INTERVIEW: Saudi pavilion at Expo 2020 is a glimpse into KSA’s future, says French politician

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Updated 14 November 2021
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INTERVIEW: Saudi pavilion at Expo 2020 is a glimpse into KSA’s future, says French politician

  • Senator Olivier Cadic, who represents French expatriates, said Saudi Vision 2030 transformed the country in the past 5 years

RIYADH: French politician Olivier Cadic no longer recognizes Saudi Arabia. During a trip to the Kingdom to prepare for a visit by the France-Gulf countries friendship group he chairs in the Senate, he said he is enthusiastic about the “profound evolution”  of the country since the launch of Saudi Vision 2030.

The senator, who represents French expatriates and has visited 99 countries during 410 official trips, said he was touched by the welcome he received in the Kingdom.
“This is the first time that a parliamentarian from the host country has been there to welcome me as soon as I get off the plane,” he said. “This fact has a unique meaning and indicates that the level of friendship between Saudi Arabia and France is at its optimum.
“I am grateful to the Shoura (Council) for its welcome, and the manner in which a French parliamentarian is treated. I will never forget them and I will never forget Saudi Arabia.”

We have two countries looking to reform. President (Emmanuel) Macron is also seeking to fundamentally reform France. Reforming a country is not easy.

Olivier Cadic, French politician

During an interview with Arab News en Francais at the Alliance Francaise school in Riyadh, the French parliamentarian discussed the cooperation between the countries in the cultural, economic and military fields.

Q Since your election in 2014, and as president of the France-Gulf countries group in the Senate, you have seen the launch in 2016 of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and its implementation.
Five years later, what are your conclusions?
A Five years after launching this vision, I do not think we can reach any conclusions. We can only have observations. We can tell that this is a growing process and a dynamic has kicked in.
I noticed the difference because the first time I came to Saudi Arabia was in 2015, and when I returned in 2019, I did not recognize the country. This is my first observation.




Senator Olivier Cadic with French Ambassador Ludovic Pouille at the gated district of At-Turaif, northwest of Riyadh. It is one of the Kingdom’s most-significant historical treasures. (Supplied)

I am returning in 2021 to prepare for the friendship group visit. I would have liked to come back sooner, but the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to travel. What I perceive is an ongoing dynamic, a real internal revolution that takes into account the population of the Kingdom, which is a young population, and therefore I see a political will to be in agreement with its population, and that this energy will positively drive the country to new heights.

Q You have visited Saudi Arabia several times. What changes do you see?
A The first thing that stood out between 2015 and 2019 was that people’s demeanor has changed; I felt they were smiling more. It really surprised me.
Besides, I wanted my partner to come with me because the country has changed a lot since 2015 and I wanted to see this country through her eyes also, not just through mine. The change is really profound and when we had a first look we were surprised, as it was not very positive for her in 2015 and it was really important that she was by my side so that we can watch, together, this country change.

Q You are visiting the Alliance Francaise school in Riyadh. What developments you perceive in Franco-Saudi cultural relations?
A I come, for that matter, to observe certain programs in which France is invested. Obviously, the Alliance Francaise supports the Francophonie, the learning of French, which is the language of the Enlightenment, of Voltaire, of Rousseau, that carries the values of our country. It is of utmost importance that we can share our language and our culture.
With the friendship group, we also plan to go to AlUla because there is really a collective, common work on the site, where France is deeply engaged. We want to see in which way the work was done, and how the alliance of France and Saudi Arabia can help enhance this exceptional archaeological heritage. This is one of the many angles and it would be difficult to summarize them, since there are many projects that go in this direction. It shows the attachment of our two countries, these cultures that blend together so well.
There is, once again, a real evolution in Saudi Arabia to bring out this local culture, which I believe will shine. And if France can help in spreading your culture, then it would be a very beautiful gift of confidence that you are giving us, in allowing us to work with you on this marriage of our cultures.

Q What are the new forms of cooperation between France and Saudi Arabia taking place now?
A There is a lot of mixed cooperation. Some is of economic nature, at the corporate level, with significant investments by French companies in Saudi Arabia. An example that comes to mind is the investments in the energy sector that EDF (Electricite de France), which is investing an € 800 million in Saudi Arabia, can make. These are companies that are investing massively to help develop Saudi Arabia’s economy, to support the Vision 2030 project that truly carries the country.

