LONDON: Saudi Arabia is “incredibly concerned” about regional security following Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and the situation in Gaza, the Kingdom’s foreign minister said on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan told a panel titled “Securing an Insecure World” that de-escalation in the Red Sea is essential, and that Riyadh will continue to “engage with all stakeholders” after US and UK airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen last week.
While “clearly connected with the war in Gaza,” it is important that the conflict in the Palestinian enclave is addressed separately, he said.
“We need to focus on the war in Gaza not because of the Red Sea,” he told the panel. “We need to focus on the war in Gaza because of its impact on the Palestinians, first, but on regional security in general and on the risks it poses for further escalation.”
Prince Faisal said since Israel began military operations in Gaza, nearly 30,000 Palestinians have died and humanitarian aid is still being heavily restricted, but he has “not seen any real sign” that Tel Aviv is achieving its strategic objectives.
He praised parts of the international community for “moving more in the direction” of calling for a cease-fire, adding that peace between the two sides “will resolve many of the challenges that we have in the region.”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called the war “a total disaster” and reiterated that the “only way out” of the ongoing situation is a two-state solution.
However, she said “a cease-fire, unfortunately, doesn’t fall from the sky” and can only be achieved if both sides “are ready.”
Baerbock said a “vicious circle” of blame is preventing a cease-fire from happening, but insisted that first and foremost, Hamas needs to lay down its weapons and release all remaining hostages in Gaza.
“The answer is there on the table,” she said. “But we can’t ignore that the majority of hostages are still (with) Hamas.”
US Sen. Christopher Coons said he is “optimistic” that peace can be achieved based on talks between American senators and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh in 2023, as well as meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv and Egyptian President Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi in Cairo.
However, Coons added that conditions in Gaza are worsening daily, and that Netanyahu has built a political career out of opposing a two-state solution.
Prince Faisal said he is heartened by the “concrete agreement” among major nations that the current situation is untenable, adding: “We need to translate that into action.”
He said Riyadh will continue to work with Washington “toward a much better future for the region,” and raised the possibility of future Saudi recognition of Israel if peace with the Palestinians could be reached.
Coons hinted that a series of elections in Western countries in 2024 could potentially affect the shape of the current set of Middle East crises.
He said Iran’s role in conflicts ranging from Yemen to Ukraine needs to be recognized, but talked down any possibility that a return to the White House for former President Donald Trump would lead to a US withdrawal from NATO. “The US rarely ratifies defense treaties, but when we do, we keep them,” Coons said.
Citing growing concerns about inter-regional conflicts, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said: “What happens in Asia matters for Europe.”
He also noted that Iran is aiding Russia in Ukraine, selling Moscow military drones and helping it construct drone and munitions facilities in Tatarstan.
But he said there is cause for optimism for Ukrainians, noting Russia’s failure to make major progress following the early days of the invasion, and highlighting Kyiv’s success in opening up channels for the export of grain through the Black Sea.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said nobody wants to live in a world “where only the strongest survive,” adding that her country had felt compelled to join NATO because of Russia’s aggression, highlighting Moscow’s use of “hybrid strategies” to push “third-party citizens” from other countries into Europe via Finland’s border.
Pointing to Finland’s right to security, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yussuf Tuggar said: “What the minister says could apply just as much to Palestine — they have the right.”
He said the world needs to see concrete changes in the makeup of global security institutions, bemoaning a decline in international diplomacy, and adding that a country such as Nigeria should have a place on the UN Security Council. The UNSC “needs to democratize,” Tuggar said. “Clearly it isn’t fit for purpose.”
He added: “Nigeria is a large country. It’s the most populous country on the continent of Africa. It has a population of 220 million people — it’s going to be 400 million by the year 2050. It belongs in the UN Security Council.”
Saudi Arabia ‘incredibly concerned’ about Red Sea, Gaza security, FM tells WEF
https://arab.news/vbp4f
Saudi Arabia ‘incredibly concerned’ about Red Sea, Gaza security, FM tells WEF
- Prince Faisal says peace between Israel, Palestinians ‘will resolve many of the challenges’ Mideast faces
- Riyadh will continue to work with Washington ‘toward a much better future for the region,’ foreign minister says
How Saudi Arabia is using innovation, research, and regulation to turn waste into a circular economy success
- Engineering, AI and cross-sector partnerships are driving sustainable solutions to manage 110 million tons of waste annually
- New laws, financial incentives and rising investor interest are reshaping the Kingdom’s waste management and recycling landscape
RIYADH: As Saudi Arabia accelerates toward a circular economy under Vision 2030, experts say universities, research institutions, and business leaders are playing a crucial role in developing innovative waste management solutions that align with national sustainability goals.
