RIYADH: Australian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ralph King has underscored the excellent bilateral ties between his country and Saudi Arabia as shown by their collaboration in various sectors.
He said that the total trade volume between the two countries amounts to $8 billion annually and that the Kingdom is Australia’s biggest trade partner among the GCC countries.
He noted that one sector in which the two countries have close collaboration is in technical training of Saudi high school graduates, adding that this is part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan.
“The Vision 2030 plan will help young Saudis find jobs through the development of the vocational and technical training sector,” the Australian envoy said during a visit to an aeronautics college in Riyadh.
The college is run in partnership between the Australian College of Aeronautics and the Technical and Vocational Training Corp. (TVTC) to provide training programs to Saudi high school graduates.
The Saudi high school graduates train in the field of aircraft maintenance and in the major international and domestic airlines in preparation for future job opportunities.
The ambassador explained that technical training is important in developing the economy as it will provide employment opportunities to Saudi youths.
He also said that there are existing partnerships between Australian institutions and the TVTC on projects for the training of trainers, Saudi technicians, as well as management of some international colleges.
There are also joint projects for the development of human resources and preparation of standards on quality vocational training assessment.
Excellent Saudi-Australian bilateral ties underscored
Excellent Saudi-Australian bilateral ties underscored
Saudi contestants for 2024 Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad undergo training
- Saudi Arabia is competing for the first time in the annual olympiad for high school students
- Brazil is hosting the annual contest this year from August 17 to 27
RIYADH: A “Summer Forum” is underway in Riyadh to prepare Saudi high school students selected to compete in the 17th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA), the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Wednesday.
The olympiad will take place from August 17 to 27, 2024, in the city of Vassouras in Brazil.
This year will be the first time for Saudi Arabia to compete in the IOAA, a yearly competition that started in 2007.
In its report, SPA said Mawhiba — known formally as the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity — launched the summer forum on July 7 in collaboration with the Saudi Communications, Space, and Technology Commission (CST).
The forum, which will run until August 1, calls for the training of 11 male and female students for the olympiad.
"The forum aims to equip students with the necessary skills to participate in the Olympiad and help build a generation proficient in space science and technology," the report said.
"It also seeks to raise awareness among students and society about the importance of space science, enhance human capabilities in the space sector, and inspire future generations to pursue careers in applied scientific and engineering fields within the sector," it added.
Mawhiba and the CST had also been involved various training programs implemented over a 12-month period, with a view to developing future engineers and scientists to play a role in the Kingdom's nascent space industry.
The first IOAA event was held in the city of Chiang Mai in Thailand from November 30 to December 9 of that same year.
Brazil is hosting it for the second time. It was the host of the 6th Olympiad, held from August 4 to 13, 2012 in the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Vassouras.
UK and GCC eye completing free trade agreement this year
RIYADH: The secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council has emphasized the importance of completing a free trade agreement between the UK and the bloc by the end of the year.
Jasem Al-Budaiwi made the remarks after meeting Jonathan Reynolds, the UK’s newly appointed trade and business secretary, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The top Gulf official indicated that he sensed a strong interest from Kier Starmer’s new Labour government to complete negotiations for a trade pact.
Reynolds, too, expressed a desire to ink a deal before the year is out.
Labour, who were elected in a landslide on July 4, pledge to deepen cooperation with the UK’s Gulf partners on issues of security, energy and trade and investment.
The UK policy in this respect appears to be unchanged from what the previous Conservative government had sought.
Kemi Badenoch, the Reynolds predecessor, wrote in May: “My top priority for 2024 is a UK-GCC free trade deal. An agreement is in all our interests.”
“It will mark a new and exciting era of economic partnership between our countries. It will be a new opportunity for both nations to prosper.”
Badenoch told Arab News last year: “We are very excited about the GCC-UK free trade agreement. We think it could be groundbreaking and set a precedent for what the GCC does with the rest of the world.”
The GCC region is the UK’s seventh-largest export market, with total trade valued at £61.3 billion ($78.29 billion).
The trade corridor between the UK and the Gulf is set to widen over the coming years, regardless of the outcome of this negotiation, according to a Deloitte report last year.
