RIYADH: Saudi authorities said on Tuesday that they are closely monitoring current events in Afghanistan, and expressed their hopes that the situation in the country will stabilize as quickly as possible.
During the weekly cabinet meeting, chaired remotely by King Salman from NEOM, the Council of Ministers also affirmed its support for the Afghan people.
At the start of the session, the king briefed ministers on a letter he sent to Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. He also shared details of his phone call with Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune, during which he affirmed the Kingdom’s support for Algeria in its efforts to battle wildfires that have been raging in a number of regions, and his directive to send urgent humanitarian aid to help those affected by the disaster.
The cabinet reviewed a number of reports on regional and international developments. It reiterated the Kingdom’s firm stance in support of the Yemeni people and their legitimate government, and the continuing regional and international efforts to reach a comprehensive political solution to the crisis in Yemen that promotes security, stability and development, and stops the activities of the Houthi militia that are disrupting efforts to end the war.
Acting Minister of Information Majid Al-Qasabi said the Council of Ministers was briefed on preparations to begin receiving international Umrah requests and for the increase in capacity at the Two Holy Mosques to two million pilgrims a month, along with efforts to ensure the highest levels of care for pilgrims through an integrated system that uses the latest technology to safeguard their health, safety and comfort, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The cabinet also discussed regional and international developments in the pandemic and the latest statistics and indicators of the health situation in the Kingdom, including a lowering of the epidemiological curve, a decline in critical cases, and the growing demand for vaccinations. More than 32 million vaccine doses have been administered in the country to date.
The council authorized the foreign minister to discuss and sign a draft memorandum of understanding with Russia regarding political consultations between the two nations’ foreign ministries.
It also called on the Saudi Accreditation Center to discuss and sign an agreement with an accreditation body in the UK, and approved a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of fisheries between the Saudi government and the government of Mauritius.
The cabinet authorized the minister of industry and mineral resources and the chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Export-Import Bank to discuss with the British a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of export credit between their governments.
It also authorized the minister of economy and planning and the chairman of the board of directors of the General Authority for Statistics to discuss a draft agreement for cooperation between the authority and the UK Office for National Statistics.
The ministers called on the ministries of interior, justice, municipal and rural affairs and housing, and environment, water and agriculture to take the necessary action to protect streams, valleys and reefs, prohibit land sales and building, remove encroachments, and ensure all relevant regulations, decisions and instructions are implemented.
They approved the appointments of Dr. Fahd Al-Rabiah, Dr. Johan Carlson, and Dr. John Norman Newton as members of the Public Health Authority’s board of directors. They are specialists experienced in the authority’s responsibilities.
The cabinet also approved the formation of a Central Committee for Training and Scholarships of Civil Service Employees as part of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
Ministers reviewed a number of general topics on its agenda, including the annual reports of the Saudi Press Agency, the General Authority for State Real Estate, the National Development Fund and the Saudi Fund for Development.
Saudi cabinet pledges its support for Afghan people, calls for stability
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Saudi cabinet pledges its support for Afghan people, calls for stability
- During cabinet meeting, ministers were briefed on preparations to increase capacity at the Two Holy Mosques to two million pilgrims a month
- The king shared details of letter he sent to Kuwait’s emir, and a phone call with Algeria’s president in which he affirmed Kingdom’s support for efforts to battle wildfires in the country
Saudi tech diplomat meets Iraqi PM to discuss digital cooperation
- Deemah Al-Yahya, head of the multilateral Digital Cooperation Organization, commended Iraq’s investment in human capital as driver for growth and expansion of digital economy
- Iraq has been working in recent years to develop a strategy for digital transformation to help support the private and public sectors and grow the economy
RIYADH: Saudi senior tech diplomat Deemah AlYahya, the secretary-general of the multilateral Digital Cooperation Organization, held talks on Monday with Iraq’s prime minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, about support for Baghdad’s plans to develop its digital business and artificial intelligence sectors.
They discussed Iraq’s strategy for digital transformation, and the need to create and develop a workforce with the tech skills required to help grow the Iraqi economy effectively, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Though Iraq is not a member of the DCO, an international body that focuses on the digital economy, Al-Sudani said his country is keen to work with the organization to meet the nation’s needs for a skilled workforce in the business sector.
AlYahya commended Iraq for the progress it has already made in terms of investment in the human capital needed to develop the digital skills that are essential to drive growth in a digitized economy.
Iraq has been working in recent years to develop a strategy for digital transformation to help support the private and public sectors and grow the economy. Authorities this month organized the first Digital Space Iraq Forum, which focused on the use of advanced technologies, including AI, to help build a comprehensive digital economy.
The DCO says that since it was founded in November 2020, it has been at the forefront of efforts to curate policies and initiatives to support the digital economy in several countries. Currently, 16 nations are members, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh and Oman. It also has 39 observer partner organizations.
DCO member states have a collective gross domestic product of $3.5 trillion and serve a combined market of nearly 800 million people, more than 70 percent of whom are under the age of 35.
