ROME: The UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) have joined forces to deliver sustainable access to nutritious food in the world’s most impoverished countries amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, adviser at the Saudi Royal Court and supervisor general at KSrelief, and Gilbert F. Houngbo, president of IFAD, signed a joint cooperation agreement at the UN agency’s headquarters in Rome in order to respond with concrete action to escalating hunger and malnutrition around the world that has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both organizations share a mission to alleviate poverty and hunger. As part of the agreement, they will draw on their respective expertise and reach, and share knowledge to jointly address malnutrition and hunger. This includes collaborating on the strategy, design and implementation of projects in impoverished countries, including Somalia, Syria and Yemen.
“This agreement is a further step to expand the partnership between Saudi Arabia, represented by KSrelief, and IFAD, which aims to help many people in need and expand the humanitarian scope of Saudi Arabia globally,” said Al-Rabeeah.
“KSrelief is a leading humanitarian organization that has managed to build a wide network of partnerships aiming to alleviate the suffering of those in need. We look forward to building a solid partnership with IFAD, aiming to widen our scope of work.”
Houngbo said: “COVID-19 has amplified the hardships faced by the world’s most vulnerable people, many of whom are now experiencing an increase in hunger and poverty. It is vital for like-minded organizations to join forces to combat this.
“I welcome this opportunity to collaborate with KSrelief to ensure that people living in the most dire situations can sustainably grow, market and consume enough nutritious food.”
An international financial institution and UN agency, IFAD has provided more than $23 billion in grants and low interest loans to help vulnerable countries reduce poverty, hunger and malnutrition and increase rural peoples’ resilience to shocks.
In 2019, IFAD opened a liaison office with Gulf Cooperation Council countries in Riyadh in order to strengthen partnerships within the region.
KSrelief was founded in 2015 by King Salman to be the humanitarian arm of Saudi Arabia.
To date, it has spent $5.26 billion, supporting more than 1,600 projects in 68 countries, with a focus on women and children, food security and nutrition, health, education, shelter, water, sanitation, and humanitarian and emergency relief coordination.
Following the signing of the new partnership, senior IFAD officials told Arab News that Saudi Arabia has played “a major role” in the organization since 1977. “It has been a key supporter of the fund for the past 40 years,” one official said.
Arab Gulf countries financed about 20 percent of IFAD’s initial funding and the first and second replenishments and, as a result, have a strong voice in IFAD’s governance. The fund’s first three presidents were Arab nationals.
“Saudi Arabia’s support for IFAD is critical to combating poverty and strengthening development in developing countries,” the official added.
KSrelief, UN agency join forces in nutrition drive across developing world
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KSrelief, UN agency join forces in nutrition drive across developing world
- The organizations will draw on their respective expertise and share knowledge to address malnutrition and hunger
- Al-Rabeeah: “This agreement is a further step to expand the partnership between Saudi Arabia, represented by KSrelief, and IFAD”
Saudi program empowers youth as global ambassadors
- New graduates set to advance Saudi Arabia’s global diplomacy, Vision 2030
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Youth Leaders Program welcomed its latest group of graduates on Monday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The new graduates are the seventh group to complete the initiative, run by the Salam Project for Cultural Communication under the patronage of Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji attended the event, expressing gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their continued support of Saudi citizens.
He emphasized the Kingdom’s commitment to equipping youth with the skills needed to effectively represent the nation internationally.
Elkhereiji noted that the program aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 by empowering young people to become influential global ambassadors.
Launched in 2018, the program has seen 432 young men and women graduate across seven cohorts, the SPA reported.
Notably, 240 graduates have participated in over 120 international conferences both within and outside the Kingdom, leveraging the program’s comprehensive curriculum, which covers key areas such as Saudi Vision 2030, intercultural communication, global issues, international representation, media engagement, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and international diplomacy.
Mohammed Al-Sayed, executive director of the project, said it aims to support efforts to build bridges of cultural communication with diverse peoples and cultures.
Japan hopes to attract more Saudi travelers through exhibitions in Kingdom
DUBAI: As Japan and Saudi Arabia approach their 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the Japan National Tourism Office is planning more exhibitions to attract Saudi travelers, the organization’s Dubai executive director Daisuke Kobayashi said.
Kobayashi told Arab News Japan that JNTO hopes to maintain “strong partnerships” with local travel agencies and related organizations.
“Through these collaborations, we aim to deliver more comprehensive and engaging information to Saudi travelers, encouraging them to discover the unique experiences Japan has to offer,” he said.
There are as yet no plans to open a JNTO office in Saudi Arabia, Kobayashi said. However, he confirmed that the organization will continue its promotional activities in the Kingdom to meet the growing interest in Japan from Saudi travelers.
In December 2024, JNTO held its first event in Riyadh, titled “Feel Your Four Seasons.”
The exhibition provided visitors with an introduction to Japan’s diverse seasonal attractions, including luxury travel experiences.
Kobayashi told Arab News Japan that since the event, JNTO had observed a “significant increase in Saudi travelers’ interest in visiting Japan.”
“During the event, we noted a strong desire among attendees to travel to Japan, particularly in the spring to experience cherry blossoms,” he said. “We also noticed growing curiosity about Japan’s summer and winter offerings. Visitors showed interest in natural landscapes, summer festivals, and winter activities such as enjoying snow-covered scenery.”
Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai in April is also a big tourist attraction for Saudi and GCC travelers.