Night falls and stars come out to play over Tabuk’s Hisma desert
- Magnet for astro-tourists, says local astronomer
- Has unique rock formations over 500m years old
RIYADH: As the lights of nearby towns fade into the distance, visitors will no doubt find themselves spellbound by the majesty of the cosmos unfolding over the Hisma desert, situated 90 km west of Tabuk.
Beneath this heavenly canopy adorned with countless twinkling stars that stretch in all directions, Hisma desert also boasts unique rock formations known locally as masabih and gharamil, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
In an interview with the SPA, Abdulaziz bin Laboun, a geological expert and professor, said the distinctive rock formations are the result of erosion processes spanning millions of years.
“This natural sculpting has created a geological wonderland estimated to be over 500 million years old, forming a landscape of rare aesthetic beauty that is hard to find anywhere else in the world,” he said.
“As night falls, Hisma’s distance from high artificial light pollution makes it an ideal spot for observing stars, galaxies, passing meteors, and falling comets.”
This captivating natural landscape is a magnet for enthusiasts of “astro-tourism,” a growing factor in the region’s tourism appeal, says Majed Abu Zahra, president of the Jeddah Astronomical Society.
“Astro-tourism is a novel addition to the diverse types of tourism, joining the ranks of recreational, medical, and cultural tourism, among others,” he explained.
The crown jewel of Hisma’s celestial display is the Milky Way galaxy. Our solar system, nestled in one of its spiral arms, lies approximately 8,000 light years from the galactic center.
This vast cosmic metropolis, home to over 100 billion stars, stretches across the night sky like a luminous ribbon, offering observers a front-row seat to the galaxy’s dazzling core.
The Hisma desert serves as a natural amphitheater for both astronomical wonder and scientific discovery. Its pristine skies provide an ideal backdrop for a variety of cosmic events, from World Space Weeks to Astronomy Day, the SPA reported.
It is a prime location for engaging in a wide range of astronomical activities, including the observation of solar and lunar eclipses, meteor showers, and planetary alignments, the report stated.
Education ministry dispatches 136 teachers to Saudi schools, academies abroad
RIYADH: Over a hundred teachers will be dispatched to Saudi educational institutions abroad, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The Education Ministry issued the decision that would see 136 educators take up places in 19 countries in the upcoming academic year.
Mohammad Al-Ghamdi, the deputy minister, said the annual program seeks to provide educational opportunities for the children of delegates, workers, and residents abroad.
He also emphasized the Kingdom’s dedication to extending education opportunities to the children of Islamic and Arab communities residing in those countries.
Al-Ghamdi highlighted the merits of the Saudi curriculum and hope the educators selected for the program serve as excellent representatives of the Kingdom in the countries they have been assigned to.
The following link provides a list of names of the teachers, supervisors, and other educational staff selected for teaching positions abroad:
https://filer.moe.gov.sa/url/vhgey2nssijcgeta.
Environment Ministry launches ‘Harvest Season’ campaign to promote local fruits
- Initiative aims at raising awareness of the importance of produce
- ‘Campaign aims to educate the public about health and nutritional benefits,’ says spokesperson Saleh Bindakhil
RIYADH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture on Wednesday launched an awareness campaign called “Harvest Season” to promote locally produced fruits and raise the efficiency of its marketing system to support Saudi farmers.
The Saudi Press Agency reported that the launch was part of efforts aimed at raising awareness of the importance of eating local fruits; promoting a healthy lifestyle by buying local produce; and spreading knowledge of agricultural products.
Saleh Bindakhil, the ministry’s official spokesperson, said: “The campaign aims to educate the public about the health and nutritional benefits of various local fruits that are available in different seasons during the year, and to achieve a set of goals that are in line with the ministry’s policies and strategies and the objectives of Vision 2030.”
Bindakhil added that “Harvest Season” also aimed to support the production of local goods; enhance their quality and safety; increase awareness of agricultural produce and the health benefits of eating local fruits; help the marketing of local products; and support local farmers, while increasing their income in accordance with Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to improve the standard of living and raise the quality of life.
He acknowledged the great support enjoyed by the agricultural sector from the leadership, which had contributed to enhancing the sustainability of local crop production and increased the sector’s contribution to the Kingdom’s gross domestic product to SR100 billion.
This support has directly contributed to increasing and strengthening the rates of self-sufficiency in a number of fruits and agricultural crops, including dates, figs, cantaloupes, watermelons, grapes, mangoes, and pomegranates.
