NEW DELHI: Saudi Arabia on Sunday shipped 60 tons of oxygen to India, a month after it sent 80 tons to help the South Asian nation deal with a deadly second wave of coronavirus.
The outbreak has claimed the lives of more than 300,000 people so far, primarily due to an oxygen shortage and a lack of hospital beds.
On Sunday, India registered more than 165,000 new COVID-19 cases and nearly 3,500 deaths.
Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to India, Dr. Saud Mohammed Al-Sati, called the oxygen shipment an expression of “solidarity with a close friend.”
“The shipment of liquid oxygen will depart from Dammam on Sunday and is expected to arrive in Mumbai on June 6,” he told Arab News. “Many other such shipments will be sent in the coming days and weeks. The Kingdom stands in solidarity with our close friend India in this difficult time. The recently announced shipment of 3 ISO tanks filled with 60 tons of liquid oxygen comes as a good gesture toward our friends in India to support their efforts to respond to the challenges posed by the pandemic of COVID-19.
“Health cooperation is one of the most important aspects of our strategic partnership and will continue as an important area of focus. Since the early days of the pandemic, our health cooperation has been growing.
“Thousands of Indian medical practitioners work in Saudi Arabia’s hospitals and medical institutions. Throughout the phases of the pandemic, we have maintained uninterrupted supply chains of goods, pharmaceutical, and medically related products.”
The Sunday figures are a sharp drop from the numbers reported in April and earlier this month, when the daily infection tally stood at 400,000 and more than 4,000 people were dying every day.
According to official data, India has registered 318,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
But media reports and independent observers claim the real figure is several times higher, with the second wave claiming lives in major cities and also in rural areas.
“Deeply appreciate the gesture of HRH Prince Abdulaziz, Minister of Energy, KSA for the offer to send 3 ISO Containers with 60 tons of LMO (Liquid Medical Oxygen), which are expected to arrive in Mumbai on 6 June 2021,” Indian Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan tweeted on Saturday.
Pradhan said that 100 more oxygen containers were expected to arrive in the next few months.
“The gesture of Saudi Arabia is reflective of the close friendship and warmth between the leadership of Saudi Arabia and Hon’ble PM (Modi),” he added.
India contacted OPEC when it was in desperate need of oxygen and held talks with countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait to source the life-saving item.
Earlier this month, Pradhan held talks with Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the UAE Minister of Industry Sultan Al-Jaber, and Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi for oxygen supplies.
“The three containers and additional containers that will come in the weeks ahead will remain with the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for 6 months as a goodwill gesture from the Saudi Government, and IOCL will source LMO from Linde Dammam on commercial terms for import into the country,” Pradhan said.
Bilateral ties were strengthened during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to New Delhi in Feb. 2019.
The two countries signed investment deals worth $100 billion across the energy, petrochemical, infrastructure, agriculture and manufacturing sectors, and a proposed Strategic Partnership Council came to fruition in Oct. 2019.
As the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, the Serum Institute of India has so far supplied Saudi Arabia with 3 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
The COVID-19 crisis has brought a new depth to the relationship between the two countries, according to former Indian ambassador Zikrur Rahman.
“Saudi Arabia and India not only share a strategic partnership in oil and investment, the partnership spreads in many fields,” Rahman told Arab News. “The crisis is the test of the relationship, and it shows how far it has deepened. Within this framework, the Saudis have come forward when India needs the necessary items like oxygen. Saudi has demonstrated its real concerns for India.”
Saudi Arabia sends more oxygen to India to alleviate country’s COVID-19 crisis
https://arab.news/z3ht5
Saudi Arabia sends more oxygen to India to alleviate country’s COVID-19 crisis
- Help is expression of “solidarity with close friend,” says Saudi ambassador
- “Health cooperation is one of the most important aspects of our strategic partnership” he added
King Abdulaziz University hosts National Development Fund’s governor at panel discussion
- Stephen Groff looks at achieving aims of Saudi Vision 2030
RIYADH: King Abdulaziz University hosted Stephen Groff, the National Development Fund’s governor, in a panel discussion at the Academic Dialogue Table organized by the Faculty of Economics and Administration.
Groff discussed the role of the NDF and the broader development ecosystem in achieving Saudi Vision 2030, in an event also attended by Dr. Tareef Al-Aama, the university’s president.
Groff said that the fund aimed to enhance developmental impact and improve productivity, highlighting the key strategic priorities and ongoing initiatives being provided to entities under the fund’s umbrella, such as economic diversification and growth stimulation.
He added that the NDF contributed to creating sustainable job opportunities as well as supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurship.
FASTFACT
Groff stressed that one of the fund’s core missions was to develop infrastructure by financing large-scale project.
Groff stressed that one of the fund’s core missions was to develop infrastructure by financing large-scale projects in sectors such as transportation, housing, and public utilities through its affiliated entities, including the recently established National Infrastructure Fund.
