Saudi Arabia ‘playing leading role’ in fight to save coral reefs

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Leading Saudi groups celebrate the establishment of a new foundation and take up the cause of coral preservation CORDAP. (Supplied)
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Updated 29 August 2023
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Saudi Arabia ‘playing leading role’ in fight to save coral reefs

  • New foundation launched to accelerate research and innovation
  • Carlos M. Duarte, executive director of CORDAP and professor at KAUST said: “The future of our oceans depends on us taking action now”

RIYADH: The G20 Coral Research and Development Accelerator Platform, CORDAP, was hosted in Riyadh on Monday to celebrate Saudi Arabia’s prominent role in global coral conservation.
During the event, officials launched the CORDAP Foundation, which had been established by a royal order.
According to a report, 1 billion people rely on coral reefs for food, income, medicine and coastal protection, but more than two-thirds of coral reef coverage globally has already been lost. To address this urgent issue, G20 CORDAP was set up to accelerate research and innovation.
Princess Reema bint Bandar, the Saudi ambassador to the US, took part in a panel discussion titled “The Emergence of Saudi Leadership in Environmental Conservation: Protecting Coral Reefs.”
She said: “I think nations are beginning to realize that the next crisis is going to be the crisis of water and resources. So, if we don’t take that time right now to align, to share the resources, but share the burden to fix what we have done, I think we forget that we didn’t inherit what we have from our ancestors, we’re borrowing from our future generations.”
Fahad bin Abdullah Toonsi, secretary-general of the Saudi G20 Secretariat and adviser to the Royal Court, shared insights on the journey of the Saudi government’s proposal and its acceptance by G20 leaders during the Saudi G20 presidency in 2020, ultimately resulting in the establishment of CORDAP.
Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Osama Faqeeha said: “The Royal Court’s approval of the CORDAP Foundation marks a major milestone toward implementing this distinguished global initiative.
“The nonprofit organization will facilitate the receipt of financial contributions to CORDAP from G20 and non-G20 countries, the private sector and other contributors according to CORDAP’s charter endorsed by G20 environmental ministers,” he added.
Carlos M. Duarte, executive director of CORDAP and professor at KAUST said: “The future of our oceans depends on us taking action now.”
He added: “70-90 percent of the remaining coral reefs could disappear in the next 10-15 years, a projection that is exemplified by the catastrophic coral losses ongoing in the Caribbean affected by an unprecedented marine heat wave. An ocean without healthy corals is unthinkable.
“Accelerating the next generation of science and technology to help conserve and restore corals, while no efforts are spared to mitigate the pressures on them, must be a priority.”
Duarte told Arab News that G20 nations were among those at risk of losing coral reefs, and that no single nation had the capacity to solve the problem alone.
“60 percent of the world’s coral reefs are under the care of the G20 countries. Therefore, they made the decision to establish a chord under the direction of this Saudi presidency. I was therefore appointed during the Leaders’ Summit in 2020. We are now one of the three pillars of the worldwide conservation effort for coral reefs after two years.”
“It is a huge recognition of the leading role of Saudi Arabia as a leader in a global environment, not just in our own territory.”
Tony Chan, president of KAUST, highlighted the university’s support for CORDAP and Saudi Arabia’s leadership for coral conservation and research.
Many Saudi entities signed MoUs to support the foundation’s efforts in saving reefs, recognizing Saudi Arabia’s leading role in the fight.
CORDAP, headquartered at KAUST in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, is the first international operating foundation incorporated by the Kingdom. Its establishment paves the way for future foundations to contribute to global goals and support the Saudi leadership in addressing global challenges.
The successful G20 presidency of Saudi Arabia identified coral reefs as key components of the ocean ecosystem at risk, and launched a collaborative Coral Research and Development Accelerator Platform, established by G20 nations in 2021, to drive a global effort to deliver the science and technology required to save tropical and cold-water corals.


Turaif traces historical, cultural mosaic to pre-Islamic era

Updated 03 July 2025
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Turaif traces historical, cultural mosaic to pre-Islamic era

  • Evidence of Stone Age settlements in the region
  • Has Tapline, Kingdom’s first industrial heritage site

TURAIF: Located in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region, Turaif governorate stands as a crossroads of ancient civilizations and a gateway to Iraq and the Levant.

The governorate is home to a range of rich cultural and heritage sites, many of which date back to pre-Islamic times.

