Saudi Arabia ‘will remain strongest Mideast ally of US’, experts say at Dubai’s Arab Strategy Forum

Updated 13 December 2018
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Saudi Arabia ‘will remain strongest Mideast ally of US’, experts say at Dubai’s Arab Strategy Forum

  • Kingdom lies at the core of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, political and economic leaders told

Saudi Arabia will remain the strongest ally of the US in the Middle East and lies at the “heart and core” of President Trump’s foreign policy, some of the world’s leading politicians, economists and strategic analysts heard as they gathered to forecast the geopolitical state of the world in 2019.

At the 11th Arab Strategy Forum, an annual gathering to discuss worldwide political, economic, security and social scenarios and plan ways to help the region prepare for future challenges, speakers talked about a steadfast bond between the US and Saudi over the next 12 months. They said that Trump views the Kingdom as an unshakable ally with common regional interests including America’s fight against Iran, the peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a turbulent and fluctuating oil market.

“The Trump administration has been fighting very hard to move beyond Jamal Khashoggi,” said Fawaz Gerges, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics, who joined Ambassador Dennis Ross, former assistant to President Obama and National Security Council senior director for the Central Region, and Bernardino Leon, director general of the Emirates Diplomatic Academy, in a panel discussion titled the “State of the World Politics in 2019.” 

“They have made it very clear that they want to focus on other interests; the Israel-Palestine peace process, the question of Iran, the oil market … President Trump has made it very clear that Saudi Arabia really lies at the heart and the core of his foreign policy.”

He said that despite “tremendous pressures to take further steps” against the Kingdom, “the reality so far seems to be that the president will not listen to the critics.”




Dr. Ian Bremmer, president and founder of Eurasia. 

He said that although the relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia has come under strain, “as long as Donald Trump remains in power the relationships will continue to stay.”

In the panel discussion, moderated by CNN’s Becky Anderson, Leon also addressed Saudi and US relations.

“There are two dimensions; one is internal US politics, the other is in terms of foreign policy. Foreign policy has to be determined by the government and will continue to be determined by the government — this is the rule. So if you see these relations, in historical terms Saudi Arabia has always been the main ally in the region for the United States. 

“This is a region where another traditional very strong ally, Turkey, is now in a different position and even though we are at a time where this region is probably experiencing more difficulties than ever before, the United States will continue to act on that basis. I do not expect big changes. I am sure we there will be waves and I am sure the US Congress will call for more transparency and more information after what happened after Khashoggi, probably this is going to happen. But there will be no structural changes.”

Ross said that US policy — which states that if the president vetoes a decision, Congress may override the veto by a two-thirds supermajority of both houses — means it would be “very difficult” for Congress to overturn any decision on sanctions against the Kingdom that Trump, who has been vocal in his continuing support and relations with Saudi Arabia. He added that “most of the pressure” from federal government would be more likely to be dominated by the ongoing Trump-Russia investigations.




Faisal Abbas, editor in chief of Arab News, left, in conversation with Dr. Ian Bremmer. 

After being addressed by Faisal Abbas, editor in chief of Arab News, who posed a question about US-Middle East relations and asked if the US would distance itself from the Arab world, Ross said that the US would continue to have a vested interest in Middle Eastern activities.

“Las Vegas rules do not apply to the Middle East, what takes place in the Middle East doesn’t stay in the Middle East. That is ultimately why we have to stay involved in it.” 

Abbas began the first panel discussion of the day, “Discussing Megatrends in 2019,” by questioning speaker Dr. Ian Bremmer, president and founder of Eurasia, about oil prices, Saudi Arabia’s international and regional relations and his predictions for the year ahead. 

Bremmer addressed the recent announcement by Qatar that it was withdrawing from the oil exporters’ group OPEC, saying the move would have little impact or fallout.

“Qatar in OPEC is a marginal player so I do not think their leaving is significant.”

Bremmer said that Qatar attended the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) annual summit in Riyadh this week and that Qataris and Saudis “directly engaged” was a move to be looked at in a “positive” way.

At the forum, attended by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Bremmer began his address by saying that 2019 should not see any real turbulent crisis, and highlighted the “good news” of “robust” predictions laid out by the International Monetary Fund that state the global economy will grow 3.7 percent this year. 