Q What about military cooperation between the two countries?
A The first thing I would like to say is how affected France is to see these recurring attacks that Saudi Arabia is subjected to on a regular basis. I would like to say that our country stands alongside yours to fight against the aggressions it is suffering. That is really fundamental to me.
After that, obviously, we have a common work and collective issues in front of us.
We will certainly talk about the situation in Lebanon, which despairs us, as well as the Saudi government, I believe. However, we will have to find solutions. We cannot let down the Lebanese people who are suffering from this situation. We are now in extensive discussions.
We admire the announcements made by the crown prince at COP 26, such as Green Riyadh, for example, with this tree-planting project. There is here a vision of the future that emerges.
It has been five years now since (Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman) announced Vision 2030, whereas it has only been five weeks since the president of the Republic announced France 2030. So somewhere, (the crown prince) might have inspired us, too, in looking ahead to reform your country.




Olivier Cadic, French politician

We have two countries looking to reform. President (Emmanuel) Macron is also seeking to fundamentally reform France. Reforming a country is not easy. This brings us together in all areas and that applies for diplomatic decisions as well as defense decisions. There are proximities. We think together. We work together. We are never very far from each other to make the decisions.

Q How is Saudi Arabia perceived in France today?
A My role is to allow the French to go beyond the cliches. There is an intellectual laziness in thinking that Saudi Arabia looks like this or that. It is a view inherited from the past. In fact, we are talking about a country without knowing it.
My wish is that the French realize that the changes in the country are profound. We cannot judge. You have to come and see this country, meet its people … (I) invite the French to come along with me to meet this country and to help it, to stand by its side, because I believe that Saudi Arabia may need France to help it succeed in its goals.
But France also needs the Saudis so it can move forward and, therefore, we must put all the cliches behind us, look at each other and work together. I think, given what Saudi Arabia is doing, the French will be in awe of the projects here in Riyadh, but also across the country.
What I wish is for the French to come here and discover this country.

Q Where will Saudi Arabia be in 10 years?
A It all depends on how this pandemic will be defeated in order to be able to say where the country will be in 10 years. I think the country will surprise very much for a good and simple reason: I visited Saudi Arabia’s pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020 and I saw that it was the most visited of the 190 pavilions in the expo. This shows that there is an interest in your country.
In this pavilion are precisely displayed the vision, the projects on which the Kingdom is working. So if you want to know what Saudi Arabia will be like 10 years from now, let me give you a tip: Go visit the pavilion at Dubai Expo.

Linguistic code-switching new norm for young Saudis

Updated 16 July 2025
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Linguistic code-switching new norm for young Saudis

  • Expert tells Arab News that ‘multi-dimensional issue’ deserves recognition

RIYADH: In Saudi Arabia’s increasingly globalized society, especially among young people in major cities, there is an easy blending of languages, often switching between Arabic and English in the same conversation.

This phenomenon, known as code-switching, has become a linguistic norm that reflects shifting social dynamics, culture and identity.

A 2024 study conducted by Kais Sultan Mousa Alowidha at Jouf University found that bilingual Saudis often switch between Arabic and English depending on the context, particularly in casual or professional settings.

The blending of languages can be seen not as a dilution of heritage, but a reflection of its outward-looking generation. (Supplied)

Saudi students who have studied or grown up abroad find themselves flipping between languages almost unconsciously.

Abdullah Almuayyad, a Saudi senior at the University of Washington, Seattle, who has spent more than half his life in the US, spoke to Arab News about his experiences with both languages.

“Comfort really depends on context,” he said. “Day-to-day I’m equally at ease in either language, but the setting matters.”

HIGHLIGHTS

• The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language in Riyadh has launched several initiatives to strengthen Arabic fluency, both for native speakers and non-native learners.

• A 2024 study from Jouf University found that bilingual Saudis often switch between Arabic and English depending on the context, particularly in casual or professional settings.

In business settings, he defaults to English because of his education and professional exposure, but casual or family settings feel more natural in Arabic.

