A Russian military vessel docks in Saudi Arabia for the first time ever
The frigate Admiral Gorshkov stopped off at Jeddah Islamic Port for two days of ‘crew rest and refueling’
Gorshkov, equipped with Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles, was scheduled to depart Saudi Arabia after two days and head to Tartus, Syria, for maintenance
Updated 12 sec ago
MOHAMMED AL-KINANI
JEDDAH: The Admiral Gorshkov has become the first Russian warship to dock in Saudi Arabia. The vessel was on its way back home when it stopped off at Jeddah Islamic Port for “two-day crew rest and refueling,” according to a Russian embassy official.
The 135-meter frigate, armed with guided missiles, left the northwestern Russian city of Murmansk on Jan. 4 on a long journey to Cape Town, Durban and Richards Bay in South Africa, where it conducted naval maneuvers before sailing for Chabahar, Iran, where another military exercise took place.
Last month, Russia said it had launched naval exercises with China and Iran in the Arabian Sea, with the aim of strengthening ties with the two countries.
“In the Indian Ocean, it also held training on March 13. The drill focused on seeking submarines and destroying them with its Ka-27 series helicopter,” Andrey Brekhovskikh, a media attache at the Russian embassy, told Arab News.
After the Gorshkov completed its mission in the Indian Ocean, it headed to Djibouti before sailing to the Saudi city of Jeddah, on the Red Sea coast, where it made history as the first visit of its kind by a Russian military ship.
The vessel, which is equipped with Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles, was scheduled to depart Saudi Arabia after two days and head to Tartus, Syria, for maintenance.
In the western Atlantic Ocean, the Gorshkov practiced a Zircon missile strike in January on a target simulating an enemy warship at a distance of more than 900 kilometers, In February, it participated in joint drills with the navies of South Africa and China off South African coasts, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Joint statement: Flights between the two countries to resume, granting of visas for citizens to be facilitated
Arrangements to reopen respective embassies and consulates to be started
Updated 36 sec ago
Arab News
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian have issued a joint statement at the end of their meeting in Beijing on Thursday.
This was the first formal meeting of the countries’ most senior diplomats in more than seven years.
The joint statement mentioned, among other things, the resumption of flights between the two countries and the facilitation of granting of visas for citizens, start of arrangements to reopen their respective embassies and consulates as well as the resumption of visits by officials and private sector delegations.
Videos posted on Saudi state TV Al-Ekhbariya’s Twitter account earlier showed the two diplomats standing side-by-side before greeting each other and shaking hands before their meeting. Subsequent footages showed the countries’ delegations getting ready for their discussions.
Saudi Arabia and Iran early last month agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies following years of uneasy tension between the two countries, in talks brokered by China.
Riyadh and Tehran also agreed to activate the security cooperation agreement signed in 2001 and the trade, economy and investment agreement signed in 1998, according to the trilateral statement issued on March 10.
The agreement to renew ties was signed by Saudi Arabia’s national security adviser Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban and Iran’s top security official Ali Shamkhani.
Could Riyadh be the Middle East’s next culinary capital?
Dozens of Michelin-starred restaurants have come to the Saudi capital over the past three years
Local and foreign diners can now enjoy an array of international and traditional Saudi foods in Riyadh
Updated 06 April 2023
Rebecca Anne Proctor
RIYADH: In a high-end restaurant, polished glasses sit atop a sleekly designed wooden table surrounded by lush green plants. On the table are spreads of artfully presented Greek specialties: tzatziki, Santorini salad, eggplant dip and beef gyros tacos. At first glance, a diner might think they were in the Greek isles, or at least an upscale Mediterranean restaurant in London or Dubai.
This eatery, however, is Meraki Riyadh, the popular upscale Greek restaurant chain which first opened in London in 2017 and launched in the Mandarin Oriental Riyadh in September 2021. While Meraki would hardly shock diners in any other global city, in Riyadh — a metropolis which once had a comparatively bland food scene — it might come as a welcome surprise.