However, he said that 2020 is likely to witness another recession and warned — unlike the shows of unity after the 2008/09 financial crisis — of a fractious and “dysfunctional” geopolitical landscape that will mean the world will be unlikely to be able to bounce back easily.

“The good news is the 2019 economy will not be horrible. The bad news; the next economic downturn will be much worse. My worry is that whenever the next downturn comes we have a problem. The thing about the last major recession … which was a big one, is the response from all the world’s major economies. They all worked together in saying we have a problem, we need to get out of this together.

“Whenever the next downturn happens — which economists say is 2020 — when it comes the political reaction it is not going to be like 2008/9.”

Instead, the world is likely to witness a “blame-game” with countries pointing the finger at one another. Bremmer warned: “This is the most fraught geopolitical period in my lifetime … and the dysfunction is only going to grow.”

The geopolitical landscape has been heightened by a series of world events, including the “disastrous”  negations over Brexit, France’s “yellow vest” protests, the looming end to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s reign,  the state of US-China relations and the recent US sanctions on Iran.

Bremmer also raised concern over cybercrime and the shadow economy. He said that three of his biggest concerns from 2018 were North Korea-linked hackers stealing millions from ATMs across the world, Russian hackers using antivirus software to steal US cyber capabilities to attack Ukraine’s online network and the accounts of millions of Chinese web users being compromised in a series of hacks.

At the forum, speakers also discussed mega-trends and forecast the future of economics and government policies in the region.

The role of Iran as a leading state sponsor of terror and the impact of US sanctions was a factor among many of the key discussions. Ross said: “The interesting thing with Iran in 2019 is to see how they will tackle the internal pressure internally due to there economic decline,” while Bremmer said it was likely that Tehran would seek to wait out the Trump administration.

The growing role of China also dominated discussions. Leon said: “The US and China are two heavyweights that will keep their battle going on but it will not need to escalate much more, due to the nature of global economic markets,” while speakers highlighted the “winding down” of the war in Yemen as a positive trend in 2019.

In the “State of the Arab World Economy in 2019,” Dr. Nasser Saidi, former Lebanese minister of economy and trade, and Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, senior vice president of the World Bank Group, said that there was a general consensus that the economic recession would most likely start in 2019 and predicted an era of “turbulence” over the next 12 months, including a ripple effect across the GCC caused by oil price fluctuations. 

At the same panel discussion, H.E Nasser Judeh, former deputy prime minister of foreign affairs of Jordan, Dr. Ayad Allawi, former prime minister of Iraq and the leader of the National Accord, and H.E Nabil Fahmy, former foreign minister of Egypt, deliberated on the regional landscape over the next 12 months, with Allawi warning that the region is a “fertile ground” for terrorist groups should it not stabilize and not implement reforms that the Arab world is in “dire need of.” 

Fahmy addressed Qatar relations, saying that while a fragmented Arab world comes at the expense of every country, he was “not optimistic for radical change” in Qatar’s policies and said that the GCC could not back down to a country that refuses to “change its internal methodology.” 

“Qatar has to be a player — not an adversary.”

Ahead of the forum, Mohammed Al-Gergawi, minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, and chairman of the organizing committee, said the Arab Strategy Forum was launched as a platform for balanced analysis by decision-makers to offer a clearer understanding of the economic and political outlook for the Arab region and the world.


How AI-powered voice tech is bringing Arabic-language content to global audiences

Updated 13 min 7 sec ago
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How AI-powered voice tech is bringing Arabic-language content to global audiences

  • CAMB.AI and Saudi Arabia’s MBC Group have launched a partnership, applying context-aware, real-time translation
  • AI voice tech preserves tone, emotion, and nuance, transforming how Arabic content is localized across 150+ languages

JEDDAH: Dubai-based artificial intelligence company CAMB.AI is revolutionizing language localization by building advanced voice and translation models that preserve emotion, nuance and cultural context — especially in complex languages like Arabic.

Through a strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia’s MBC Group, CAMB.AI is scaling this technology across entertainment, education, and spiritual content — unlocking a new era of accessibility for Arabic media.

