RIYADH: Japanese Ambassador Tsukasa Uemura paid tribute to the longstanding friendship between his country and Saudi Arabia as he hosted a reception to mark the upcoming birthday of Japanese Emperor Akihito, who will turn 85 on Dec. 23.
Guests at the event, at the ambassador’s residence in Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter last Thursday, included senior Saudi officials, members of the diplomatic corps, business representatives and members of the community. Riyadh Governor Prince Faisal bin Bandar represented the government of Saudi Arabia.
“The Japanese and the Saudi royal families have enjoyed long and splendid friendly relations for many decades,” Uemura said. “Crown Prince Naruhito, our next emperor, visited the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the first time in 1994 with the Crown Princess.”
Since then, the envoy added, the prince has visited Saudi Arabia several times, and King Salman has visited Japan to bolster ties. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also paid an official visit to Japan in September 2016.
The ambassador said that bilateral relations between the countries, are shifting to become a diversified strategic partnership.
“We have successfully introduced a new mechanism, the ‘Japan-Saudi Vision 2030,’ and now we are working closely in various fields of cooperation,” said Uemura. “We are determined to build much more amicable and broader relations with Saudi Arabia as indispensable partners to each other.”
Japan was one of the first countries to announce support for Saudi Vision 2030, and has offered to share its expertise in a number of fields, including energy, potable water, infrastructure, metro and train projects, entertainment, sports and other development projects in the Kingdom.
This year will be the final official celebration of Emperor Akihito’s birthday, as he will abdicate on April 30, 2019, and Crown Prince Naruhito will take the throne.
DiplomaticQuarter: Saudi-Japanese ties hailed as Riyadh celebrates emperor’s birthday
DiplomaticQuarter: Saudi-Japanese ties hailed as Riyadh celebrates emperor’s birthday
- “We have successfully introduced a new mechanism, the ‘Japan-Saudi Vision 2030,’ and now we are working closely in various fields of cooperation,” said Uemura
KSrelief delivers dates to Sudan and Burkina Faso
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has distributed dates in Sudan and Burkina Faso, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
In Sudan 700 cartons of dates were distributed, benefiting 4,020 individuals living in Wad Madani.
The aid agency also gifted 50 tonnes of dates to Burkina Faso as a part of their relief programs.
Saudi crown prince, European council president discuss cooperation
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a phone call from European Council President Antonio Costa, the Saudi Press Agency said early Thursday.
The pair discussed enhancing cooperation between the Kingdom and European Union countries.
They also tackled a number of regional and international issues and the efforts made to achieve security and stability.
Interpol to establish regional office in Saudi Arabia
- The Kingdom and the international police organization sign host country agreement
RIYADH: Interpol is to establish an office in Saudi Arabia that will serve the Middle East and North Africa region.
Hisham Al-Faleh, undersecretary at the Kingdom’s Ministry of Interior, and Jurgen Stock, secretary-general of the international police organization, signed a host country agreement on Wednesday.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud, the Saudi Minister of Interior, and Maj. Gen. Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi, the president of Interpol, also attended the signing ceremony, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
In addition, they discussed Interpol’s activities during a meeting that also included Nasser Al-Dawood, the deputy minister of interior; Brig. Gen. Abdulmalik Al-Saqeeh, the director general of Saudi Interpol; and other senior officials.
Saudi Shoura Council speaker receives Japan’s newly appointed envoy
Saudi Shoura Council Speaker Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al-Asheikh received Japan’s newly appointed Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Morino Yasunari in Riyadh on Wednesday.
The Japanese ambassador praised the strong ties between Saudi Arabia and Japan, affirming his country’s commitment to enhancing cooperation across various sectors, Saudi Press Agency reported.
During the meeting, the two sides also discussed ways to bolster parliamentary collaboration between the Shoura Council and the Japanese Parliament, and other topics of mutual interest.
Qassim governor praises green initiative’s success
- The Green Qassim Land Initiative has completed planting 5 million trees as part of the broader Saudi Green Initiative
RIYADH: Qassim Gov. Prince Faisal bin Mishaal commended the success of the Green Qassim Land Initiative in planting 5 million trees as part of the broader Saudi Green Initiative.
In a meeting on Wednesday, he praised government and private sector efforts, particularly the contributions of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification.
The governor also lauded the ministry’s and center’s innovative approach to repurposing materials confiscated from environmental regulation violators for sustainable reforestation, notably in Qassim National Park.
Prince Faisal reaffirmed the region’s commitment to expanding vegetation cover and strengthening environmental protection, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The ministry’s Qassim branch director general, Salman Al-Suwainea, said that the initiative has progressed through various stages of collaboration with governmental and nonprofit organizations, playing a key role in advancing the Saudi Green Initiative’s objectives.
