi Director Reab Ahmed, as well as the Japanese Imperial Court Orchestra “Gagaku.”
“We’re able to show Saudi culture on one of the most prestigious stages in one of the world’s great cultural capitals here at Tokyo Opera City, and we’re doing that with authentic Saudi music, authentic traditional Japanese music with Gagaku,” he said. “But also with that great fusion between the two sets of musicians coming together and doing something really unique and beautiful.”
“The Saudi National Orchestra and choir is really at the vanguard of developing the music landscape in Saudi Arabia as it builds the depth and richness and uniqueness of its beautiful culture, both traditional and modern.”
Pacifico said it was “an honor” to share the stage with the Imperial Orchestra Gagaku performers. “It also shows how our cultures are different and yet similar, the regard for tradition and modernity, the appreciation of music, the sense of formality in public, but warmth and a sense of fun as well in private.”
He hopes that Friday’s performance is not a one-off but becomes the foundation of a rich and long-standing collaboration with “our Japanese friends, the Tokyo College of Music, who we’re collaborating with on this concert.”
“We hope that Saudi artists will start to have opportunities to play on stages here in Tokyo, like the Blue Note and Billboard Live and the Cotton Club, or festivals like Summer Sonic or Fuji Rock. And equally, we’d love to see Japanese artists playing more in Riyadh and all over the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has a very exciting story to tell.”
Saudi aid agency KSrelief provides medical and food assistance in Yemen
RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has helped a Yemeni prosthetics center provide medical services to 536 people in October.
The Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Center in Taiz Governorate provided various medical services Yemeni beneficiaries who have lost limbs, the Saudi Press Agency said.
During the project, 1,757 services were provided including measuring, manufacturing, fitting, delivering and maintaining artificial limbs and prosthetics, in addition to rehabilitation and physiotherapy services.
KSRelief also signed a deal with a Yemeni civil-society organization to provide shelter for the neediest families affected by floods and torrents in Hadhramaut.