“At CAMB.AI, we have built translation and voice models that adapt to the nature of the desired language rather than merely mimicking the input,” Akshat Prakash, the company’s chief technical officer and co-founder told Arab News.

Camb.AI chief technical officer and co-founder Akshat Prakash. (Supplied)

“Whether it’s the emotion in the voice or the way certain things are said in Arabic, we are dedicated to preserving nuances, emotions and prosody to deliver what we call a ‘performance-to-performance’ impact.

“We take content and deliver a fully packaged performance through our localization infrastructure built on top of our proprietary AI models — BOLI and MARS.”

CAMB.AI successfully generated multilingual commentary for an MLS NEXT Pro match using AI-driven real-time voice translation and dubbing technology.

Its core capability lies in an AI dubbing platform that instantaneously translates live audio (such as play-by-play commentary) into multiple languages.

The language generator preserves the original speaker’s voice, tone and emotion — making it feel as if the original commentator is speaking the listener’s native language.

“Solving live sports streaming first led us to create technology that could handle the hardest type of content,” said Prakash.

“Today, we livestream games in multiple languages alongside some of the biggest brands in the world — like Major League Soccer, Eurovision and the Australian Open.

“We can perform equally well on other types of content. For instance, we’ve translated complex performances such as the Nayla Al Khaja-directed psychological thriller, ‘Three,’ which was showcased at the Red Sea Film Festival.”

The film was the first Arabic movie to be AI-dubbed into Mandarin Chinese and other complex languages, preserving nuances, context, and emotion while staying true to the director’s original vision.

Today, CAMB.AI excels at delivering culturally and contextually sensitive adaptations of original performances — while maintaining realism — in over 150 languages.

“No technology on the market offers such diversity, realism, and public proof points of what AI can enable in hyper-realistic translation. We’re proud to extend this work to every Arabic dialect — something no other technology has been able to do,” Prakash said.

As global demand for non-English content continues to rise, IMAX is turning to AI to localize its original films and documentaries more efficiently.

In partnership with CAMB.AI, it has delivered content in multiple languages, demonstrating the power of technology to translate complex, dramatic material.

“CAMB.AI has consistently pushed the boundaries of what’s possible — creating AI that delivers real value in the form of revenue and cost efficiencies to global content owners and distributors,” said Prakash.

“We’ve learned that deploying AI requires a hand-in-hand partnership. It takes not only great technology but also great partners who are willing to explore the uncharted. MBC is exactly that kind of partner for us in MENA, establishing what is probably the biggest MediaXAI deal since Runway x Lionsgate.”

Prakash explained that partnering with MBC Group was a natural decision due to its vast scale, diverse content library, and strong regional presence. More significantly, the collaboration was rooted in a shared set of values.

This partnership goes beyond the Runway x Lionsgate deal and sets a new benchmark for how media and AI can collaborate.

MBC Group and CAMB.AI have also taken the lead in regional innovation. With projects like Stargate and HUMAIN, the Middle East and North Africa region is quickly becoming a global hub for powerful, homegrown AI.

Prakash emphasized that CAMB.AI has remained extremely conscious of privacy, data protection and respect for individual attributes.

“While regulatory frameworks are still developing, we have been self-regulating to respect individual rights and content ownership. We drive our business ethically,” he said.

“Our foundation is simple: Not everyone can be a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere.”

With one of the most comprehensive Arabic content libraries in the world, MBC Group is uniquely positioned to support more advanced and accurate AI outcomes in this space

Fadel Zahreddine, director for emerging technology at MBC. (Supplied)

The emerging technology team at MBC, led by Fadel Zahreddine, is at the forefront of innovation, aligning perfectly with CAMB.AI’s mission.

“Our content spans the full spectrum of Arab identity, from Gulf dialects to Levantine, North African, and everything in between, capturing not just language, but also tone, emotion and social nuance,” Zahreddine told Arab News.

“Through this collaboration with CAMB.AI, we see an opportunity to contribute data that is not only linguistically rich but also responsibly curated. Our multimodal archive, covering video, audio and text, offers a strong foundation for advanced AI applications that are more contextually aware and locally grounded.”

