Saudi aid agency launches food baskets project in Sudan

Saudi aid agency launches a project at the headquarters of the Humanitarian Aid Commission to distribute food items in seven states of Sudan. (SPA)
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Updated 02 April 2022
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Saudi aid agency launches food baskets project in Sudan

  • The project is an extension of the voluntary medical projects implemented by the KSrelief, to help individuals and families with low incomes in countries in need

KHARTOUM: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has launched a project at the headquarters of the Humanitarian Aid Commission to distribute 10,000 food baskets in seven states of Sudan.

The launch was attended by Saudi Ambassador to Sudan Ali bin Hassan Jafar, Sudan Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Najm Al-Din Moussa and several representatives of humanitarian organizations cooperating with the center.

The food baskets include necessary food items for families, each weighing 32 kg.

The Saudi envoy commended KSrelief’s aid projects in Sudan, under the directives of the government of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He noted that those projects embody the deep relations between the Kingdom and Sudan.

Sudan’s commissioner thanked the Kingdom for its effort to provide food aid for needy families before the start of Ramadan.

Meanwhile, KSrelief organized an introductory workshop on the program for the development and capacity-building of children with disabilities, looking to erase illiteracy for students and children with disabilities in Yemen’s Hadramout governorate.

Seventy specialists in training and educating people with disabilities participated in the workshop. The project aims to build the capacity of educational centers for illiterate children and those with disabilities, provide the basic requirements of education and carry out awareness-raising campaigns.

Project manager Ossama Baqadi spoke of the importance of the projects carried out in the Aden, Abyan and Hadramout governorates in 19 centers for people with disabilities.

He said the sessions will include areas of teaching speech for the hearing-impaired, sign language for the deaf-mute and life skills for children with Down’s syndrome, as well as Braille for the blind and math, reading and writing for those with learning disabilities.

KSrelief concluded the 10th voluntary medical project within the “Saudi Pulse” voluntary program for open-heart surgery for children in the city of Mukalla in Hadramout.

During the campaign, KSrelief’s volunteer medical team successfully performed 23 open-heart operations, inserted two therapeutic catheters and two diagnostic catheters and performed one operation to withdraw fluid from around the heart.

The project is an extension of the voluntary medical projects implemented by the KSrelief, to help individuals and families with low incomes in countries in need.


Several arrests made in drug crackdown across Saudi Arabia

Border Guard patrols in the Al-Raboah sector of the Asir region arrested 14 Ethiopians for smuggling 260 kg of qat. (@BG994)
Updated 16 sec ago
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Several arrests made in drug crackdown across Saudi Arabia

  • Border Guard patrols in the Al-Raboah sector of the Asir region arrested 14 Ethiopians for smuggling 260 kg of qat
  • In a separate incident, four Ethiopians were arrested for smuggling 28 kg of qat in Al-Farsha governorate

RIYADH: Saudi authorities have made numerous drug-related arrests throughout the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Border Guard patrols in the Al-Raboah sector of the Asir region arrested 14 Ethiopians for smuggling 260 kg of qat. In a separate incident, four Ethiopians were arrested for smuggling 28 kg of qat in Al-Farsha governorate.

Security patrols in Asir also arrested a citizen with 11 kg of qat in the same governorate.

In the Al-Dayer sector of the Jazan region, authorities thwarted an attempt to smuggle 600 kg of qat. In another case, Border Guard patrols arrested an Ethiopian trying to smuggle 80 kg of qat.

The General Directorate of Mujahideen in Jazan arrested two citizens for selling hashish, while the General Directorate of Narcotics Control arrested two Pakistanis and an Indonesian in Jeddah with 1.5 kg of methamphetamine, locally known as shabu.

A citizen was also arrested in the Baha region for selling amphetamine.

Preliminary legal procedures have been completed for all individuals, and the seized narcotics have been handed over to the authorities.

The Saudi government urges anyone with information about smuggling or customs offenses to call the confidential hotline 1910, the international number +966114208417, or email 1910@zatca.gov.sa.

All information is treated with strict confidentiality. Financial rewards are offered for valid information.