Heritage Commission sign board at the archaeological site of Qasr Duqrah, located 40 kilometers southwest of Turaif governorate. (SPA)

Among the most prominent heritage landmarks is the archaeological site of Qasr Duqrah, situated 40 km southwest of the governorate.

Adjacent to it lies a mountain known as Aqran, also referred to as Duqrah Mount, which has been recorded under the Comprehensive Archaeological Survey Program.

Zahi Al-Khalawi, a member of the Saudi Historical Society, said the site is among the Kingdom’s most significant archaeological locations because there is evidence of human settlements dating to the Stone Age.

He said habitation at the site continued through the later Roman period (2 to 6 centuries C.E.) and persisted into the Umayyad era (661 to 750 C.E.).

Another landmark is the Trans-Arabian Pipeline, or Tapline, one of Saudi Arabia’s most significant industrial heritage sites.

The pipeline stretches from the east of the Kingdom to its north, passing through Turaif, and has been registered in the National Industrial Heritage Register.

Known as the Tapline, this oil pipeline stretches from eastern Saudi Arabia to the northwest, passing through Turaif. (SPA)

It is the first documented industrial heritage site in the Kingdom, representing the early stages of Saudi Arabia’s oil industry and its developmental and economic significance.

Also noteworthy is the culturally significant site of Qaru Turaif, a water source developed by the Tapline Co. in the 1950s to help settle nomadic communities by order of the late King Abdulaziz.

To the east of Turaif, about 25 km away, stands Jabal Umm Waal, a historic landmark and northern gateway into the Arabian Peninsula.

The mountain tells the stories of Bedouin life and the passage of trade caravans and pilgrims traveling from the Levant and Iraq. For centuries, it served as a safe route for travelers making their way southward.

 


Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli minister’s call for sovereignty over occupied West Bank

Updated 02 July 2025
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Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli minister’s call for sovereignty over occupied West Bank

  • Kingdom’s foreign ministry said the move would violate international laws

RIYADH: A government minister’s threat for Israel to apply full sovereignty over the occupied West Bank was strongly condemned by Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Kingdom “condemned and denunciated” the statement made by the Israeli official calling for the imposition of sovereignty over the Palestinian territory.

Such action would be a violation of international law, the statement said. Saudi Arabia rejects any attempts to expand settlements on Palestinian land, the ministry added, while reiterating the Kingdom’s position on the importance of Israel abiding by international resolutions.

The statement followed comments from Israel’s Justice Minister Yariv Levin saying “the time has come” for Israel to apply sovereignty across the West Bank.

Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967 and has built dozens of settlements, deemed illegal under international law, across the territory.

The Saudi foreign ministry offered its support for the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate rights and in establishing a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

 


Saudi ministry recalls faulty chargers over fire risk

Updated 02 July 2025
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Saudi ministry recalls faulty chargers over fire risk

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce has announced the recall of 88,518 Anker portable chargers across multiple models due to a potential internal electrical short circuit that may cause overheating and pose a fire risk.

The ministry urged consumers to immediately stop using the affected products and contact Anker at the toll-free number 8008500030 to arrange a replacement or full refund, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Consumers can check if their device is included in the recall and start the replacement or refund process by visiting anker.com/mmrc2506.

Users are also advised to verify the model number of their charger against the list of affected products on the Defective Products Recall Center website ecalls.sa.

The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to consumer safety and stressed the importance of promptly addressing product defects to prevent potential hazards.


GCC passports departments chiefs hold meeting

Updated 02 July 2025
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GCC passports departments chiefs hold meeting

Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi participated in the 39th Meeting of the Directors-General of Passports of the GCC countries, held on Wednesday at the headquarters of the General Secretariat in Riyadh.

During the meeting, he reviewed the latest developments, including the Gulf visa project.

The passport departments of the interior ministries of GCC countries, through a series of joint meetings, are making efforts to launch a unified tourist visa project in the near future, the General Secretariat said in a report.

“Everyone is working as one team to keep pace with technological developments and security requirements in a world characterised by rapid change,” Albudaiwi said.


Saudi FM discusses regional developments in call with US secretary of state

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a phone call with his US counterpart State Marco Rubio on Wednesday. (AFP)
Updated 02 July 2025
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Saudi FM discusses regional developments in call with US secretary of state

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a phone call with his US counterpart Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

During the call, Prince Faisal and Rubio reviewed US-Saudi relations and ways to enhance the strategic partnership between their countries. The latest regional and international developments were also discussed.