Meraki Riyadh, a popular upscale Greek restaurant chain, launched in the Mandarin Oriental Riyadh in September 2021. (Supplied)
Over the last three years, a multitude of fine dining restaurants have opened in the Saudi capital, coinciding with Saudi Arabia’s grand social and economic transformation spearheaded by Vision 2030. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious reform plan aims to increase household spending on cultural and entertainment activities to 6 percent, up 2.9 percent from when the Vision was unveiled in 2016.
Sushi, caviar, tapas, babka bread, dim sum and fondue — dozens upon dozens of international dishes are now being served in the Saudi capital as some of the world’s best restaurants and chains open alongside the rise of homegrown Saudi outfits serving a mix of traditional and fusion fare.
“Riyadh has, without a doubt, a really exciting restaurant scene,” Ciara Philips, a British cultural strategist who moved to Riyadh at the end of 2020, told Arab News.
In a country where nearly 70 percent of the population is under the age of 40, bolstering the Kingdom’s entertainment and hospitality sectors is of prime importance — not just for the influx of foreigners, but also for locals who, until a few years ago, were unable to find such a vast selection of food.
Fine dining at the new popular upscale Saudi contemporary fusion restaurant MAIZ. (Supplied)
“I’ve lived in world cities from New York, to London, Paris and Dubai … it’s up there with the best, if not surpassing, in terms of local food entrepreneurship, trendy food concepts, incredible interiors, and exceptional service and hospitality,” said Philips. “Attention to detail, as well as the love and positive embrace of the new, and a burgeoning night-time economy all add to that vibrancy.”
“This is matched with the genuine warm welcome and generosity of Saudis — food is shared and gifted so often at work and when receiving guests in the home — and I’m carrying the extra pounds to prove it,” Phillips said.
In November 2022, Saudi lifestyle curator Cool Inc announced that it would bring around 20 restaurants that hold coveted Michelin stars in their home cities are bringing their culinary offerings to Riyadh and Jeddah this year. Such names will add to the growing list of top outlets in the capital and Jeddah, which already include the Cantonese cuisine of Hakkasan, Japanese restaurant Roka, the French delicacies of La Petite Maison, and Italian fine dining restaurants such as Scallini, Angelina, and Cipriani.
Hakkasan Riyadh offers the best of Chinese cuisine at Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah. (Supplied)
In January, Cool Inc selected a diverse portfolio of international restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck’s restaurants Spago and Cut, Scott’s seafood outlet, WAGYUMAFIA, and the Indian-themed Gymkhana to open in the Saudi capital. Additionally, Cool Inc announced its Destination Dining & Member’s Clubs initiative that aims to connect the Kingdom with global industry culinary experts and visionaries.
At the end of 2022, the long-awaited Bujairi Terrace opened in the historic Diriyah district overlooking Turaif, once the original seat of the first Saudi state. Boasting a multitude of high-end Saudi and international dining experiences in an area of 15,000 square meters, its opening marked the first phase of the $50-billion project of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority.
“As a cradle of Arabian civilization for centuries, Saudi Arabia has welcomed and hosted people from across the region and the world since its inception,” Kiran Haslam, Chief Marketing Officer at Diriyah Company, told Arab News. “From the earliest traders and merchants to pilgrims journeying across the continent; scholars, architects and visionaries, Diriyah has been the epicenter of the Arabian Peninsula for hundreds of years.”
Riyadh’s Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah boasts a range of fine dining experiences. (Supplied)
“Bujairi Terrace is effectively bringing the world together through food,” Haslam said. “It offers a peerless experience in gastronomical discovery and is a perfect catalyst, much like the wider Diriyah project, for the immense progress all around us in establishing the Kingdom as a truly great global gathering place.”