“Sometimes my friends tease me because I’ll begin a sentence in Arabic, hit a complex business concept, and flip to English mid-stream.”

This mental switching, he explained, is often tied to topic-specific language associations.

Some topics are assigned to a specific language in his brain. “Once the topic surfaces, the corresponding language follows automatically.”

At an institutional level, efforts to preserve and promote Arabic are gaining traction in Saudi Arabia.

The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language in Riyadh has launched several initiatives to strengthen Arabic fluency, both for native speakers and non-native learners.

Through academic partnerships, digital tools, and training programs, the academy is playing a key role in ensuring Arabic remains a vibrant and accessible language.

The institute reflects a broader national push to reinforce cultural identity amid the linguistic shifts brought on by globalization.

Majd Tohme, senior linguist at SURV Linguistics in Riyadh, told Arab News that code-switching is “a very multi-dimensional issue.”

He emphasized that the debate should not hinge on whether code-switching is good or bad.

“What we need to ask ourselves is, does code-switching work in the everyday context? And if it works, isn’t that the purpose of any linguistic pattern?”

He added that language purism might miss the point entirely.

“You don’t have to get involved in that language puritanism … and code-switching is not really something new. Languages are living organisms that evolve,” he explained.

Many words we consider native today, he noted, have foreign origins, such as from Persian or European languages, particularly in science and technology.

Still, there are concerns about the erosion of Arabic. Tohme acknowledged the threat but said it is not exclusive to Arabic.

“It is a threat to all languages,” he said, especially in the era of globalized communication where the internet has become a shared space dominated by English.

“You now have one internet that the world is sharing,” he explained. “It’s like one huge playground where you have 8 billion people trying to communicate with each other.”

And yet, there are signs of balance.

Almuayyad, for instance, actively challenges himself and his peers to preserve Arabic fluency.

“In eighth grade, even though my friends and I preferred English, we agreed to speak only Arabic until it felt natural,” he said. “Later, when my Arabic caught up, I switched and spoke only English with friends who wanted practice.”

For many, especially in Saudi Arabia’s larger cities, bilingualism no longer means choosing between one language over the other.

The constant nudge to challenge each other keeps both languages active and growing.

The Jouf University study found that bilingual Saudis strongly identify with both languages and do not believe that speaking English negates their cultural identity.

It also concluded that code-switching is often required in larger cities due to the abundance of non-Arabic speakers in public and professional environments.

Therefore, code-switching, especially in the Kingdom, appears to be less about identity loss and more about functionality.

As Saudi Arabia opens up globally and embraces multiculturalism under Vision 2030, this blending of languages could be seen not as a dilution of heritage, but a reflection of its outward-looking generation.

According to Tohme, the psychological impact of going abroad for a few years then returning to your home country also cannot be understated.

Students develop a certain nostalgia for home while spending so many years abroad speaking extensively in a foreign language. They may develop the determination to make a conscious effort to strengthen their Arabic-language skills again.

Almuayyad is someone who can relate to that and says if he had spent his whole life in the Kingdom, his language development might not have been that different.

“I see a lot of people in Saudi who use English freely because global media and online content are so dominant,” he explained.

Yet, he admits that growing up in one place can limit the push to step outside of your linguistic comfort zone. “My exposure to two cultures forced me to practice that stretch constantly.”

 


Saudi deputy FM meets European Commissioner in Brussels

Waleed Elkhereiji (L) and Dubravka Suica in Brussels. (Supplied)
Updated 15 July 2025
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Saudi deputy FM meets European Commissioner in Brussels

  • The two sides discussed ways to enhance cooperation in various fields and other topics of common interest

BRUSSELS: Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji met European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica in Brussels on Tuesday.

The two sides discussed ways to enhance cooperation in various fields and other topics of common interest, the Foreign Ministry said on X.

Haifa Al-Jadea, head of the Kingdom’s mission to the EU, was among the officials in attendance.

 


Saudi Arabia satisfied with Syrian measures to achieve stability after clashes

Syrian security forces take a position in the Mazraa area, near Sweida on July 14, 2025. (AFP)
Updated 15 July 2025
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Saudi Arabia satisfied with Syrian measures to achieve stability after clashes

  • Kingdom condemned continued Israeli attacks on Syrian territory, interference in its internal affairs, and the destabilization of its security and stability

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia expressed its satisfaction with measures taken by the Syrian government to achieve security and stability, maintain civil peace, and achieve sovereignty over all Syrian territory on Tuesday.

