Malta ambassador to the Kingdom aims to re-strengthen ties

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Ambassador of Malta to Saudi Arabia Dr. Clive Aquilina Spagnol. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
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Ambassador of Malta to Saudi Arabia Dr. Clive Aquilina Spagnol. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
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Ambassador of Malta to Saudi Arabia Dr. Clive Aquilina Spagnol. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
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Ambassador of Malta to Saudi Arabia Dr. Clive Aquilina Spagnol. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
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Updated 14 September 2023
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Malta ambassador to the Kingdom aims to re-strengthen ties

  • Dr. Clive Aquilina Spagnol: I went personally to the travel agents to promote Malta as a tourist destination
  • Spagnol: Hopefully we will have the University of Malta accredited here, so that Saudi students can go to Malta, study, come back and use their degree

RIYADH: Ambassador of Malta to Saudi Arabia Dr. Clive Aquilina Spagnol aims to use his tenure to strengthen Saudi-Maltese ties in tourism, education, trade and culture.

“The mission here is a very old mission, it goes back to 1985, it’s a very old mission ... the relationship between the Kingdom and Malta (has been) going on for quite a while,” Spagnol told Arab News.

Discussing the evolution of Saudi-Maltese relations the ambassador highlighted that there was a period where the two countries had experienced something of a slowdown.

“They (relations) were still good but they weren’t active. It didn’t mean they were going through a problematic phase, they just went into a sleeping mode,” he said.

The ambassador explained that in the 1990s Malta’s foreign policy was more focused on the European Union and becoming a member of the EU.

“Now that we are a fully fledged member of the EU and it’s been almost 20 years … we are tending to look outside the perimeter,” he said.

Spagnol added there has been an increase in Saudi diplomatic and business activity, too, in the last five years.

“We see a lot more engagement from KSA. (The Kingdom) is reaching out to the world, and that encourages us to engage with the Kingdom.”

Spagnol added that the increased areas of engagement between Saudi Arabia and Malta include tourism and education.

“The core value (of Malta) lies in the history and in the culture,” he stressed.

The ambassador explained that, as part of his efforts to strengthen Saudi-Malta cooperation, he personally visited travel agents in the Kingdom to highlight tourism opportunities “because no one knew about Malta and still today not a lot of people hear about Malta.

“I wanted to take Malta outside these walls and I went personally to the travel agents to promote Malta as a tourist destination.”

Spagnol added that Malta is a welcoming, family friendly country and safe for Muslim tourists to visit.

Another area that cooperation between the two countries extends to is education, which Spagnol called a major “wavelength” he is working to strengthen.

“Hopefully we will have the University of Malta accredited here, so that Saudi students can go to Malta, study, come back and use their degree,” he said, adding that he is working closely with the Saudi Ministry of Education to get the process finalized by the end of the year.

“Education and medical care in Malta is of (a) high standard,” the ambassador said.

Discussing the past colonization of Malta by Britain, the ambassador said: “You have to look at the positive side, every cloud has a silver lining.”

Touching upon the investment and social benefits, including healthcare, the British had brought to his island nation, Spagnol added: “Many people denounce colonialism but although we were colonized there was a lot of (benefits) out of colonialism.” 

The ambassador also touched upon the possibility for a growth in trade between Malta and Saudi Arabia.

“There is trade between Malta and Saudi without being so visible. Even on the shelves of the market you will find many ‘Made in Malta’ products in terms of food.”

Spagnol noted that the first Maltese hotel, called the Corinthia, will open in Saudi Arabia in Diriyah in 2026, adding that he wanted to see further examples of cultural exchange between the two countries, citing Malta’s strong cultural heritage.

“We would like to see more, for example, exhibits being shown here. Maltese in (Saudi Arabia) and Saudi exhibits in Malta,” he said.


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KSrelief’s 11th aid plane lands at Damascus airport

  • KSrelief dispatched dozens of aid trucks and planes after collapse of Assad regime

RIYADH: The 11th Saudi relief plane landed at Damascus International Airport in Syria on Wednesday as part of a humanitarian airlift launched by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre.

After the collapse of Bashar Assad’s regime early in December, KSrelief has sent dozens of trucks and planes loaded with food, shelter, and medical supplies to meet the urgent basic needs of Syrians.


Experts discuss AI’s role in enhancing pilgrim experiences

Updated 53 min 35 sec ago
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Experts discuss AI’s role in enhancing pilgrim experiences

  • Discussions at Jeddah conference focus on crowd control, personalized services, sustainable solutions
  • Tamer Bdran, vice president of NEC Saudi Arabia Ltd., discussed the role of global technical solutions tailored to the unique needs of Hajj and Umrah

JEDDAH: Industry experts gathered to discuss how artificial intelligence can enhance the Hajj and Umrah experience for millions of pilgrims worldwide.

