RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a global leader in the space industry by unveiling initiatives that emphasize innovation, sustainability and international collaboration.

At the heart of this strategy is the launch of the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) in Riyadh and its Center for Space Futures, hosted by the Saudi Space Agency.

This transformative initiative comes at a pivotal moment for the space sector, as the industry faces increasing demand for fresh approaches.

The C4IR reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to pioneering solutions that will drive growth and innovation in the global space economy. It is also a key pillar of Vision 2030 — Saudi Arabia’s roadmap to economic diversification and technological advancement.

Speaking to Arab News, Nikolai Khlystov, lead for space technology at the World Economic Forum, described the initiative as timely. “The space industry is transforming very rapidly right now,” he told Arab News. “There is a need for new and innovative approaches.

“The Center for Space Futures is being created at a really interesting time. It will provide a new way to bring together different actors and introduce fresh perspectives and discussions just at the time when lots of new ideas and visions are being created.”

The center will act as a platform for collaboration between stakeholders across government, private industry, and international organizations. By fostering these connections, the center is expected to accelerate the development of innovative solutions for space challenges.

One of the primary missions of the C4IR is addressing the challenge of sustainability in space. Orbital debris and increasing satellite traffic present significant risks to the safety and future of space missions.

“This is specifically getting at the issue of traffic — the increase in traffic of satellites that we have, and the resulting increased risk of collisions,” said Khlystov.

“We have more and more active satellites giving us all this valuable data, but we also have many older debris fragments, both small and large, still floating up there.”

To address these issues, Khlystov said the C4IR is collaborating with WEF on its first major project. “We are working actively to see where we can find common ground and make small advances when it comes to the challenge of orbital debris and sustainability in orbit.

“By bringing together different actors and putting forward innovative ideas — whether it’s best practices or financial mechanisms — we hope to address these challenges.”

Neglecting sustainability could endanger scientific missions and the broader space economy.

By focusing on innovative solutions like satellite recycling, deorbiting technologies, and traffic management, Saudi Arabia is taking a proactive approach to ensure the long-term sustainability of space activities.

Saudi Arabia’s investments in the space industry are aligned with its goal of becoming a major contributor to the global space economy. With a combination of strategic global partnerships and a strong domestic industrial base, Saudi Arabia is uniquely positioned to drive innovation.

“The Kingdom is really well positioned on the global arena, and it has also notable and innovative domestic industrial players,” said Khlystov.

“In terms of creating new economic models, particularly when it comes to space, it will be important to engage lots of industry on the ground.”

The economic impact of space activities is largely felt on Earth through the application of space data. “The biggest chunk of the impact of space activities is actually on the ground,” said Khlystov.

“It’s through space data — diverse satellite-generated data — which significantly impacts various industries.”

These applications, which include Earth observation, navigation, and connectivity, are already proving invaluable in sectors such as energy, minerals, and disaster management.

Saudi Arabia’s focus on leveraging space data aligns with its broader goals of improving efficiency and resilience in its domestic industries.

Public-private collaboration is deemed critical to the success of the space sector, particularly in addressing challenges like orbital debris and sustainability. Saudi Arabia’s global positioning makes it uniquely suited to lead such efforts.

“Public-private collaboration is key in this sector because it is a global sector by nature,” said Khlystov. “The Kingdom can lead on some of these key questions when it comes to space sector evolution, opportunities, and also challenges, particularly the challenge of space sustainability.”

The C4IR is designed to foster these collaborations by bringing together government agencies, private companies, and international organizations.

By building strong partnerships, Saudi Arabia is creating the foundation for a thriving space industry that benefits both regional and global stakeholders.

The global space industry is teeming with emerging technologies that promise to revolutionize the sector. While some, like asteroid mining and microgravity manufacturing, are still in their infancy, they represent exciting opportunities for the future.

“There are lots of exciting technologies being developed right now,” said Khlystov.

“There is, of course, the future applications where we’re going to be able to deorbit satellites and address this issue of space debris. Maybe refuel them, recycle them. Perhaps in the future, we’re also going to be able to manufacture different materials in orbit.”

Building a thriving space industry requires the right infrastructure and ecosystem. Saudi Arabia is already taking significant steps in this direction.

“The Kingdom already has many building blocks in place, including significant land resources, laboratory spaces for research and development, and an emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Khlystov.

“Establishing strong local champions, like the Neo Space Group, is crucial for driving innovation and growth.”

Saudi Arabia’s efforts to foster a healthy startup ecosystem and invest in infrastructure, such as dedicated laboratories, are laying the foundation for a sustainable and innovative space sector.

