Saudi Arabia joins air taxi race

CGI of a concept design for a Vertiport developed for Urban Air Mobility by Setec and its partners. (Supplied)
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Updated 10 December 2023
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Saudi Arabia joins air taxi race

  • French engineering firm Setec Group a key partner in sustainable transport
  • ‘We’re trying to put our green touch and valued engineering expertise to have buildings and assets with lower impact on the environment,’ says official

RIYADH: French engineering and consulting firm Setec Group is working on urban air mobility in the Kingdom.

The concept being developed with the company’s European partners and manufacturers aims to provide air mobility for people and goods.

With Dubai expecting to launch its first flying taxi by 2026, and countries considering the service as a way to ease traffic conditions, Saudi Arabia is also joining the race for air mobility.




King Salman Park is the world’s largest urban park in the heart of Riyadh, with multidisciplinary engineering design by Setec. (Supplied)

The French integrated engineering solutions provider is developing new mobility solutions, especially for the Gulf region, with the development of public transport and soft mobility services for smart cities.

“It is like an air taxi. We have developed a preliminary feasibility study for Riyadh, to connect Riyadh with the new centralities that are being developed in the vicinity, namely Diriyah and Qiddiyah, and the service might be implemented in the coming years, to ease the road infrastructure, and for fast transit between the different centralities,” Patrick Bteich, a partner at Setec Group, told Arab News en Francais.

“Air mobility needs special permits from various ministries,and you need to work on corridors to mitigate security issues … from pilot to the implementation, it can take a few years depending on the regulation. But it’s a project that could be developed for Vision 2030,” Bteich added.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Urban air mobility would serve to ease traffic conditions.

• Dubai expects to launch its first flying taxi by 2026.

• Setec Group is one amongst several French companies working in AlUla.

Development of AlUla in recent years has witnessed significant French-Saudi collaboration through the AfAlUla and RCU intergovernmental agreement. The partnerships demonstrate the Kingdom’s ambition to make AlUla a leading international destination for culture and tourism.

Setec Group is one amongst several French companies working in AlUla.

The engineering firm’s presence in AlUla falls in line with the intergovernmental agreement, as well as the group’s desire to expand its presence in the western parts of the Kingdom.




Patrick Bteich, Setec Group partner

The French group, which is also working on King Salman Park and the development of metro lines, aims to “help the Kingdom reach its objectives as part of Vision 2030,” Bteich said.

“We’re looking to position ourselves, working on iconic buildings in terms of assets, high-rise tower projects, and we are interested in all the metro and LRT (light rail transit) developments that are happening in the region. In Riyadh, we have line extensions that are going to be floated to the market, including the Qiddiya LRT,” he added.

In its manifesto for low-carbon construction, Setec Group committed to offering low-carbon alternatives on its projects.

Our motto today is resilience and adapting to climate change, which is quite important in the region knowing that heat waves may become stronger and last longer.

Patrick Bteich, Setec Group partner

“We’re also trying to put our green touch and valued engineering expertise to have buildings and assets with lower impact on the environment. Our motto today is resilience and adapting to climate change, which is quite important in the region knowing that heat waves may become stronger and last longer,” he added.

The engineering firm is focused on international expansion, which makes up more than 30 percent of its activity.

With established offices in KSA, the UAE, and Egypt, the group is centering its efforts and business development in Saudi Arabia, in line with the Kingdom’s mega projects, with three offices across the country.




The Louis Vuitton Foundation, a contemporary art center located in the Bois de Boulogne, Paris. Architectural design by Frank Gehry and multidisciplinary engineering design by Setec. (Supplied)

“In the Kingdom, we are now finalizing our work on the King Salman Park, the landscape design with our partners Gerber Architekten (German architects) and Buro Happold (English engineers), and we have submitted the last package at the end of October, and the construction is underway and within budget. The project is expected to open soon,” Bteich said.

Setec is also working on the project management for Diriyah Gate and has worked on project management within the FAST consortium on 3 out of the 6 metro lines of Riyadh.

“The core of our activity is related to transport and infrastructure: Metros, trains, highways, high-speed lines, airports … this is around 60 percent to 65 percent of our activity, and this was the core activity when we started, with complex structures,” he added.

Among its flagship projects, Setec worked on the French section of the underwater Channel Tunnel between France and the UK.

The group also designed the Viaduc de Millau, the world’s tallest cable-stayed bridge, as well as iconic buildings including the Louis Vuitton Foundation Museum in France, the Tribunal de Justice in Paris, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

“We assist architects in the design to make the project happen … we had the chance to meet key clients from Saudi Arabia recently and it is going to open good opportunities for collaboration,” Bteich said.

Setec Group includes more than 40 companies. The firm develops feasibility studies leading to detailed design studies, environmental impact assessments, and offers client site supervision and consulting services.

