OIC holds meeting for 49th foreign ministers session

The Palestinian cause, the central cause of the OIC, has seen dangerous developments, according to the OIC Secretary-General. (Supplied)
The Palestinian cause, the central cause of the OIC, has seen dangerous developments, according to the OIC Secretary-General. (Supplied)
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Updated 06 February 2023

OIC holds meeting for 49th foreign ministers session

The Palestinian cause, the central cause of the OIC, has seen dangerous developments, according to the OIC Secretary-General.
  • Taha said that the OIC is constantly providing support to Azerbaijan regarding the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh

JEDDAH: The preparatory meeting for the 49th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers for member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation kicked off in Jeddah on Sunday.

The 49th session will be held on March 16-17 in Nouakchott, Mauritania.

OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha said that the Palestinian cause — the central cause of the OIC — has seen dangerous developments and was recently discussed by the executive committee.

The situation in Afghanistan was also discussed by the committee, which recommended continued engagement with the de facto authorities in Kabul through Tariq Ali Bakheet, the special envoy for Afghanistan, and the organization of a second visit by a delegation.

Taha said that the OIC and Youssef Al-Dobeay, the special envoy for Jammu and Kashmir, are working to implement the action plan adopted by the liaison group on the issue of the territory during its meeting in Islamabad on the sidelines of the 48th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers.

Taha said that the OIC is constantly providing support to Azerbaijan regarding the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh. He stressed that efforts are also ongoing to contribute to achieving peace, security, stability and development in Yemen, Syria, Sudan, Libya, the G5 Sahel countries and Lake Chad Basin, as well as the Central African Republic, Mozambique, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Somalia.

He commended all efforts to support Iraq’s unity, territorial integrity and reconstruction.

In the humanitarian field, Taha emphasized that the OIC will continue coordinating work in light of increasing challenges.

Taha congratulated Mauritania for heading the 49th session and expressed his gratitude to Pakistan for its efforts in chairing the previous session. He also praised the Kingdom, home to the OIC’s headquarters and chair of the 14th Islamic Summit, for its generous support of the organization’s activities.


Riyadh summit discusses the future of AI in medical field

Riyadh summit discusses the future of AI in medical field
Updated 22 sec ago

Riyadh summit discusses the future of AI in medical field

Riyadh summit discusses the future of AI in medical field

RIYADH: The HealthTech Innovation Summit and Expo in Riyadh, held June 5-6, brought together providers, experts and students, showcasing innovative technology that promises to improve the quality of healthcare.

During the event, healthcare professionals, innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors were given an opportunity to delve into the future of the medical field by spotlighting artificial intelligence, smart devices, precision medicine, diagnostics, bioinformatics, biotechnology, virtual reality, medical imaging, innovation, and medical entrepreneurship.

SyncVR Medical, one of the many companies to showcase at the expo, provides an all-in-one application platform that can be useful for patients.

From hardware to software, its products propose treatments for pain anxiety, stress reduction, rehabilitation, and medical education through immersive simulations.

“VR can do more in society, in the world, than just entertain gamers,” Floris Van Der Breggen, CEO of SyncVR Medical, told Arab News.

Originally based in one hospital in the Netherlands, SyncVR Medical now supplies 200 hospitals across Europe with its health technology and aims to be the largest platform for extended reality healthcare on the continent.

The company’s presence at HealthTech came with the intent to expand into the Arab region.

“There’s so much more hunger for technological improvement (in Saudi) than you find in Europe, actually, a lot of curiosity and an intrinsic motivation to improve,” the CEO said.

Before the Kingdom adapts new tools to healthcare practices, however, the system itself needs some work, Dr. Bahjat Fakieh of the King Abdulaziz University suggested.

“Taking technology before we establish the proper system could lead to failure … If we’re looking to get to the top, it’s not that difficult. The difficulty is remaining at the top,” he said.

The will to excel is already in the works under Vision 2030.

A report recently published by the Digital Government Authority indicated that the field of healthcare demonstrates readiness for integration with emerging technology.

