Steps to protect children, empower women in cyberworld announced in Riyadh

Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Sawaha speaking at Global Cybersecurity Forum. (SPA)
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Updated 05 February 2020
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Steps to protect children, empower women in cyberworld announced in Riyadh

  • Forum provides opportunities to exchange experiences and mix ideas, says Riyadh governor

RIYADH: Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar, on behalf of King Salman, inaugurated the two-day Global Cybersecurity Forum on Tuesday, which brings together the world’s top cyber experts to strengthen the links between the region’s cybersecurity infrastructure and the global cybersecurity ecosystem.
Organized by the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA), the forum is hosting global policymakers, businesses, investment firms and international organization representatives to discuss how the world’s collective cybersecurity should be maintained.
Thanking the king for patronizing the forum, the governor, in his opening address, affirmed that Saudi Arabia was witnessing major modernization in accordance with Saudi Vision 2030.
He announced two initiatives to serve global cyber security, launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman: The first on the protection children in cyberspace, and the second for the empowerment of women in cybersecurity.
“The forum provides opportunities to exchange experiences and mix ideas, and discuss best international practices, and the most important developments,” Prince Faisal said.
He also expressed his confidence that the forum would enhance confidence and joint responsibility among countries participating through sharing of experience and cybersecurity strategies.
Speaking at the opening session, Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Sawaha praised the announcement of the two global initiatives saying: “The first initiative is … related to securing a safe cyberworld for our children, where we can reach a minimum level of bullying and aggression to protect this space. We should also focus on women, and we are launching a women’s initiative in the world of cybersecurity.
“On the basis of these two initiatives, we are fully confident that we can succeed and realize the opportunities of the 21st century by empowering people, protecting the physical and digital world, and achieving new success.
“It is expected during the next five years that the digital economy will represent a quarter of the global economy,” he added, stressing the need to seize this opportunity by facing the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution.


He pointed out that the World Economic Forum’s latest Global Risks Report indicated that cybersecurity faced the greatest challenges, threatening an industry with an economic value of more than $6 trillion, equivalent to the economy of more than a third of the G20 countries.
NCA Gov. Khalid Al-Sabti made a presentation on the Kingdom’s cyber journey and the way forward. The NCA’s Chairman Musaad Al-Aiban said: “We are excited to host this forum and act as a catalyst for cybersecurity cooperation and innovation. The constantly evolving threat landscape requires intensified global cooperation on cybersecurity and the Global Cybersecurity Forum is encouraging global leaders to take meaningful actions to better protect the world’s economies and make cyberspace safer for all.”
The forum, which is convening more than 1,200 participants from 58 countries, is being attended by some of the world’s leading cybersecurity companies, including Microsoft, IBM and FireEye, and is anticipated to generate significant investments in the cybersecurity industry, accelerating the development of Saudi Arabia’s rapidly growing cyber sector and supporting the growth of the global cyber industry.

HIGHLIGHTS

• More than 1,200 participants from 58 countries are attending the forum.

• The National Cybersecurity Authority signed memorandums of understanding with leading IT firms.

• The two-day event will cover several issues related to cyberspace.

The forum will help bolster global cooperation between regional and global cybersecurity players. Five major memorandums of understanding (MoU) will be signed by the NCA on the sidelines of the forum to provide better cybersecurity training to young people, and collaborate with international organizations on cybersecurity strategies.
The MoU between the NCA and the Global Resilience Federation will seek to enhance cybersecurity protections for critical national infrastructure through improved information sharing and threat mitigation strategies.
The MoU with Underwriters Lab is a strategic partnership that will enable the Kingdom to further enhance its national capabilities in cyberthreat mitigation, whereas the MoUs signed with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, the Saudi Human Resources Development Fund and Neom will enable Saudi students to acquire a deep knowledge and understanding of cybersecurity matters, increasing the pipeline of qualified cybersecurity professionals.
Over the two days, participants will discuss how the issues under the forum’s five themes (cybersecurity industry, international cyber collaboration, cyberculture, cyber disruption, and cyberthreats and resilience) should be understood and what responses need to be developed to strengthen the integrity of the world’s cyber defenses.


Officials detained as investigators smash drug-smuggling operation at Al-Jouf Airport

Updated 4 sec ago
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Officials detained as investigators smash drug-smuggling operation at Al-Jouf Airport

  • 9 people arrested, including Ministry of Interior employee, 4 people associated with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, and a Saudi Electricity Company worker

RIYADH: A drug smuggling operation at Al-Jouf International Airport in Saudi Arabia, in which several government and other public-sector officials allegedly were involved, has been shut down following an extensive investigation.

An official source at the Ministry of Interior said on Thursday that nine people were detained, including a ministry employee, four people associated with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, and one from the Saudi Electricity Company.

Their alleged roles in the smuggling network included helping to get the drugs into the Kingdom, ensuring shipments bypassed inspections, transporting them, and concealing them in homes and at other locations.

They also engaged in the promotion and distribution of the narcotics in the country, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The amount and type of drugs involved was not immediately apparent.

The Ministry of Interior said it remains committed to confronting all threats to national security and will take stringent action against anyone who jeopardizes the safety and stability of the country.


