RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’ s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made a phone call to Thai Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Srettha Thavisin, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
During the call, the two sides reviewed Saudi-Thai relations and ways to develop and strengthen them in various fields.
The crown prince also made a call to South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to discuss ties between the two countries and promising opportunities for developing them in various fields.
He also made a call to Indonesian President Joko Widodo to review bilateral relations and issues of common interest.
![]()
Saudi crown prince holds calls with Thai, Korean and Indonesian leaders
Short Url
https://arab.news/264fd
Saudi crown prince holds calls with Thai, Korean and Indonesian leaders
Global fashion leaders compete for foothold in thriving Saudi market
- Saudi Fashion Commission projects growth rates of 48% in retail sales of apparel, footwear by 2025
RIYADH: As Saudi Arabia continues its remarkable journey toward economic diversification and modernization under Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s fashion and sportswear markets have become increasingly significant.
With the Saudi Fashion Commission projecting growth rates of 48 percent in apparel and footwear retail sales by 2025, international fashion brands are now competing for a foothold in the rapidly expanding market.
This trend was evident at the Saudi Lifestyle Week held recently at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center. The event attracted global fashion leaders from Italy, Portugal, Germany and Spain, all seeking to explore opportunities in the Kingdom’s booming fashion industry.
With Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy experiencing 4.6 percent growth in 2023, sectors such as fashion and retail are expected to flourish.
According to the event’s organizers, the Kingdom’s retail space is growing, with 962,000 sq. meters of new retail development anticipated this year.
This expansion — coupled with a young, tech-savvy population increasingly drawn to e-commerce — offers fertile ground for international brands to enter and thrive in the Saudi market.
Alberto Scaccioni, CEO of Ente Moda Italia, shared his insights on the potential of the Saudi market, especially for Italian fashion brands.
He said: “Italian fashion brands are looking to engage with Saudi consumers by offering unique designs that appeal to the younger generation, who are increasingly setting the trends in this region.”
For countries like Portugal, renowned for its footwear industry, Saudi Arabia represents a key target for expansion.
The Portuguese Footwear Association has been closely monitoring the evolution of the Saudi market, especially the rise in demand for high-quality, durable products.
Joao Maia, general manager of the association, said: “Saudi Arabia plays a crucial role in our global strategy as it presents a growing demand for premium footwear, particularly among younger consumers seeking style and comfort.”
Similarly, Koray Suce from Expotim, representing Turkish brands, said that Turkish companies were increasingly focusing on Saudi Arabia as a market ripe with potential.
Suce said: “Growth opportunities for Turkish fashion brands in Saudi Arabia are significant, especially with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 initiative, which is driving consumers toward more diverse and global fashion choices.”
The growth of e-commerce has also shifted the landscape for international fashion brands in Saudi Arabia.
The Kingdom is seeing a steady increase in online apparel stores, with more than 5,000 launched in 2024, according to the event’s organizers.
This trend aligns with the global shift toward online shopping, especially among younger consumers who value convenience and a broader selection of products.
Marlene Oliveira, head of the international unit at Centro de Inteligencia Textil, also known as CENIT, said: “Saudi consumers are increasingly shifting toward online shopping for both apparel and accessories.
“This presents a unique opportunity for brands to expand their digital presence and engage with consumers in a more personalized way.”
One of the main draws for international brands is Saudi Arabia’s growing interest in luxury goods.
The value of luxury fashion purchases across the Gulf reached $9.7 billion in 2021, with Saudi Arabia leading the growth at 19 percent, according to the Fashion Commission.
Rocio Minguez, secretary-general of the Spanish Fur Association, highlighted Spain’s role in meeting this demand.
Minguez said: “Spanish fashion and fur brands are implementing strategies to capture the attention of Saudi consumers by offering high-quality, luxury items that resonate with the Kingdom’s growing appetite for premium products.”
Germany is also looking to expand its footprint in the Saudi market, particularly in the footwear sector.
Manfred Junkert, CEO of the German Footwear Association, spoke about Germany’s interest in the Saudi market.
He said: “We see the Saudi consumer as sophisticated and increasingly drawn to well-made, sustainable products. German footwear brands are planning to capitalize on this by introducing more eco-friendly collections tailored to this market.”