The Kingdom has already seen the incorporation of these technologies with apps like Sehhaty, the Seha Virtual Hospital, and the adoption of AR and VR in the Saudi Food and Drug Authority’s control procedures.

“AI is not here to replace humans, it’s here to assist humans,” Prince Sultan University’s Dr. Anis Koubaa said during the summit.

With tools that enhance training, provide distraction techniques to reduce pain during procedures, and offer treatment for issues like anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder through VR, technology promises to not only create a more immersive experience for patients and practitioners but also diagnose and examine more accurately.

However, there are few laws in place currently that regulate the usage of AI. Many challenges still lie in its cost and accessibility, system integration methods, ethical considerations, issues in security breaches, and research around the technology itself.

In the Kingdom, the Society for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare is making strides in publishing viable studies and creating a community of data scientists and AI experts to reach the full potential of these emerging platforms.

Ali Al-Anazi, co-founder of SAIH, told Arab News: “There’s a shortage in many specializations (in the medical field), and AI is here to serve that.

“I personally believe that Saudi could be the leading country in publishing top-tier AI research in healthcare across the globe for many reasons. We have huge databases that are much more accessible than in foreign countries.”

The summit hopes to accelerate the adoption of technology-driven solutions across the field.

Prof. Ibrahim Al-Saraa, chairperson of the HealthTech Scientific Committee, said: “The pandemic has highlighted the importance of digital health solutions in providing virtual healthcare for patients. Digital transformation has proven essential today, as leading experts expect that health technology plays a significant role in shaping the future of healthcare.”


Iran’s embassy reopens in Saudi Arabia

People stand outside the Iranian embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (File/Reuters)
People stand outside the Iranian embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (File/Reuters)
Updated 12 min 9 sec ago

Iran’s embassy reopens in Saudi Arabia

People stand outside the Iranian embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (File/Reuters)

RIYADH: Iran’s embassy in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh has reopened, Al Arabiya reported on Tuesday.

Both countries agreed to end a diplomatic rift under a China-mediated deal in March.

“Iran’s embassy in Riyadh, our Consulate General in Jeddah and our office to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation will be officially reopened on Tuesday and Wednesday,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday.


Saudi health ministry trains volunteers to serve elderly pilgrims in Madinah

Pilgrims from Indonesia can be seen at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. (@wmngovsa)
Pilgrims from Indonesia can be seen at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. (@wmngovsa)
Updated 06 June 2023

Saudi health ministry trains volunteers to serve elderly pilgrims in Madinah

Pilgrims from Indonesia can be seen at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. (@wmngovsa)
  • Volunteers have been trained on how to deal with pilgrims from other cultures who speak different languages
  • They are also providing pilgrims with health awareness so they can safely and efficiently complete their rituals

RIYADH: The Ministry of Health’s Madinah branch has launched a program run by volunteers to provide health, education, and ambulance services to elderly pilgrims and residents of the holy city.

The ministry said that 121 volunteers had signed up to the program and are offering their services at centers near Islamic sites in Madinah frequented by pilgrims including the Prophet’s Mosque, Quba Mosque, Masjid Al-Qiblatain, the Miqat Mosque, and Sayed Al-Shuhada Mosque.

Volunteers have been trained on how to deal with pilgrims from other cultures who speak different languages.

They are also providing pilgrims with health awareness so they can safely and efficiently complete their rituals.

The program will run until the end of this year’s Hajj season.


Harf Arabic Language competition concludes with 12 winners in 4 fields 

Passionate and dedicated attendees gather at the closing ceremony of the Arabic Competition
Passionate and dedicated attendees gather at the closing ceremony of the Arabic Competition "Harf."
Updated 06 June 2023

Harf Arabic Language competition concludes with 12 winners in 4 fields 

Passionate and dedicated attendees gather at the closing ceremony of the Arabic Competition "Harf."
  • The competition is aimed at non-Arabic learners to give them the opportunity to highlight their skills in various fields

RIYADH: The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language concluded the Harf Arabic Language competition on Monday ‎with 12 winners in four categories from various non-Arabic speaking states.