OIC discusses draft humanitarian funds statute

Updated 14 November 2024
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OIC discusses draft humanitarian funds statute

  • It discussed the draft humanitarian funds statute
  • Taha added that it was important to make every effort to finalize the statute of these funds

JEDDAH: The general secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held a meeting of the open-ended Group of Governmental Experts in Jeddah on Thursday.
It discussed the draft humanitarian funds statute, in accordance with the Council of Foreign Ministers.
OIC Secretary-General Hussein Ibrahim Taha said that the meeting was held amid difficult and harsh humanitarian circumstances that required concerted efforts and collective action to adopt actions to help contain humanitarian crises and hardships.
In his speech, Taha added that it was important to make every effort to finalize the statute of these funds, undertake the necessary reforms to their working mechanism and support them with the financial resources to enable them to fulfil their role.
The statement delivered by assistant secretary-general for humanitarian, cultural and social affairs, ambassador Tariq Ali Bakhit, on behalf of OIC’s secretary-general, highlighted the significant challenges faced by member states in the humanitarian field.


KSrelief distributes shelter supplies in Afghanistan

Updated 14 November 2024
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KSrelief distributes shelter supplies in Afghanistan

  • KSrelief will distribute 4,882 shelter items, such as tents, blankets, plastic mattresses and other supplies

KABUL: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has launched a shelter project for people returning from Pakistan to Afghanistan and victims of the 2024 floods.

It will distribute 4,882 shelter items, such as tents, blankets, plastic mattresses and other supplies across the provinces of Kabul, Ghazni, Bamyan, Badakhshan, Kunduz, Baghlan, Parwan, Kapisa, Panjshir, Herat, Nimroz, Nangarhar and Laghman. The project will help 29,292 people.

The scheme is part of the Kingdom’s humanitarian and relief efforts, through its humanitarian arm, KSrelief, to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan people.


KSrelief wins Global Humanitarian Achievement Award

Delano Roosevelt, CEO of National Council on US-Arab Relations, presents the award to the supervisor general of KSrelief.
Updated 14 November 2024
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KSrelief wins Global Humanitarian Achievement Award

  • Delano Roosevelt, the council’s second president and CEO, presented the award to the supervisor general of KSrelief, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, in Washington
  • Dr. Al-Rabeeah said the award is an international acknowledgement of Saudi Arabia’s leading role in relief efforts

WASHINGTON: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief was honored with the Global Humanitarian Achievement Award by the National Council on US-Arab Relations, in recognition of relief efforts that have made a substantial impact in crisis regions around the world.

Delano Roosevelt, the council’s second president and CEO, presented the award to the supervisor general of KSrelief, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, in Washington, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Dr. Al-Rabeeah said the award is an international acknowledgement of Saudi Arabia’s leading role in relief efforts.

He underlined the Kingdom’s commitment to assisting people in need, supporting those affected by crises, and assisting refugees wherever possible.

He also affirmed that Saudi Arabia has consistently been a leader in charitable and humanitarian initiatives and is at the forefront of donor countries on regional and international fronts.


4th Saudi Green Initiative Forum hosted in COP16 Green Zone in Riyadh next month

Updated 14 November 2024
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4th Saudi Green Initiative Forum hosted in COP16 Green Zone in Riyadh next month

RIYADH: The Saudi Green Initiative announced on Thursday that the SGI Forum 2024 will take place on Dec. 3-4 under the theme “Action is in our nature.” 

The flagship climate and environment action event, now in its fourth year, will return to Riyadh for the first time since its launch in 2021 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, prime minister and chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Saudi Green Initiative.

The SGI Forum 2024 will coincide with the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties, or COP16, of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, or UNCCD. 

According to an SGI press release, the Riyadh COP16 (Dec. 2-13) will be the largest-ever UNCCD conference, the first to be held in the Middle East region, and the largest multilateral conference hosted by Saudi Arabia.

At this year’s SGI Forum, hundreds of policymakers, business leaders and subject-matter experts from across the world will convene in a dedicated SGI Pavilion in the UNCCD COP16 Green Zone. 

Dozens of tailored sessions will explore best practices, innovations and progress against SGI targets, with the goal of deepening collaboration and scaling up action for a greener future.

Since the launch of SGI, a significant positive impact has been achieved, with 4+ GW of renewable energy capacity installed, more than 95 million trees and shrubs planted, and more than 1,660 endangered animals re-wilded across the Kingdom.

For the duration of COP16, the SGI will welcome the public to a 4,000 sq m SGI Pavilion, where visitors can enjoy an interactive journey through Saudi Arabia’s whole-of-society climate and environment efforts in the SGI Gallery. 

A multimedia showcase and a broad range of experts will enable guests to learn more about the more than 80 initiatives already launched as part of SGI. 

Visitors can also attend and exchange ideas during daily SGI Talks, an expert-led speaker series that launched in 2023.

The SGI was launched by the crown prince in 2021 to drive climate action across all levels of society and achieve Saudi Arabia’s ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060. 

The initiative demonstrates the Kingdom’s dedication to improving the quality of life for current and future generations and addressing the region’s environmental challenges, including high temperatures, low rainfall, dust storms and desertification.

In 2022, the SGI Forum was held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in tandem with UNFCCC COP27. The event revealed major climate action projects, including the launch of a circular carbon economy knowledge hub, and the establishment of a regional center for advancing emissions reduction with UNESCWA.

In 2023, the third SGI Forum took place in conjunction with UNFCCC COP28 in Dubai.

During the event, the Kingdom unveiled a 300 percent increase in installed renewable energy capacity since 2022, and more than 43 million trees were planted toward the goal of 10 billion.