As one of the region’s largest content producers, MBC Group constantly explores new ways to strengthen connections between programming and global audiences.

“This includes expanding how our content is distributed across platforms like Shahid, satellite TV and digital services,” said Zahreddine. “Enhancing localization is one layer of the broader effort to remove friction between content and audiences.”

DID YOU KNOW?

AI voice tech preserves tone, emotion and nuance, transforming how Arabic content is localized across 150+ languages.

CAMB.AI powers live sports translation for global events like MLS, Eurovision and the Australian Open — in real time.

AI-dubbed Arabic thriller ‘Three’ debuted in Mandarin, highlighting CAMB. AI’s ability to localize content without losing cultural depth.

This collaboration between MBC Group and CAMB.AI reflects a broader effort to explore how Arabic content can connect more meaningfully with non-native-speaking audiences.

By moving beyond literal translation and toward context-sensitive localization, the partnership supports a more accurate and respectful representation of original creative work

For Arabic creators and producers, this opens up the possibility of reaching wider audiences while maintaining the cultural authenticity that defines their storytelling.

It is not about changing the content but about removing barriers that might limit how it is experienced in other cultural contexts.

MBC Group approaches innovation through the same lens that has shaped its editorial philosophy for decades — grounded in cultural integrity, social responsibility, and a strong commitment to its audiences.

“We believe that technology and ethics are not separate conversations but (are) deeply connected — especially when building tools that shape how content is consumed and understood,” said Zahreddine.

“We have around 65 nationalities working at MBC. Our multicultural environment is reflected in the cultural sensitivity of our content production.

“Our extensive media library is developed (with) high ethical standards, avoiding obscene content, excessive violence or any form of hate speech. This discipline not only protects the integrity of our content but also makes it a reliable data foundation for engaging with AI and emerging technologies.”

By sharing responsibly curated material, MBC Group contributes to the development of AI models that better reflect the ethical values embedded in its programming and are aligned with audience expectations.

Zahreddine added: “While AI continues to evolve rapidly, we believe it’s essential that any advancement remains anchored in principles that respect culture, identity and shared community standards.”
 


Jazan car dealerships undergo official inspections

Updated 26 June 2025
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Jazan car dealerships undergo official inspections

JAZAN: Inspection teams from the Saudi Ministry of Commerce have visited more than 130 car dealerships and showrooms in Jazan this week.

The inspections are part of the ministry’s ongoing monitoring activities throughout the region to ensure all vehicles in such outlets comply with requirements to display a fuel economy label.

Labels display clear information about a vehicle’s fuel consumption in a bid to encourage consumers to choose more efficient vehicles, with an overall aim of promoting fuel conservation.

The fuel economy label was developed and implemented as part of the Saudi Energy Efficiency Program’s initiatives to provide consumers with information about the most energy-efficient vehicles.


Saudi efforts to boost innovation pay off

Updated 26 June 2025
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Saudi efforts to boost innovation pay off

  • Official figures show that 8,029 patent applications were submitted in the country in 2024, an increase of 13.3 percent on the previous year

RIYADH: Support provided by Saudi authorities for scientific research, innovation and university teaching have been credited for recent achievements by innovators in the Kingdom.

Official figures show that 8,029 patent applications were submitted in the country in 2024, an increase of 13.3 percent on the previous year. In addition, 31,834 trademarks and 1,578 industrial designs were registered, and 4,355 patents were published.

Investment in research and development in Saudi Arabia increased to SR22.6 billion ($6 billion) in 2023, a 17.4 percent increase compared with 2022.

Recent examples of Saudi innovators honored with awards for research and innovation at international events included ophthalmologist Dr. Saad Al-Anzi, who won the grand prize at the Geneva International Exhibition in April this year for inventing a cost-effective surgical tool for cataract operations, while six other Saudi innovators received global awards at the event and 134 received global medals.

And 39 students from King Abdulaziz University received a global award at the IENA Expo for ideas, inventions and new products in Germany last October.