Saudi Arabia’s commitment to diversifying its economy through Vision 2030 has paved the way for substantial growth in the fashion and retail sectors.
The Ministry of Culture’s Fashion Commission is playing a key role in guiding the expansion of the industry, with initiatives like Riyadh Fashion Week garnering international attention.
The commission’s focus on supporting local designers while attracting international brands is transforming Saudi Arabia into a fashion hub.
Federica Dottori, head of international promotion at Sistema Moda Italia, said: “The future of Italian textiles and fashion in Saudi Arabia looks promising, especially with the growing interest in high-quality fabrics and unique designs.
“We are excited to be part of this journey as the Saudi market continues to grow and evolve.”
Prince Mohammed bin Salman Award for Cultural Cooperation opens for nominations
- The awards will recognize individuals and academic or cultural institutions that have contributed to cultural collaborations between Saudi Arabia and China
- Main categories are: Research and Studies in Cultural Fields; Artistic and Creative Works; Translation Between Arabic and Chinese; and Cultural Personality of the Year
RIYADH: Nominations opened on Thursday for the inaugural Prince Mohammed bin Salman Award for Cultural Cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China. They will be accepted at the website www.pmsa.org.sa until the end of February.
The secretary-general of the awards, Abdul Mohsen Al-Aqili, invited academic and cultural institutions in both countries to suggest nominees in four main categories: Research and Studies in Cultural Fields; Artistic and Creative Works; Translation Between Arabic and Chinese; and Cultural Personality of the Year.
Other than the personality of the year category, which is open to individuals, the nominees can be cultural or academic institutions or individuals, and they can nominate themselves.
“The Award is governed by general conditions, the most important of which is that the nominee must be a Saudi or Chinese,” said Al-Aqili.
Nominated work must “achieve the main goal of the awards, which is to contribute to strengthening cultural communication in general, and between the Arab and Chinese cultures in particular.”
The awards are based on the values of cultural openness and communication between peoples, and they will be governed by the principles of objectivity, integrity, transparency and intellectual property rights, he added.
The scheme will place a particular focus on the youth of both countries, with the aim of investing in their technical and artistic skills to help enhance cultural communication, Al-Aqili said.
Rare sand cat spotted in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region
- The sand cat is a small-sized nocturnal animal that only comes out after dark in search of food
- It became almost extinct due to poaching and natural habitat destruction
RIYADH: A rare species of an endangered cat was recently spotted in the east of Arar in the Northern Borders region.
The sand cat is a small-sized nocturnal animal that only comes out after dark in search of food.
The cat, which became almost extinct due to poaching and natural habitat destruction, is now reappearing in nature due to the spread of natural reserves and the establishment of ecosystems that preserve it and contribute to its reproduction.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the cat stays in burrows during the day to avoid high temperatures, and to stay hydrated and satiated.
It lives in sandy and stony desert areas, away from people, in rugged terrain that abounds with plants.
Nasser Al-Majlad, president of the Aman Environmental Association in the Northern Borders region, said that the area was abundant with many wild animals of different categories, species and types, due to the different surrounding conditions, such as the diversity of the terrain; mountains, plateaus, plains, valleys and reefs, in addition to the spread of different kinds of annual and seasonal plants.
He said that the sand cat feeds on small rodents, lizards and snakes, hunts its prey at night when it has the ability to see fully in the dark, and can survive without water as it receives all hydration from its prey.
The female gives birth in burrows or among rocks, once and sometimes twice a year after a gestation period of between 59 to 68 days. It gives birth to a litter of three to four kittens, which are unable to see for ten days, but begin to be self-reliant in hunting prey after three or four months.
Al-Majlad said that the sand cat has a sandy to pale yellow-orange coat, with light-colored markings on the top of its body. Its front legs had two black rings and its tail feature two to five black rings with buff bands.
It has a white belly, a broad flattened head and large, black-tipped and triangular ears, and sharp hearing. The thick hair spread between its fingers and feet protects its paws from the heat of the earth in the summer, and provides the stability to walk on sand dunes.
