RIYADH: Ever since Saudi King Faisal and French President Charles de Gaulle met in 1967, relations between the two countries have evolved through personal contacts and visits at the highest levels.
King Khalid visited France in 1978 and 1981, and King Fahd visited twice when he was crown prince, in 1975 and 1981.
The first French president to visit the Kingdom was Valery Giscard d’Estaing in 1977, who visited again in 1980 and 1981.
King Fahd went on two official visits to France in 1984 and 1987, while King Abdullah visited twice, in 1985 and 1999.
The visit by President Jacques Chirac to the Kingdom in 1997 was followed by visits in 2001 and 2006.
In 1986, Chirac and King Salman, who was then governor of Riyadh, opened a Saudi exhibition in Paris that was visited by thousands of French citizens who were exposed to Saudi traditions and religious values.
The “Roads of Arabia” exhibition, highlighting Saudi archaeological masterpieces and cultural heritage, was started in 2010 and was hosted at the Louvre Museum in Paris, which signifies the strength of cultural relations between the two countries.
The closer relations are also evident from the fact that former French President Francois Hollande paid four visits to the Kingdom after his election in 2012.
His last official visit in May 2015 was particularly historic as besides meeting King Salman and senior officials, he attended the 15th meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a rare invitation to a foreign leader.
This visit bolstered a new reinforcement of strategic partnership between the Kingdom and France as well as with the GCC countries.
In 2014, King Salman, who was then crown prince and defense minister, visited France at the invitation of Hollande.
In bolstering ties, King Salman and President Hollande played a crucial role by strengthening the Saudi-French global strategic partnership.
The two leaders in May 2015 adopted an ambitious action plan to boost bilateral relations through a win-win approach.
Now, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is paying an official visit to France, during which he is expected to focus on investment as well as on key issues of mutual importance, a French Embassy senior official said Friday.
France and Saudi Arabia enjoy a very cordial and close relationship, which has gained momentum in recent years with the increasing pace of bilateral visits.
A number of military and security officials also exchanged regular visits that boosted cooperation around training for marine, air and ground troops.
Earlier, the Kingdom signed a security agreement with France in 2008.
Moreover, the Kingdom and France share longstanding economic ties, to which Saudi Vision 2030 provided an incentive to further strengthen a win-win relationship.
France is the third-biggest investor in the Kingdom, with more than $15 billion of investments, while Saudi Arabia is France’s leading commercial partner in the Gulf, with commercial flows amounting to more than $8 billion.
Significantly, more than 80 French companies, some of which are global leaders in their fields, have an active presence in the Kingdom and employ more than 27,000 people, with a Saudization rate of 36 percent.
French companies are involved in many strategic projects throughout the Kingdom, serving the Saudi ambition to develop a world-class railway and urban transportation infrastructure, energy network, tourism industry, financial services, telecommunications and health care.
French companies are also engaged in solar and nuclear projects that will help the Kingdom diversify its energy mix.
So far as the Saudi business involvement in France is concerned, the total investment caps are at less than $1 billion, and are mostly directed toward real estate.
With the two sides sharing very cordial relations, the new governments in France and Saudi Arabia will pave the way for new opportunities over the years.
Saudi Arabia, France enjoying ever-growing strategic partnership
Saudi Arabia, France enjoying ever-growing strategic partnership
- France is the third-biggest investor in Saudi Arabia
- The “Roads of Arabia” exhibition, highlighting Saudi archaeological masterpieces and cultural heritage.
KSrelief’s Masam Project clears 840 mines
- The Masam team successfully cleared four unexploded ordnances in Zinjibar
- The team successfully removed 14 unexploded ordnances from Al-Waht district
ADEN: The Masam Project, an initiative launched by the Saudi aid agency KSrelief, successfully dismantled 840 mines across various regions of Yemen during the third week of November, including 29 anti-personnel mines, 129 anti-tank mines, and 682 unexploded ordnances.
The Masam team successfully cleared four unexploded ordnances in Zinjibar in the Abyan Governorate, and 162 in Aden Governorate. Two anti-tank mines in Al-Khawkhah and one unexploded ordnance in Hays, in Al-Hudaydah Governorate, were also removed. The team cleared one anti-personnel mine and one unexploded ordnance in the Qataba district of Al-Dhale Governorate.
The team successfully removed 14 unexploded ordnances from Al-Waht district and 22 from Al-Madaribah in Lahj Governorate, while in Marib Governorate four unexploded ordnances were cleared in the Al-Wadi district, along with 12 anti-personnel mines and 120 anti-tank mines in the Marib district.
Authorities enforce ban on non-compliant trucks
- This initiative reflects the authority’s commitment to regulating the sector
- Foreign trucks are restricted to transporting goods from abroad to designated delivery points
RIYADH: The Transport General Authority has announced the seizure of many foreign trucks found violating transportation regulations and legislation while transporting goods between cities in the Kingdom.
This initiative, undertaken in collaboration with relevant authorities, reflects the authority’s commitment to regulating the sector, promoting compliance, ensuring fair competition, enhancing the security and safety of transportation services, and preserving public resources and road infrastructure.