KSrelief’s role in global aid efforts praised at UN donor support meeting

Updated 20 min 11 sec ago
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KSrelief’s role in global aid efforts praised at UN donor support meeting

  • The meeting was organized by the UN Pooled Fund Working Group

RIYADH: Aqeel Al-Ghamdi, assistant supervisor general for planning and development at the Saudi aid agency KSrelief and Saudi Arabia’s representative in the Donor Support Group for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, participated in a high-level meeting in Jersey, UK.

The meeting was organized by the UN Pooled Fund Working Group and attended by senior representatives from donor countries and international humanitarian organizations.

In his speech, Al-Ghamdi emphasized the need to strengthen joint action and coordination among donor countries and UN institutions to ensure equitable and effective aid access, especially for the most vulnerable.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the meeting was a key milestone in global efforts to improve financing mechanisms and responses to humanitarian needs.

Al-Ghamdi reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment, under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to continue supporting global humanitarian efforts, helping to protect lives and improve living conditions in affected communities.

He noted that the Kingdom is among the world’s largest humanitarian donors and has led significant initiatives through KSrelief in recent years. These efforts have reached more than 100 countries and were implemented in partnership with UN agencies and international organizations.

At the meeting’s conclusion, participants praised Saudi Arabia’s pivotal role in humanitarian support and stressed the need to sustain international momentum for effective and lasting impact.

Since its launch in May 2015, KSrelief has implemented 3,438 projects worth more than $7.9 billion in 107 countries, in collaboration with at least 318 organizations.

These programs cover food security, early recovery, water, sanitation and hygiene, health, camp coordination, education, protection, emergency aid, logistics, telecommunications, and nutrition. 


Historic Qur’an texts displayed at Grand Mosque

Updated 11 June 2025
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Historic Qur’an texts displayed at Grand Mosque

  • Event highlights the Qur’an’s global relevance and fosters values of tolerance, moderation and balance

MAKKAH: An awareness exhibition aimed at enriching pilgrims’ experiences and spreading the Holy Qur'an’s guidance and cultural insights has opened in the third Saudi expansion area of the Grand Mosque.

The event, launched by the Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, highlights the Qur’an’s global relevance and fosters values of tolerance, moderation and balance.

Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, head of the presidency, said it underlined the Qur’an’s message and aligned with the leadership’s commitment to serving the holy book and spreading its sciences, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The exhibition offers a unique opportunity for millions of pilgrims to view rare and ancient copies of the Qur’an, some dating back more than 1,000 years. These include old handwritten copies, wooden panels with Qur’anic verses, and other significant manuscripts.


Saudi, Dutch deal to enhance farm services

Updated 11 June 2025
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Saudi, Dutch deal to enhance farm services

  • Partnership will focus on improving services in Kingdom’s agricultural sector

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s National Co. for Agricultural Services, known as AgriServ, and the Netherlands’ Delphy signed a cooperation agreement during the recent GreenTech exhibition in Amsterdam.

The agreement aims to strengthen collaboration in the agricultural sector by transferring best practices and advanced expertise, enhancing operational efficiency and improving services for farmers and agricultural establishments across Saudi Arabia.

It was signed by Omar Alsuhaibani, CEO of AgriServ, and Jacco van der Wekken, CEO of Delphy, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The partnership will focus on improving services in the Kingdom’s agricultural sector, including cooperation on certification, specialized training programs, and technical consultations for farmers and agricultural projects.

AgriServ is a government entity established by Cabinet decision and is tasked with providing agricultural services assigned by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.


3-month ban on midday outdoor work in Saudi Arabia from June 15

A labourer has a drink of water from a plastic bottle at a construction site in Riyadh. (File/AFP)
Updated 11 June 2025
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3-month ban on midday outdoor work in Saudi Arabia from June 15

  • The ministry said employers must ensure workers avoid direct exposure to the sun during this period and urged them to adjust working hours accordingly

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has announced a three-month ban on outdoor work between noon and 3 p.m. for all private sector establishments, effective from June 15 to Sept. 15.

The ministry said employers must ensure workers avoid direct exposure to the sun during this period and urged them to adjust working hours accordingly, with the goal of reducing occupational injuries and health risks.

The regulation, issued in cooperation with the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, aims to protect workers’ health and promote a safer working environment, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

To support implementation, the ministry has published a procedural guide on preventing sun exposure and an advisory guide for working in hot environments. Both are available on its website.

Violations can be reported via the ministry’s hotline — 19911 — or its smartphone app.