 

 

 


Saudi FM arrives in Italy to attend G7 ministerial meeting

Updated 9 sec ago
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Saudi FM arrives in Italy to attend G7 ministerial meeting

RIYADH: Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Italy on Sunday to participate in an expanded ministerial meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) countries in Fiuggi, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The meeting will discuss the current situation in the Middle East, SPA added.

During his stay in Fiuggi, Prince Faisal will hold a number of discussions that will address regional and international issues.


World’s first International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicks off in Riyadh

Updated 24 November 2024
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World’s first International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicks off in Riyadh

  • Top World Health Organization official commends Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the field

RIYADH: The inaugural International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicked off in Riyadh on Sunday. 

The event unites leading medical experts, humanitarian organizations, and families from around the globe to share vital insights, discuss innovative separation techniques, and forge collaborative pathways in the pursuit of improved lives for conjoined twins. 

Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar delivered a speech on behalf of King Salman celebrating the achievements of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, which has become a global leader in the field.

“Since 1990, 143 cases of twins from 26 countries have been reviewed by my dear colleagues, who have successfully separated a total of 61 pairs of twins to date,” he said. 

Prince Faisal added that it is the only program globally specializing in separating conjoined twins, making it one of the largest humanitarian medical programs in the world. 

He also highlighted a recent milestone: the UN General Assembly is considering an initiative by Saudi Arabia to designate Nov. 24 as the annual World Conjoined Twins Day.

In a video address, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, congratulated Saudi Arabia on its leadership in organizing the conference.

“I commend Saudi Arabia for its leadership in organizing this important World Conjoined Twins Day Conference,” he said. 

This recognition would honor the medical and humanitarian efforts in this field and highlight the challenges faced by conjoined twins and their families. 

Ghebreyesus praised the initiative as a model for global collaboration in rare and complex medical cases. 

“The conference provides critical insights, from surgical innovations to long-term strategies, shaping rare initiatives. A broader platform and registry for congenital anomalies would benefit low and middle-income countries,” he said.

A keynote address was delivered by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, advisor to the Royal Court and supervisor-general of Saudi aid agency KSrelief.

As the head of the multidisciplinary team for the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, Al-Rabeeah provided insights into the occurrence and challenges associated with conjoined twins.

The history of conjoined twin separation reveals both the challenges and progress in medical science. 

“The first successful separation was by Johannes Fatio back in 1689 by using a constricting band for a set of Omphalopagus twins or those sharing liver and gastrointestinal organs,” he said.

With a 0.5 percent incidence rate, this early success involved “presumably, a small joining in the skin, probably a little bit of the liver,” said Al-Rabeeah. 

He added that a major breakthrough came in 1957 with the first successful separation of Craniopagus, or twins sharing one brain. 

Al-Rabeeah said that the epidemiology shows distinct patterns: “In Western countries, it’s been estimated that we get one conjoined twins in every 50 to 200,000 births.” 

He added that, however, it is more prevalent in Southeast Asia and Africa, “presumably because identical twinning and twinning is (found) more in dark-skinned people in Africa and also in Southeast Asia, increasing the incidence.”

The survival statistics, Al-Rabeeah reported, entail that “60 percent of conjoined twins are stillborn, and those who live 40 percent of them will die in the first few days of life, and 70 percent of those who would survive will be females.”

He emphasized that the reasons behind this regional disparity remain unknown and require further research.

Throughout the conference, leading medical professionals presented their expertise on various aspects of caring for and separating conjoined twins. Topics included embryology, multidisciplinary team-building, antenatal care, and labor management. 

Dr. Nadia Al-Ghilan, from the maternal-fetal medicine department at King Abdulaziz Medical City, gave a presentation titled “Caring for Conjoined Twins: A Prenatal Journey,” describing the complex process of managing pregnancies involving conjoined twins.  

She said that caring for conjoined twins is a complex and delicate process as it requires meticulous prenatal planning and a dedicated medical team.

Al-Ghilan said that “this journey is filled with unique challenges, ethical considerations, and the utmost care to ensure the best possible outcomes for the twins and their family.” 

Early diagnosis, she stressed, is critical for effective prenatal referral, counseling, and planning for delivery and postnatal care.  

Al-Ghilan also underscored the importance of genetic testing in understanding the chromosomal health of conjoined twins. 

“Techniques like amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling can help identify genetic abnormalities, providing valuable information for developing treatment strategies.”

The conference not only serves as a platform for scientific exchange but also fosters dialogue on building global partnerships to support conjoined twins and their families, particularly in low and middle income countries. The conference emphasized the importance of comprehensive care, from prenatal counseling to post-separation rehabilitation. 

For over 30 years, the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program has stood as a beacon of hope for families worldwide. The inaugural International Conference on Conjoined Twins is set to continue this legacy, inspiring further advancements in the care and treatment of conjoined twins globally. 