The authority said that the mechanism adopted to control foreign truck transport operations — in coordination with various government entities — prohibits traders, factories, importers, institutions and companies from contracting with non-Saudi vehicles.
Foreign trucks are restricted to transporting goods from abroad to designated delivery points in Saudi cities or on their way back to their country of origin. This return must originate from the same delivery point or from any city along the return route. Such operations also require a permit issued by the authority.
Saudi citizen wanted on suspicion of corruption extradited to Kingdom from Russia
- Abdullah bin Awadh Aydha Al-Harthi was wanted on suspicion of financial and administrative corruption crimes
RIYADH: A Saudi citizen suspected of corruption crimes has been extradited back to the Kingdom from Russia, the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, Nazaha, announced on Friday.
Abdullah bin Awadh Aydha Al-Harthi was wanted on suspicion of financial and administrative corruption crimes, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The transfer was carried out as part of a memorandum of understanding between Nazaha and Russia’s Public Prosecution, and “underscores the strong commitment of both nations to uphold the rule of law and promote international cooperation in the fight against corruption,” SPA added.
Nazaha highlighted the role played by the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office in responding to its official request to extradite Al-Harthi and praised the support of the global Globe E Network and INTERPOL for its continued assistance in tracking individuals involved in corruption crimes and curtailing their safe havens.
Nazaha reaffirmed its resolve to pursue corrupt individuals both within and beyond the Kingdom’s borders, holding them accountable in accordance with Sharia and legal frameworks.
The authority said it remained steadfast in its mission to recover state funds and assets misappropriated through corruption, ensuring they are returned to the national treasury.
Heritage Commission, KSGAAL launch global blog to preserve cultural and linguistic heritage
- The Naqsh blog aims to preserve Arab cultural and linguistic heritage
- Naqsh is a visually documented linguistic blog for Arabic inscriptions found on stones, tablets, rocks or any other artifacts in the Kingdom
RIYADH: The Saudi Heritage Commission, in collaboration with King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, or KSGAAL, launched the Naqsh blog on Thursday on the sidelines of the Saudi International Handicrafts Week exhibition.
The Naqsh blog aims to preserve Arab cultural and linguistic heritage, providing a reliable source for researchers and those interested in archaeology, history, the Arabic language and comparative studies, an official statement said.
The blog also seeks to enhance the scientific reference for trustworthy Arabic data and develop AI models for analyzing and interpreting inscriptions, in alignment with the objectives of the Human Capital Development Program, one of the Saudi Vision 2030 initiatives, and the National Culture Strategy.
Abdullah Al-Washmi, secretary-general of KSGAAL, said that the path of linguistic blogs served related scholars and researchers and was an integral part of the academy’s linguistic work, projects and institutional initiatives.
Naqsh is a visually documented linguistic blog for Arabic inscriptions found on stones, tablets, rocks or any other artifacts in the Kingdom.
The blog includes commemorative, religious, literary and commercial inscriptions that reflect the cultural and social conditions throughout the ages, he said.
The blog highlights the historical and linguistic significance of Arabic inscriptions, understanding the linguistic and cultural development in the region, and also serves as a crucial source for studying the evolution of writing and Arabic calligraphy through the ages, he said.
In early 2024, KSGAAL launched the “Falak” platform for linguistic databases, which includes several linguistic platforms featuring advanced computational tools.
These tools facilitate text analysis and linguistic data tagging and enable Arabic language enthusiasts to collaborate in the field of Arabic language computing.
The “Falak” platform also aims to enhance the scientific reference for reliable Arabic linguistic data. It is one of the academy’s prominent initiatives in the field of linguistic computing, containing more than 1.5 billion words.
Sami Al-Mukhayzim, chairman of the Saudi Historical Society, told Arab News that the Naqsh blog serves as a highly significant historical resource.
Inscriptions are among the oldest tools documenting vivid and accurate information about ancient civilizations. These inscriptions contribute to illustrating the development of writing, ideas, beliefs and the daily interactions of those civilizations, he said.
Abdullah Al-Khuzam, a craft trainer at the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, said that documenting human heritage was one of the fundamental administrative and civilizational methods and an essential enabler for building a growing future grounded in a distinctive historical and archaeological depth.
The Naqsh blog will serve as a reference for future generations, providing them with a foundation as they venture into new and contemporary horizons, drawing inspiration from heritage to develop ideas in a modern form that suits today’s world, he said.
Saudi, Japanese agencies agree to cooperation on humanitarian work
Saudi aid agency KSrelief and the Japan International Cooperation Agency have agreed to cooperate on humanitarian work.
KSrelief director of partnerships and international relations, Hana Omar, and JICA’s representative from its Yemen office Kato Ken met on the sidelines of the International Conjoined Twins Conference in Riyadh.
They discussed humanitarian relief affairs, topics on the agenda of the conference, and prospects for cooperation between the two organizations, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
JICA praised the Kingdom’s humanitarian and relief programs.