The Kingdom also condemned continued Israeli attacks on Syrian territory, interference in its internal affairs, and the destabilization of its security and stability, in flagrant violation of international law and the Syria-Israel Disengagement Agreement signed in 1974.

The condemnation comes after Israel launched strikes on Tuesday against Syrian government forces in the Druze-majority region of Sweida, saying it was acting to protect the religious minority.

Damascus had deployed troops to Sweida after clashes between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes killed more than 100 people.

Israel announced its strikes shortly after Syria’s defense minister declared a ceasefire in Sweida city, with government forces having entered the city in the morning.

The Kingdom renewed its call on the international community to stand by Syria, support it during this stage, and confront ongoing Israeli attacks and violations against Syria, Saudi Press Agency reported.


KSrelief distributes food baskets to displaced people in Lebanon, Sudan and Afghanistan

Updated 15 July 2025
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KSrelief distributes food baskets to displaced people in Lebanon, Sudan and Afghanistan

  • The aid agency distributed 120 food baskets to Afghan refugees who returned from Pakistan and settled in Omari camp near the Torkham border crossing
  • Over the past decade, KSrelief has run thousands of humanitarian initiatives in nearly 92 countries

RIYADH: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief has distributed hundreds of food baskets to families in need in Sudan, Lebanon, and Afghanistan as part of ongoing efforts to alleviate the food security crisis in various countries.

KSrelief announced that 4,250 individuals will benefit from 700 food baskets distributed to displaced families affected by the armed conflict in Sudan, specifically in Al-Kamalin district of Gezira state.

In Afghanistan, the aid agency distributed 120 food baskets to Afghan refugees who returned from Pakistan and settled in Omari camp near the Torkham border crossing. At least 720 Afghans benefited from food baskets as part of a dedicated security and emergency project in Afghanistan for the 2025-2026 period.

Approximately 2,785 displaced Syrians living in Lebanon have received 577 food baskets from KSrelief volunteers in the western Beqaa Valley. This initiative is part of a project aimed at distributing food aid to support the most needy families in Lebanon, which has been significantly impacted by drought this summer.

Over the past decade, KSrelief has run thousands of humanitarian initiatives in 92 countries. Since its establishment in 2015, the aid agency has distributed food baskets to numerous countries, including Somalia, Mali, Bangladesh, Libya, and Palestine, among others.


Diriyah Dates Season celebrates sector’s growth and heritage

Updated 15 July 2025
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Diriyah Dates Season celebrates sector’s growth and heritage

  • Governor praises initiatives as exports hit $453m, production tops 1.9m tonnes
  • Ministry of Culture is also represented with a booth showcasing artisans specializing in palm-based crafts as part of the Year of Handicrafts

RIYADH: Diriyah Gov. Prince Fahd bin Saad bin Abdullah has praised the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture for developing the date production sector in the Kingdom and enhancing the quality of dates as a national product.

He highlighted the ministry’s support programs for farmers and initiatives that add value to dates, aligning with Vision 2030 goals, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

His remarks came during the inauguration of the Diriyah Dates Season and accompanying exhibition, which runs until July 24.

The event, organized by the National Center for Palms and Dates, aims to boost the sale of Saudi dates locally and globally, and provide an insight into Diriyah’s heritage through cultural and social activities.

The exhibition features booths for date vendors, processed date products, palm by-products and items from family-run cottage industries. It also has restaurants, cafes, food trucks, workshops for adults and children, a date auction zone and a horse parade.

The Ministry of Culture is also represented with a booth showcasing artisans specializing in palm-based crafts as part of the Year of Handicrafts.

The Kingdom’s palm and date sector is growing rapidly. According to figures from the General Authority for Statistics production surpassed 1.9 million tonnes in 2024, with SR1.7 billion ($453 million) worth of dates exported to 133 countries, up significantly from the previous year.

This growth reflects the Kingdom’s strong production capacity and government efforts to improve quality, expand global outreach and develop supply chains.