Saudi FM pushes for regional stability at G7-Arab foreign ministers meeting
- In his address, Prince Faisal highlighted the ongoing crises in Gaza and Lebanon
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan took part in an expanded session of the second meeting between G7 foreign ministers and their counterparts from Arab nations on Monday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The meeting was hosted in Italy under the theme “Together for the Stability of the Middle East.”
The session, which addressed pressing regional and international challenges, was held with the participation of Saudi, Jordanian, Emirati, Qatari and Egyptian officials, as well as the secretary-general of the Arab League.
In his address, Prince Faisal emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships to address these challenges effectively.
He highlighted the ongoing crises in Gaza and Lebanon, urging the international community to act immediately to secure a ceasefire, facilitate unrestricted humanitarian aid, and progress toward establishing an independent Palestinian state.
He also called for respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty, and renewed international efforts to resolve the crisis in Sudan and alleviate the resulting human suffering.
The meeting was also attended by Prince Faisal bin Sattam bin Abdul Aziz, Saudi ambassador to Italy, the SPA reported.
Scientists awarded for sustainable water innovation at Saudi conference
- Research aims to improve desalination efficiency
- Makkah’s deputy emir in attendance
JEDDAH: Scientists were awarded prizes for their work in researching desalination and wastewater treatment technologies during an event in Jeddah on Monday.
The third edition of the Innovation-Driven Water Sustainability Conference was attended by 480 experts, scientists, researchers, specialists and 40 leading organizations in the water sector, from 20 countries.
The grand prize — the Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination 2024 — went to Lee Nuang Sim from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University for his project “uncovering the power of centrifugal reverse osmosis,” and Sue Mecham, CEO of NALA Membranes, for her project “chlorine stable new membranes for sustainable desalination and wastewater treatment/reuse.”
Mecham, from North Carolina, US, spoke to Arab News after receiving her award, saying: “We are honored to be selected for the Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination 2024. Our mission is to bring new membranes to market and reduce the cost and complexity of water purification.”
Meanwhile, Saudi Ghadeer Al-Balawi from the University of Tabuk was another one of this year’s prizewinners with her project “novel heterogeneous catalysts for improving wastewater treatment plants in Saudi Arabia.”
Al-Balawi told Arab News: “I am incredibly honored to be one of the recipients of the Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination 2024. This recognition means so much to me. This project has been conducted at the University of Sheffield with hard work and dedication with the assistance of my supervisor, Dr. Marco Conte.”
The event’s opening ceremony was attended by Makkah Deputy Emir Prince Saud bin Mishal and Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, as well as other senior officials.
Following the opening, Abdullah Al-Abdulkarim, chairman of the Saudi Water Authority, said that the event reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to promoting scientific and research innovation as a pillar for achieving water sustainability and security.
Through the conference, the SWA aims to share the impact of innovation in promoting the sustainable supply of water, according to SWA spokesperson Sultan Al-Rajhi.
“This conference discusses the latest global practices and innovative solutions in the water industry, with the participation of experts, scientists and specialists, who emphasize the pivotal role of innovation in accelerating the future prosperity of water and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals for water and the environment,” he said.
The two-day conference will continue to feature discussions on more than 180 research papers, as well as a water hackathon organized by the Saudi Water Innovation Center.
PSC members visit Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh
- The EU and the GCC held a political dialogue session, co-chaired by Pronk and Jasem Albudaiwi, secretary-general of the GCC
RIYADH: Members of the EU’s Political and Security Committee, including its chair, Ambassador Delphine Pronk, and ambassadors of EU member states, paid an official visit to the Gulf Cooperation Council headquarters in Riyadh on Monday.
The delegation was accompanied by the European External Action Service Managing Director for the Middle East and North Africa Helene Le Gal, and EU Special Representative for the Gulf Luigi Di Maio.
The EU and the GCC held a political dialogue session, co-chaired by Pronk and Jasem Albudaiwi, secretary-general of the GCC.
The two parties discussed matters of mutual interest and the need to increase joint efforts to tackle global challenges.
This included the situations in Israel, Gaza and Lebanon, Gulf security and Iran, maritime security in the Red Sea region, Iraq, Sudan and the Horn of Africa, as well as Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The committee delegates and the GCC also agreed on strengthening the EU-GCC regional security cooperation.
The political dialogue constitutes an important step forward following the successful first EU-GCC Summit in Brussels on Oct. 16.
Winners of Arabic language prize honored
- Final results were based on evaluations by judging committees, considering criteria such as creativity, innovation, performance excellence, impact, and achieved outcomes
RIYADH: The winners of the King Salman Global Academy Prize for Arabic Language were recently honored in Riyadh in individual and institutional categories.
The event, held under the patronage of Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, focused on four main areas: Arabic language teaching and learning, Arabic language computing and services through modern technologies, Arabic language research and studies, and promoting linguistic awareness and community initiatives.
The total value of the awards for both categories amounted to SR1.6 million ($426,000), with each winner receiving SR200,000, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The final results were based on evaluations by judging committees, considering criteria such as creativity, innovation, performance excellence, impact, and achieved outcomes.
The award honors those who excel in serving the Arabic language, recognizing their contributions to preserving linguistic identity, promoting Arab culture, fostering loyalty, and enhancing communication within the Arab community.