He explained that the primary mission of the fund, as a development finance institution, was to empower development funds and banks to achieve their sector-specific objectives, beneficiary goals, and activity targets, while focusing on specific areas and ensuring the financial sustainability of development finance entities in the future.
He concluded by stressing the critical role of the fund in reviewing and evaluating the impact of every program, project, or initiative aimed at addressing developmental needs, economic priorities, challenges, and available opportunities.
GCC secretary general meets Lebanese president
- Albudaiwi wished the president success in his efforts to uplift the Lebanese people and fulfill their aspirations
BEIRUT: Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Albudaiwi met with President of Lebanon Joseph Aoun at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Beirut on Friday.
Albudaiwi wished the president success in his efforts to uplift the Lebanese people and fulfill their aspirations, the General Secretariat wrote in a report.
He added that the meeting reaffirmed the GCC’s unwavering support for Lebanon, stressing its commitment to bolstering Lebanon’s security and stability and contributing to the sustainable development and prosperity of the Lebanese people.
‘Nusuk’ celebrates big win at 2024 World Summit Awards
- Launched in 2003 and with more than 186 countries participating, the prestigious WSAs are held biennially and recognize impactful digital initiatives
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is the sole Saudi participant to win a 2024 World Summit Award in the Culture and Heritage category, thanks to its “Nusuk” platform.
The project competed against over 900 technical submissions from 160 countries.
Launched in 2003 and with more than 186 countries participating, the prestigious WSAs are held biennially and recognize impactful digital initiatives. They seek to bridge the global digital divide by honoring smart applications and creative online content. The WSAs are a key UN initiative, supported by the International Telecommunication Union.
The award reflects the Kingdom’s pioneering strategy in developing innovative technological solutions aimed at enhancing pilgrims’ experiences and highlighting cultural and heritage values.
FASTFACT
‘Nusuk’ is a suite of innovative technological solutions which facilitate the performance of pilgrimage rituals, address challenges and enhance operational efficiency.
It underlines the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah’s efforts to drive comprehensive digital transformation, in alignment with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
“Nusuk” is a suite of innovative technological solutions which facilitate the performance of pilgrimage rituals, address challenges and enhance operational efficiency.
It has already advanced significantly with the development of pioneering systems such as the Nusuk Card, Nusuk Masar and crowd management systems.
It also focuses on highlighting the Prophet’s biography and cultural landmarks in Makkah and Madinah, featuring more than 150 museums, monuments, restaurants, cafes and tourist destinations, among other notable sites that enrich the user’s experience.
Over 400 licensed guides are affiliated with the platform, offering customized excursions throughout the Kingdom to pilgrims.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has said it is very proud of its achievement and reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to developing technological solutions that ensured the sustainability of the Hajj and Umrah sectors, facilitating easy access to smart services and ensuring a smooth and tranquil performance of the rituals.
Iftar portal opens in Grand Mosque
- The service allows individuals to select one meal site and charitable organizations to apply for up to 10
MAKKAH: A dedicated portal to receive applications to provide iftar meal services inside the Grand Mosque during Ramadan has been launched by The General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque.
The service allows individuals to select one meal site and charitable organizations to apply for up to 10. It also requires the contracting of an authority-approved catering company and adherence to specified terms and conditions.
The authority has emphasized the need to provide low-calorie meals for individuals with chronic diseases and diabetes, making up 20 percent of individual meals and 30 percent of meals provided by charitable organizations.
Applications can be submitted through the authority’s website by visiting https://iam.alharamain.gov.sa/sso and selecting “iftar meal reservation system.”
Ramadan is expected to begin on the evening of either Feb.28 or March 1, depending on moon sighting in Saudi Arabia.
10 Saudi ministries, entities exhibiting at Cairo book fair
- Universities, libraries and several publishing bodies also represented
- Delegation led by Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission
RIYADH: Ten Saudi Arabia government ministries, universities and other bodies are participating in the 56th Cairo International Book Fair 2025 to promote the nation’s culture and forge ties with Egypt and other countries.
Organized by the General Egyptian Book Organization, the exhibition that began on Thursday will conclude on Feb. 5.
The participants include the lead Kingdom exhibitor, the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, and the Saudi cultural attache in Egypt are also represented.
The other participants include the King Abdulaziz Public Library, King Fahd National Library, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Prince Sattam University, University of Tabuk, University of Hafr Al-Batin, and the Publishing Association.
The opening ceremony was attended by Dr. Issam bin Saad bin Saeed, state minister and cabinet member for Shoura Council affairs, accompanied by Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Egypt, Saleh bin Eid Al-Hosseini, and other officials.
During the event, Bin Saeed toured the booths of the nation’s participating entities to review their contributions, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The participation of the commission aligns with the country's ongoing efforts to boost the Kingdom’s publishing houses and literary agencies.