Saudi Arabia’s hosting of international events, such as the “Connecting the World from the Skies” global forum, is another key aspect of its space strategy. These events provide a platform for dialogue and collaboration.

“These events are absolutely essential because they bring together different actors from around the world,” said Khlystov. “When you host these conferences in places like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it brings key actors together and facilitates dialogue.

“It also helps build new relationships while addressing important global discussions.”

By hosting such events, Saudi Arabia is fostering international partnerships that will advance the global space agenda.

With the launch of the C4IR and its focus on sustainability, innovation, and collaboration, Saudi Arabia is shaping the future of the global space industry.

“Congratulations to the Kingdom,” said Khlystov. “It’s going to be really exciting to see how these activities evolve, and we’re very much looking forward to the outcomes.”

RIYADH: Much of Saudi Arabia’s progress is “irreversible” due to its popularity among young people, an EU human rights emissary has told Arab News.

Olof Skoog, EU special representative for human rights, sat down with Arab News to discuss the progress made by the Kingdom, ahead of the 4th EU-KSA Human Rights Dialogue that took place in Riyadh on Tuesday.

Regarding the changes in recent years, Skoog said: “I see them very much as genuine reforms. Saudi Arabia (has) a very youthful population. The country is quickly modernizing, in a way, more attuned to what happens around the world, and the young people are very much onto that.”

“That’s why I think that much of what is happening here is irreversible, in a way, because the next generation is going to demand to maintain these rights, at least, for girls and women.

“The more you see women take a very strong part in the entire workforce here, from lawyers to doctors to judges and politicians, I think that’s also going to be an irreversible inspiration for the next generation.”

Elaborating on Saudi Arabia’s progress in women’s rights, Skoog added: “I’ve been very impressed with the changes for women in particular.

“And during a very short period of time, a lot has happened for empowering women, including in the workforce. This is something we are happy to see. And, I’d like to encourage further steps in favor of equality in Saudi Arabia,” he said.

Under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, women’s rights have seen significant advancements, beginning with the 2018 lift of the ban on driving.

These reforms have extended into increased workforce participation, initiatives to empower women in the workforce, greater legal and social protections, increased leadership roles in government and business, participation in security and military service, and autonomy over travel and personal decisions.

Skoog also discussed the importance of addressing remaining challenges in both Saudi Arabia and the EU.

He said that there is still progress to be made by Saudi Arabia when compared with European societies, but also acknowledged the shared shortcomings of both regions: “Unfortunately, in all societies, including in Europe, there’s difficulties when it comes to gender-based violence, for instance, and we are trying to mobilize strong legislation and campaigns against that.”

Part of the EU’s role around the world is to promote and engage with civil society organizations and create a well-rounded space for them to share concerns.

With the delicate matter of addressing human rights issues seems to be a challenge to balance while promoting strong diplomatic and political ties, Skoog ensures that it does not have to be.

“I think Saudi Arabia is very much showing right now in this reform agenda that any authority, government and leadership needs to be very attentive to the interests, rights and aspirations of their population,” he said.

“It’s very much about human rights. It’s very much about building a strong contract between the population and the government, or the government and the population.

“It’s political rights, it’s civic rights, but it’s also economic, social and cultural rights, and they all go together.”

The special representative said that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2034 will bring global attention to the country’s labor laws, as was the case with Qatar when it hosted the event in 2022.

“​​I think with the World Cup, it’s just going to raise scrutiny from the outside world, even more to Saudis, you know, the construction industry and with everything that’s going to have to happen here,” he said.

A new area both entities are working hard to address is ensuring that the private sector is compliant with international obligations in promoting dignity and human rights in its workforce, supply chains, digital presence and sustainable practices.

“There’s quite a lot there that the EU is busy trying to make sure that, you know, if we find that the private sector is unable to voluntarily commit to certain codes of conduct or rules we’ve established, sets of regulations that bind them to it…

“The private sector companies that want to do business within in Europe need to show that they are responsible and sustainable in their supply chains,” he said.

While the EU provides a sense of guidance on the international standards of human rights conduct, collaboration is, ultimately, a two-way street.

The representative spoke about the importance of meaningful cross-regional dialogue, including criticism of the EU itself.

“There’s been, over the years, strong migratory pressures on the EU, as on many others, especially after 2015 with what happened in Syria then. I think that has also tested the EU’s commitment to international obligations when it comes to asylum and that kind of thing,” Skoog said.

“We also have xenophobia, racism, or antisemitism, or anti-Muslim expressions in our societies that need to be dealt with,” he added.

“No society is free from challenges and trying to strike the right balance between freedom of expression, but not in a way that brings hatred or also incites violence.”