According to Kobayashi, travelers from the region are usually most interested in traditional Japanese accommodations such as ryokan (Japanese-style inns), which often include onsen (hot spring) experiences and authentic Japanese cuisine.
Anime and manga’s popularity in the Middle East is also a key reason why Arab travelers choose Japan for a vacation.
From a cultural aspect, Kobayashi said that Japanese and Arab cultures share similar values, which can help to put Saudi travelers at ease.
“The cultural parallels create a sense of familiarity and comfort for travelers from Saudi Arabia and the broader GCC region when visiting Japan,” he said. “Whether it’s exploring Japan’s traditional tea ceremonies, staying in ryokan, or simply interacting with the warm and respectful Japanese hospitality, these experiences resonate deeply with visitors from Saudi Arabia.”
According to Kobayashi, in the first half of 2024, there was a 72.2 percent increase in visitors from Saudi Arabia to Japan, compared with the same period in 2023.
Saudi FM meets US envoy to discuss developments in Lebanon
- Explored collaborative efforts to address challenges facing Lebanese people and in broader region
RIYADH: Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with Amos Hochstein, the US Special Envoy to Lebanon, on Sunday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Riyadh.
The meeting focused on regional issues, with particular attention given to the situation in Lebanon, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Both sides exchanged views on recent developments and explored collaborative efforts to address the challenges facing the Lebanese people and the broader region, SPA added.
Also in attendance was Prince Yazid bin Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Farhan, advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Lebanese Affairs, who contributed to the discussions.
Saudi leadership offers condolences after death of Jordan’s Princess Majda
- Princess Majda passed away in Amman on Jan. 3, the Royal Hashemite Court said
- Swedish-born princess was born Margaretha Inga Elisabeth Lind and became known as Princess Majda after her marriage.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent cables of condolences to the king of Jordan after the passing of Princess Majda Raad, Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
Jordan’s King Abdullah attended the funeral of Princess Majda, the wife of Prince Raad bin Zeid, at the Royal Cemetery on Friday, The Jordan Times reported.
Princess Majda passed away in Amman on Jan. 3, the Royal Hashemite Court said. The Swedish-born princess was born Margaretha Inga Elisabeth Lind and became known as Princess Majda after her marriage.
New community initiative brings Saudi artisans together for ‘Year of Handicrafts’
- Workshops held for aspiring artisans and crafters
- Events will be held throughout the year
RIYADH: The Royal Institute for Traditional Arts launched a new community initiative on Saturday with a packed day of workshops and discussions with inspiring figures in the handicrafts field.
As 2025 kicks off with the Ministry of Culture labeling it the “Year of Handicrafts,” TRITA aims to bring a sense of camaraderie to artisans and aspiring crafters with its “Wrth Community,” which will host several events through the year.
Nermeen Al-Naimi, an artisan at TRITA, told Arab News: “Today, the community of Wrth started, so that’s very good for artisans because we are looking for somewhere we can belong.
“Wrth is the place we belong now with this community, it’s more like a second house for us because we exchange experiences, we exchange techniques and tools and stuff like that. It’s a growing kind of family, so we’re happy that they made this step today, and we’re grateful.”
(AN photos by Abdulrhman Bin Shalhoub)
The six-hour event brought artisans at various levels and from various crafts together for a day of engagement through workshops on traditional crafting with wood, metals, clay, and stones.
Silversmiths Ayat Dhahi and Revan Abdulsabour shared their expertise on sculpting and formation, from design to implementation, while others, such as sculptor Helwa Al-Atawi, shared success stories of turning a passion into a career.
Jewelry designer Rughad Al-Hogail weighed in with her entrepreneurial experience of taking local crafts to international markets.
Al-Naimi is an instructor for jewelry manufacture and design, but came to the inaugural Wrth event as a student, signing up for a wood-carving workshop that allows participants to identify the types of traditional engravings in the Najd region, and producing a wooden coaster using the technique with a copper inlay.
“I decided to go back to wood because I did clay before, and I did metals before, so I wanted to incorporate wood in my designs …
“It has metal in it, so, the experience was amazing because I use metal combined with wood, combined with a little bit of this technique.”
Other workshops explored traditional engraving methods, their use in the manufacture of innovative products, and employing traditional engravings in contemporary art.
Al-Naimi works as a personal branding consultant, and part of her job is to help individuals realize their hopes and connect with ways to energize themselves.
“One of the things that makes me happy is working with my hands. So working with metal, with wood, it’s all a stress relief. Plus you make something beautiful.”
Al-Naimi joined TRITA about two years ago, working with metals, but quickly found that it was more than just a space to create.
“Here at the Royal Institute, it’s support all the way — for the trainers, for the products; they have an online store now,” she said. Here students’ creations are up for sale at the physical location and online, creating profitable opportunities for aspiring and established artisans.
Wrth Community aims to lead the revival and development handicrafts, linking them to modern design and technology, enhancing the participation of institutions and the local community to highlight the importance of traditional arts in defining cultural identity, while also equipping people with ways to create traditional arts in today’s market.
Wrth Community provides opportunities for artisans to meet, exchange knowledge and enhance personal and professional skills with a focus on education, crafts, entrepreneurship, and dialogue sessions. By creating a supportive environment, TRITA hopes to stimulate talent and creative individuals to learn and practice traditional arts and crafts.
TRITA is a pioneering organization that highlights the national identity and enriches Saudi traditional arts locally and globally, promoting them and recognizing pioneers in the fields of traditional arts. This contributes to the preservation of traditional arts by supporting national capabilities and talents while encouraging those interested in learning, mastering and developing them.