Al-Majlad said that currently the sand cat only faced threat from hunting by humans. As for its natural enemies, it could protect itself well by quickly running away or hiding in burrows that it dug under perennial trees.
Saudi Arabia can achieve clean water entirely by renewable energy-powered desalination, executives say
- Kingdom already has several desalination plants powered by renewable energy
RIYADH: A nationwide supply of clean water produced entirely by renewable energy-powered desalination in Saudi Arabia is possible, according to top industry executives.
Mohammed Al-Hajjaj, CEO of Engie Saudi Arabia, spoke to Arab News about how advances in technology and affordability meant that fully renewable desalination is a possibility.
“In recent years, we have seen significant advances in energy storage, making it not only feasible and practical, but also increasingly affordable,” he said on the sidelines of the Solar & Storage Live KSA exhibition in Riyadh on Wednesday.
“We anticipate that in the coming years, technological advances will enable the integration of full desalination powered entirely by renewable energy sources, combined with energy storage solutions.”
Al-Hajjaj pointed out that several universities and research institutions in Saudi Arabia were developing technology to achieve fully renewable desalination in the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia already has several desalination plants that are powered by renewable energy — including the 90,000 m3/day Al-Khafji and the 600,000 m3/day Jazlah.
Several more are in development, including Engie’s 450,000 m3/day Yanbu 4 and 570,000 m3/day Jubail 3B.
Significant development is needed to increase the capacity of green desalination in the country, which produced an average of 13.2 million m3/day of desalinated water in 2023.
As well as building solar-power desalination plants, Saudi Arabia has big ambitions to decarbonize its entire energy grid and achieve a 50/50 mix of renewable and gas by 2030.
Francois-Xavier Boul, Engie’s managing director MENA (Middle East and North Africa), echoed Al-Hajjaj’s optimism over renewable desalination.
He said: “With the grid becoming greener and greener, you can see a day where that becomes possible.”
One factor that has historically incurred additional costs for renewable energy systems is large-scale battery storage.
Due to intermittency issues — when solar panels are not harvesting energy from sunlight overnight, or when wind levels fall causing turbines to stop spinning — battery storage systems are one way of achieving round-the-clock renewable energy.
Building large battery systems does add costs, but on a positive note for renewable energy utilities providers and governments looking to cut emissions, those costs are plummeting.
A 2023 report from the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory predicted that battery prices would continue to fall through to at least 2050.
Developers from around the world gathered in Riyadh on Wednesday for the Solar & Storage Live KSA exhibition.
The event brought together global renewable companies intending to cultivate new opportunities in Saudi Arabia’s path to net zero.
With ambitious targets to increase renewable energy capacity, the Kingdom is a fertile ground for developers.
Some of the world’s largest solar projects are being built in the country, including the 1.5-GW Sudair, 2-GW Shuaibah 2, 2-GW Ar Rass 2, and 2-GW Haden.
Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman announced in December 2023 a significant acceleration in the country’s renewable energy program.
The Kingdom will add 20 GW of renewable energy capacity every year, aiming to achieve a total of 130 GW by 2030.
The new target is a significant step up from the previous target of 58.7 GW. To achieve it, the country’s Ministry of Energy will be responsible for meeting 30 percent of the new capacity, while the Public Investment Fund is developing 70 percent with ACWA Power.
Smugglers of qat arrested in Jazan, Asir
JAZAN: Saudi Arabia’s Border Guard officers in the Al-Dair area of Jazan have arrested an Ethiopian national for allegedly smuggling 114 kg of qat into the country.
Meanwhile, authorities in the Al-Ardah area of Jazan foiled an alleged attempt to smuggle 280 kg of qat across the border.
Elsewhere, land patrols of the Border Guard in the Al-Rabuah area of the Asir region arrested four Yemeni nationals for allegedly smuggling 122 kg of qat.
All the suspects have been referred to the country’s prosecution authorities, according to recent Saudi Press Agency reports.
The government has urged citizens and residents to report drug smuggling or selling by calling 911 in Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and 999 in other parts of the Kingdom.
Reports to the General Directorate of Narcotics Control can be submitted by calling the number 995 or emailing [email protected].
Latest updates
© 2024 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.