Saudi Arabia provides $30m in support for Palestinian Authority

Updated 26 June 2025
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Saudi Arabia provides $30m in support for Palestinian Authority

  • Financial aid from the Kingdom has been instrumental in sustaining the health and education sectors in Palestine, finance minister says
  • The total value of support provided by Saudi authorities for the Palestinian people over the years exceeds $5.3bn

LONDON: Saudi Arabia has delivered $30 million to the Palestinian Authority to help alleviate the severe financial crisis it faces, which is blamed on Israeli policies designed to weaken it.

The assistance was presented in Amman on Thursday to the Palestinian minister of finance, Omar Al-Bitar, by Mohammed Mounis, the acting chargé d’affaires at the Saudi Embassy in Jordan.

Al-Bitar commended the Kingdom for the ongoing financial and political support it provides for Palestinians and their rights to independence and statehood. He thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their leadership, and acknowledged the political, economic and humanitarian support they provide for his country.

The minister added that the money given by Saudi Arabia is a significant contribution that is helping the Palestinian Authority cope with a financial crisis that is exacerbated by the policies of a far-right Israeli government.

The financial support has been instrumental to the Palestinian Authority’s efforts to maintain the health and education sectors, the Palestine News Agency reported. It has helped meet the costs of running hospitals, purchasing medicines and medical equipment, keeping schools open, and paying the salaries of medical staff, teachers and administrative workers.

Over the years, support provided by the Kingdom for the Palestinian people has exceeded $5.3 billion for a total of 289 projects, according to figures from Saudi aid agency KSrelief.

Mounis said his country remains committed to support for the Palestinian government, to help it fulfill its financial obligations and assist its people during this time of economic and humanitarian hardship, the Saudi Press Agency reported. He reaffirmed the Kingdom’s steadfast support for upholding the rights of the Palestinian people.


Saudi Ministry of Health launches nationwide campaign to tackle obesity

Updated 26 June 2025
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Saudi Ministry of Health launches nationwide campaign to tackle obesity

  • Campaign aims to target 1 million beneficiaries, bringing together several governmental, private, and non-profit entities
  • GM of Lilly in Saudi Arabia Mustafa Abdul Rahman: The company supports the ‘A Nation Without Obesity’ campaign

RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Health launched on Thursday its “A Nation Without Obesity” campaign in Riyadh, an initiative aimed at raising awareness and combating obesity across the Kingdom.

In its initial phase, the campaign aims to target 1 million beneficiaries, bringing together several governmental, private, and non-profit entities.

“A Nation Without Obesity” was launched in response to multiple calls from Shura Council members and aligns with the Kingdom’s health transformation efforts, which have recorded notable progress toward the targets set out in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

Mustafa Abdul Rahman, general manager of Lilly in Saudi Arabia, emphasized that obesity is not a personal choice or a lifestyle issue, but a chronic disease that demands long-term management grounded in science, innovation, treatment, and prevention.

He highlighted the urgent need to shift societal perceptions and eliminate the stigma surrounding obesity, which often discourages individuals from seeking the help and treatment they need.

“The company supports the ‘A Nation Without Obesity’ campaign, which aims to raise awareness, remove psychological and social barriers, and empower individuals to access the support and treatment they need,” Abdul Rahman added.

Real transformation, he noted, starts with formal policies that back sustainable solutions and with strong partnerships between the public and private sectors.

Obesity impacts not only physical health, but also leads to a decline in mental well-being and social stability, often intensifying social isolation and reducing overall quality of life. Eliminating the stigma surrounding individuals living with obesity is therefore essential, Abdul Rahman explained.

The economic toll of obesity is equally pressing, with escalating healthcare costs linked to associated diseases and a notable decline in productivity driven by its complications — factors that cannot be ignored. For this reason, Lilly places economic impact at the core of its comprehensive strategy to combat obesity, Abdul Rahman said.

Mohammed Alghasham, CEO of Qalb Health Association, praised the campaign’s remarkable spirit of collaboration, emphasizing the strategic partnership with the Quality of Life Program and the engagement of Kayl Association for Combating Obesity as key contributors to a unified awareness effort.

“The association is committed to driving forward innovative social, awareness, and pharmaceutical initiatives while continuing to conduct studies and research aimed at enhancing existing solutions to the complex challenge of obesity, and supporting healthcare providers with insights that strengthen decision-making,” Alghasham said.