In early 2024, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture announced a waste management plan aiming to recycle up to 95 percent of waste and add SR120 billion ($31.99 billion) to the Kingdom’s gross domestic product.
Saudi Arabia generates more than 110 million tons of waste each year, much of it originating from cities like Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. Its waste management market is projected to grow from $5.97 billion in 2025 to $8.72 billion by 2030, according to Mordor Intelligence.
To meet this challenge, academic partnerships, regulatory reforms and emerging technologies are coming together to reshape the sector, Sultan Al-Muaythir, chairman of the civil engineering department at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, told Arab News.
Forming knowledge-sharing agreements with leading countries in waste management, he said, is a strategic step toward building a sustainable, locally adapted system that draws on global best practices and aligns with Saudi Arabia’s circular economy ambitions.
To drive innovation in the sector, Al-Muaythir emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary support. Fields like civil engineering, landfill and waste management, geotechnical engineering, and soil sciences all contribute to the design and development of critical infrastructure.
Mechanical engineering plays a key role in advancing collection and treatment equipment, while chemical, agricultural and biotechnology engineering disciplines help analyze waste composition and develop transformation processes.
Electrical engineering, he added, is essential for operating smart systems and managing energy generated through treatment.
Al-Muaythir also pointed to the Kingdom’s updated regulatory landscape, particularly the introduction of the Waste Management Law and its executive regulations, as a strong foundation for encouraging innovation and investment in sustainable practices.
He explained that the next phase calls for faster plan implementation, broader international research collaboration and direct incentives for advanced processing technologies — steps that would speed up the Kingdom’s progress toward its environmental and development goals.
While government action is essential, Al-Muaythir said innovation in waste management is not a luxury, but a necessity for building a clean environment and a functioning circular economy.
He added that individual responsibility plays an equally important role. “Adopting conscious behaviors towards waste and committing to sorting and reuse/recycling constitute the first building blocks in creating a more sustainable future,” he said.
Expanding on this vision, Abdullah Alakel, chairman of the Saudi Scientific Research and Innovation Association, said waste management innovation is a cornerstone of Vision 2030’s broader goal to build a circular and sustainable economy.
He told Arab News that scientific research is a key driver in tackling environmental challenges — from recycling and waste-to-energy technologies to the use of artificial intelligence to improve sorting and collection processes — ultimately boosting operational efficiency and reducing environmental harm.
To support this ecosystem, the association provides business incubators and innovation accelerators, offering technical and financial assistance. It also facilitates connections between researchers, donors and investors to help turn ideas into market-ready solutions.
Alakel noted that several joint initiatives with academic and industrial partners are already underway, including efforts to convert organic waste into economic products such as fertilizers and biofuels.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Saudi Arabia aims to recycle up to 95 percent of its waste by 2040. Waste management sector is projected to contribute $32bn to GDP by 2040.
• Half of the Kingdom’s waste comes from Riyadh (21 percent), Jeddah (14 percent) and Dammam (8 percent).
(Sources: Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and the National Center for Waste Management)
Other projects aim to develop scalable recycling technologies and improve overall waste management efficiency.
Beyond research, the association works to foster a culture of sustainability across society. Alakel said it organizes public awareness campaigns, educational workshops in schools and universities, and national competitions that encourage creative, environmentally responsible solutions.
He added that the association plays a critical role in bridging academia and implementation by hosting scientific conferences, building strategic partnerships and supporting national innovation deployment in alignment with Vision 2030’s environmental goals.
Farah Al-Gharib, CEO of Precision & Choice Environmental Solutions, echoed those views, underscoring the opportunity to enhance coordination between stakeholders as Saudi Arabia moves toward a circular economy.
She told Arab News that aligning regulations, expanding infrastructure for sorting and collection, and stimulating private investment remain key challenges. Raising public awareness and promoting innovation are also essential to achieving sector-wide transformation.
To accelerate progress, Al-Gharib called for a more integrated and flexible system that encourages public-private partnerships. Activating source-level sorting and offering financial incentives to investors, she said, would help drive growth in the sector.
Clear metrics, such as waste reduction, cost savings and job creation, should be used to measure success.
Looking ahead, she expects more companies to invest in smart technologies and expand their collection and treatment networks. Seamless integration across the entire waste value chain — from source to processing and redistribution — is essential, she said, to avoid bottlenecks and uphold the core principles of the circular economy.