The competition, launched May 4, is aimed at non-Arabic learners to give them the opportunity to highlight their skills in various fields, to honor the distinguished among them, and to encourage learners to practice the language and promote its use.

The winners were honored after being selected according to the approved criteria during the closing ceremony, held in Riyadh, which saw the participation of more than 750 contestants, representing a number of Saudi universities and institutes, with 56 people reaching the final stage.

Dr. Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Washmi, acting secretary-general of the academy, said: ‎“Saudi Arabia’s wise leadership always encourage(s) the non-native Arabic learners‎ to practice and use it.‎‏

‎“The competition contributed to achieving the academy’s goals and implementing its strategy by creating the appropriate environment for the development and consolidation of the Arabic language,‎” he added.

‎“The competition aims to encourage the Arabic language scholars, researchers and specialists by developing the professional, linguistic and cultural competencies of Arabic language teachers for non-Arabic speakers, motivating them and creating solutions that support the empowerment of non-Arabic speakers in various challenges they face‎.”

The academy awarded prizes to the first three winners in each category, with a total value of SR100,000 ($26,666) and honored other finalists with financial prizes totaling SR22,000.

Musa Yaqoub from Cameroon, Umm Al-Qura University, ranked first in the Lexical Ability category; Abdul Rahman Ali Cham from Gambia, Majmaah University, ranked second, and third place was taken by Ibrahim Othman Kalo from the Ivory Coast, Umm Al-Qura University. ‏

The three winners in the Language and Technology category were Zakaria Sirin, from Indonesia, King Saud University, Reem Reforce, from the Philippines, Umm Al-Qura University, and Zehniaa Saleh from the Philippines, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University. 

The winners in the Narrator and Stories category were Khaled Safi from Afghanistan, Umm Al-Qura University, Qanitah Sheikh from India, Umm Al-Qura University, Mariam Mahdi Mirato from the Philippines, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.

The winners in the Research Paper category were Mohammed Sako from Guinea, Qassim University, Medina Jalis Khannova from Russia, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, and Effaa Abdullah from India, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University. 

The participants represented more than 60 nationalities. India ranked first in terms of the number of participants with 73 contestants, then Indonesia and Afghanistan with 42 contestants each, then Ivory Coast with 38 contestants, Burkina Faso with 37 contestants, Nigeria with 34 contestants, Guinea, Gambia and Chad, with 32 contestants apiece, while Mali had 30 contestants.


First Arab Hajj pilgrims arrive in Makkah

First Arab Hajj pilgrims arrive in Makkah
Updated 06 June 2023

First Arab Hajj pilgrims arrive in Makkah

First Arab Hajj pilgrims arrive in Makkah
  • 294 pilgrims were from Algeria and 192 were from Iraq
  • Saudi General Authority for Roads said all important routes to Makkah and streets in the holy city were prepared for the arrival of pilgrims

JEDDAH: The first two groups of Arab Hajj pilgrims arrived in Makkah on Tuesday.

The Motawifs of Arab Hajj Company received 192 pilgrims from Iraq and 294 from Algeria.

Chairman Mohammed Maajini said the company will provide the utmost levels of comfort to pilgrims to allow them to perform their rituals in an atmosphere of faith.

Pilgrims from both countries have expressed their happiness with efforts made by the Saudi government to provide the best services and thanked the Kingdom for its hospitality.

Meanwhile, the Saudi General Authority for Roads said all important routes to Makkah and streets in the holy city were prepared for the arrival of pilgrims and aid their travels.

The authority had focused on Riyadh, Taif, and Makkah Roads, which are a combined length of 820 km, the 70 km Makkah Jeddah Road and the 420 km-long Makkah Madinah Road. 

It has also prepared the 70 km Al-Sail Al-Kabeer Road and the 60 km Al-Hada Road.

Transport and logistics bodies have surveyed all routes from the border crossings to the holy sites, and have carried out maintenance and safety works on 7,400 km of road.