The discussions took place at the fourth Hajj and Umrah Services Conference and Exhibition in Jeddah, running until Jan. 16.

The event, themed “The Road to the Nusuk,” is hosted by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Pilgrim Experience Program, featuring over 300 local and international organizations showcasing innovations to improve the pilgrim experience.

The conversation began with an overview of the current state of Hajj and Umrah, with speakers noting that only 5 percent of available technical capabilities have been utilized so far.

Mohammed Al-Hamid, director of the AI Center at the Ministry of Interior, shared in the session “Personalizing Services for the Guests of Allah: Data and Digital Solutions” that the ministry has made significant progress in data and AI infrastructure.

He added that the ministry has played a key role in transforming the Hajj and Umrah experience into a seamless journey driven by technological innovation.

Al-Hamid said that AI can help manage crowds by tracking movements, identifying potential hazards, and making real-time adjustments to traffic flow.

“We are using AI to develop long-term solutions that enhance the sustainability of Hajj services, including managing human density by analyzing crowd flow and predicting congestion, offering multilingual guidance, utilizing big data to anticipate pilgrims' needs, and efficiently distributing human and technical resources,” he added.

Speakers then expressed optimism about how AI could address the urgent need for faster and more effective services.

Abdulaziz Al-Matahami, deputy minister of planning and digital transformation at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, said that the ministry first digitized traditional services, then moved to integrate government agencies to offer customized services for each pilgrim and Umrah performer.

He highlighted the new version of the Nusuk app, which provides comprehensive services such as hotel and flight reservations, historical tours, and permits for the Two Holy Mosques.

Al-Matahami also announced the launch of the Nusuk Business platform, aimed at enhancing integration with entrepreneurs to deliver innovative solutions for serving pilgrims.

In another session titled “Advanced Solutions and Technologies for Effective Crowd Management,” Fahad Al-Ghamdi, CEO of human resources at National Security Services Co., explained that the company operates as an integrated security system, offering consulting, risk analysis, and advanced technical solutions, such as mobile command and control centers with cameras supported by AI to analyze data in real time.

Tamer Bdran, vice president of NEC Saudi Arabia Ltd., discussed the role of global technical solutions tailored to the unique needs of Hajj and Umrah.

He said: “Technologies such as facial and fingerprint recognition, along with simulating crowd flow using supercomputing, have improved planning and reduced waiting times at ports and airports.”

Meanwhile, Saudi Ambassador to Spain Princess Haifa Al-Mogrin visited the Ministry of Interior’s pavilion at the conference. She was briefed on the ministry's efforts and initiatives to ensure a safe Hajj experience, including AI-enhanced security systems, digital solutions for crowd management at holy sites, the “No Hajj Without a Permit” campaign, and the Makkah Route initiative.


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Updated 15 January 2025
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Saudi FM arrives in Thailand on official visit

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Bangkok for an official visit to Thailand on Wednesday.

The prince is set to discuss the relationship between Thailand and Saudi Arabia, leading the Kingdom’s delegation at the inaugural meeting of the Saudi-Thai Coordination Council.


Saudi commission registers 3,202 new heritage sites

Updated 15 January 2025
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Saudi commission registers 3,202 new heritage sites

  • Newly registered sites include 16 in Riyadh, eight in Makkah, one in Qassim, two in the Eastern Province, 3,170 in Asir, two in Hail, one in Najran, and two in Baha
  • Commission encouraged citizens and residents to report unregistered heritage sites via the Balagh platform, official social media accounts, or local branches

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission has registered 3,202 new sites in the National Urban Heritage Register, bringing the total to 28,202.

This reflects the richness of Saudi Arabia’s heritage and efforts to document and protect it, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The newly registered sites include 16 in Riyadh, eight in Makkah, one in Qassim, two in the Eastern Province, 3,170 in Asir, two in Hail, one in Najran, and two in Baha.

This registration follows the promulgation of the Antiquities, Museums and Urban Heritage Law; and a decision by the commission’s board of directors authorizing its CEO to register and protect heritage and archaeological sites.

The commission encouraged citizens and residents to report unregistered heritage sites via the Balagh platform, official social media accounts, or local branches.


Saudi FM discusses regional developments with Russian counterpart

Updated 15 January 2025
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Saudi FM discusses regional developments with Russian counterpart

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan discussed regional developments and bilateral relations during a phone call with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday. 

The ministers discussed bilateral ties and regional developments, a statement on the Saudi foreign ministry account on platform “X”.