“Based on our experience in the sector, we believe that unifying and updating regulations under a single, clear, and transparent regulatory framework would directly contribute to attracting investors, reducing the complexity of procedures and the classification of recyclable products, thereby accelerating regulatory processes and stimulating production,” said Al-Gharib.
She concluded that clear legislation and coordinated responsibilities across authorities are key to scaling up circular economy initiatives effectively and sustainably.
Hayy Cinema hosting classic movie program for children in Jeddah
- The program includes twice daily screenings of classic Arab cartoons that have left a lasting impression on viewers and a complementary range of artistic activities inspired by the films
JEDDAH: Hayy Cinema in Jeddah is running an entertainment program that provides an interactive experience to evoke childhood memories and strengthen cultural bonds between generations.
The program includes twice daily screenings of classic Arab cartoons that have left a lasting impression on viewers and a complementary range of artistic activities inspired by the films.
Hayy Cinema, which is an Art Jameel initiative, provides a unique approach to film presentation. Its facilities include a 168-seat theater, private screening room, multimedia library and an educational exhibition, all designed with architectural inspiration drawn from the history of Gulf cinema.
The children’s program runs until Sunday.
Falcon breeders auction to be launched in August
- The season will start with the International Falcon Breeders Auction, running from Aug. 5-25, showcasing top local and international falcon farms
RIYADH: The Saudi Falcons Club has announced its schedule for the current year, featuring six major events spanning a total of 122 days in Malham, north of Riyadh, and other venues across the Kingdom.
The event is designed to engage a broad audience interested in falconry, hunting and related cultural traditions.
The season will start with the International Falcon Breeders Auction, running from Aug. 5-25, showcasing top local and international falcon farms.
The Saudi Falcons Club Auction will run from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30, serving as a key platform for presenting top local falcons and providing a reliable economic avenue for falconers.
The International Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition, the largest of its kind in the region, will take place from Oct. 2-11. It will feature exhibitors from both within and outside the Kingdom, showcasing the latest equipment and supplies for falconry, hunting, travel, weapons and outdoor adventures.
Saudi transport officials conduct more than 317,000 inspections in June
- Makkah region reported the highest number of offenses at 21,000, followed by Riyadh at 13,000, Eastern Region at 4,508, and Madinah at 3,557
RIYADH: The Saudi Transport General Authority carried out more than 317,000 inspections covering land, sea, and rail transport activities across the Kingdom in June, identifying 51,143 offenses.
Of these, 27,756 were detected through field inspections and 23,387 through automated monitoring, while all efforts involved collaboration with relevant authorities, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Compliance rates were robust, with land transport achieving 94 percent compliance and maritime transport recording an impressive 99 percent. These figures highlight licensees’ strong adherence to the rules and regulations.
Makkah region reported the highest number of offenses at 21,000, followed by Riyadh at 13,000, Eastern Region at 4,508, and Madinah at 3,557. Qassim recorded 1,914 violations, Tabuk 1,316, and Aseer 1,073, while the remaining violations were from other parts of the Kingdom.
Japan’s crown prince visits Saudi pavilion at Osaka Expo
- Visited in the company of Saudi Ambassador to Japan Ghazi Faisal Binzagr.
TOKYO: Japan’s Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Akishino visited Saudi Arabia’s pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai Expo on Thursday, in the company of Saudi Ambassador to Japan Ghazi Faisal Binzagr.
“We were deeply honored by the visit of their Imperial Highnesses,” Binzagr told Arab News Japan. “It was a beautiful visit.”
He noted how much the pair had enjoyed the music of the oud, which was being played as the imperial guests entered the courtyard of the pavilion and which echoed throughout the building owing to the design of the walls and corridors to amplify the sound.
“The imperial couple also enjoyed Saudi coffee and (a selection of various) dates,” Binzagr said, adding that the variety and color of Saudi dates is influenced by the minerals in the soil of each region where they are grown in the Kingdom.
Binzagr said they had discussed the similarities in the cultures of Saudi Arabia and Japan, adding that despite appearing different, they shared a deep pride in their heritage and history, and both countries' ability to link the East and West.
He added that Japan is authentic with what it has but is also able to blend it with foriegn best practices with its great openness. Binzagr said that he believes this makes for something very special that Saudi Arabia also shares with Japan.
“We both value our roots and connectivity, and we both seek to celebrate balance in everything we do,” he said.
At the pavilion, the imperial couple viewed the plan for Riyadh Expo 2030 and indicated they were keen to visit at that time or even before, Binzagr said.
“We are keenly looking forward to more visits between members of Japan’s Imperial Family and members of our Royal Family of Saudi Arabia,” Binzagr added.
”Such visits add a special dimension to an already special relationship.”