Doctor describes difficulties in separating twins joined at the skull

Baby girls Rital and Ritag Gaboura, two craniopagus twins, lie on a bed at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.
Updated 24 November 2024
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Doctor describes difficulties in separating twins joined at the skull

  • “Conjoined twins are rare, as has been said, but ‘cranomalies’ are extremely rare,” Dr. Felice D’Arco said

RIYADH: A London-based medical expert at a conference in Riyadh revealed the difficulties in separating a rare form of conjoined twins in which the patients are joined at the skull.

Dr. Felice D’Arco, consultant pediatric neurologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, spoke during the International Conference on Conjoined Twins on Sunday about the condition, which occurs in about one of every 2.5 million births worldwide.

“Conjoined twins are rare, as has been said, but ‘cranomalies’ are extremely rare,” he said.

For radiologists, this means there are no standardized CT and MRI scanning protocols in place for such complex cases, and very few recent cases from which to learn.

“We have protocols for everything, epilepsy, tumors, neurogenetic disorders, this is not the case for craniopagus twins because of their rarity,” D’Arco said.

Medical teams must be set in place, and there must be two of everything; two anesthetic teams, two sets of MRI monitoring, etc., the whole hospital staff is involved in what is considered as an operation taking place on two patients simultaneously, D’Arco explained.

While there is a need to standardize procedures, Dr. D’Arco acknowledged that every set of twins is unique.

“As a radiologist, you need to have the flexibility to change your protocol as needed.”

Therefore, he said, it is best to start with a series of questions relating to different critical parts of the body.

One potential issue is the bones. A dual source CT scan can inform radiologists which parts of the skull of each patient is infused, or “missing,” in the other.

Another problem is the relationship between the brains. D’Arco said that small breaches connecting the two brains, identified by 3D sequencing, present a risk that surgery will cause damage.

Considering the possible ethical and medical complications that could come up in cases in which one of the twins is at risk of dying, he said: “Sometimes you need to ask, can we separate without jeopardizing the lives of the children? These cases are complicated, baffling, and confusing.”


Riyadh Music Week to spotlight Saudi talent, creativity

Saudi Arabia’s Music Commission is poised to launch the inaugural Riyadh Music Week, running from Dec. 5 to 14 in the capital.
Updated 24 November 2024
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Riyadh Music Week to spotlight Saudi talent, creativity

  • Event will include global summits, local performances, awards and cultural displays 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Music Commission, in collaboration with MDLBeast and the Saudi Research and Media Group, is poised to launch the inaugural Riyadh Music Week, running from Dec. 5 to 14 at various venues in the Saudi capital.

The event will spotlight the Kingdom’s growing music sector, highlighting its creative and commercial evolution. It will also serve as a platform for dialogue with international stakeholders on music policy and development.

Among the highlights is the Global Music Makers Summit, a premier gathering of industry leaders and policymakers from around the world.

The event will also celebrate Saudi traditional music, with small venues in Riyadh hosting performances to show off local musicians’ diversity and talent.

The week will also host the Music Cities Convention and Awards, which will be held in the Middle East for the first time.

Riyadh Music Week will include panel discussions, seminars and workshops led by industry experts, covering the latest global music trends.

The program incorporates key events from Riyadh’s music calendar, such as XP Music Futures, SoundStorm, and the inaugural Billboard Arabia Music Awards.

The week provides a unique platform for local and international collaboration, celebrating Saudi Arabia’s rich musical heritage and dynamic contemporary scene.

By supporting emerging and established artists, Riyadh Music Week underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to nurturing talent and growing its music industry.

The Saudi Music Commission, established in February 2020, leads this transformation, focusing on equal access to education, empowering talent and boosting the local economy.

Its efforts aim to enhance the Kingdom’s global musical identity while building world-class infrastructure and creating new industry opportunities.


Bangladesh Days celebrates heritage in Riyadh

Updated 24 November 2024
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Bangladesh Days celebrates heritage in Riyadh

RIYADH: The Bangladesh Days, held as part of Riyadh Season under the theme “Global Harmony,” concluded Saturday night at Al-Suwaidi Park, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Organized by the Ministry of Media and the General Entertainment Authority, the event attracted people of all ages and backgrounds, who were able to enjoy a rich cultural experience reflecting the diversity of Bangladeshi heritage.

Bangladesh Days offered visitors the opportunity to taste renowned Bengali cuisine, purchase traditional clothing and artisanal items, and attend folkloric performances.

The activities provided a comprehensive experience, offering a close-up look at the vibrant traditions of Bangladesh and reflecting the cultural diversity Riyadh Season seeks to highlight.

The “Global Harmony” initiative celebrates a variety of cultures, including those of India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Sudan, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Bangladesh, and Egypt.

Riyadh Season has already drawn more than 6 million visitors from around the world, according to Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.