Riyadh’s up-and-coming culinary status is not just due to its plethora of famous international names, however, a slew of homegrown restaurants offering Saudi cuisine with a contemporary twist are popping up all over the capital.
Under the Ministry of Culture, the Culinary Arts Commission is working to showcase and develop unique Saudi culinary traditions and position the Kingdom as a global destination for the culinary arts. The first European Food Festival under the commission was held in March this year, with the Saudi Arabian Chef’s Association hosting a contest for Saudi and international cuisine.
Inside the Takya restaurant at Burjairi Terrace, local and international diners enjoy beautifully prepared Saudi traditional dishes with a modern flair.
Takya restaurant, at Burjairi Terrace offers a contemporary fusion of traditional Saudi dishes from the country’s various regions. (Supplied)
“The idea was to create a place where people can dine in comfort and peace,” Hessah Al-Mutawa, co-owner of Takya, told Arab News. The restaurant offers a contemporary fusion of traditional Saudi dishes from the country’s various regions. The design of the restaurant, done by Hessah’s sister and restaurant co-owner Hadeel, is inspired by various Saudi architectural and cultural elements. “We want to involve the interior of the restaurant to tell a story.”
Expats living in Riyadh say the new Saudi-led restaurants are enticing and unique. However, Moe Inani, Saudi executive chef and co-owner of Chifty restaurant and cosmopolitan lounge in Riyadh, believes what is still lacking in Riyadh’s growing culinary scene is a strong contingent of homegrown restaurants.
Inani, who originally hails from Jeddah, became a sous-chef at Saison, a Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco, where he learned to prepare sushi. He now uses his experience to create novel twists on more traditional local cuisine such as Red Sea fish.
Moe Inani, a Saudi executive chef and co-owner of Chifty restaurant, learned his craft in
San Francisco. (Supplied)
“I think the scene has definitely improved over the past couple of years, but I think most of the brands and restaurants that we have are international brands being brought from outside the Kingdom, mostly from Europe and the US by food and beverage businessmen,” Inani told Arab News. “Most of the local fine dining brands are fast food restaurants serving burgers and shawarmas.”
Inani stressed that it would take time and experience to be able to open “successful local brands.”
“For locally grown concepts, what is needed is knowledge first and foremost,” he said. “I think the country is definitely moving in the right direction to begin with by sending students or people that are interested in the culinary field to go study at different culinary schools around the world.”
Simply pursuing studies in the culinary arts, emphasizes Inani, is not enough. Experience with different foods and time are also key. “Once Saudis gain experience working with chefs abroad, they can then come back to the Kingdom and use it to help improve Saudi Arabia’s local culinary offerings,” he said.
The Japanese restaurant ROKA was an immediate hit with local food lovers when it opened in Riyadh. (Supplied)
Riyadh, Inani believes, has the potential to become a global culinary capital. But to do that, it is crucial it develops its own identity and its own chefs through locally grown concepts and experience.
Change, however, is already underway. At the new popular upscale Saudi contemporary fusion restaurant MAIZ, local and international diners eagerly drink homemade mocktails and dine on dishes such as caviar on masabeeb pancakes, featuring caviar from locally farmed sturgeon and whipped cream made with local dried limes.
“Fusion offerings at this scale weren’t available just a few years ago,” quips one diner.
As Philips puts it: “Move over, New York City: Riyadh is the city that never sleeps when it comes to incredible food on offer, from snacks to fast food to serious fine dining — you can eat what you want at all times of the day.”
Ramadan festivities evoke nostalgia in Jeddah’s historic Al-Balad
Updated 06 April 2023
Afshan Aziz
JEDDAH: The narrow alleys of the historic Al-Balad area of Jeddah have become filled with light and laughter as part of a program of evening cultural and entertainment activities for Ramadan.
Organized by the Saudi Ministry of Culture, events are taking place in special zones set up throughout the district.
Visitors at the Bab Al-Balad entrance are greeted with traditional Saudi coffee, while in the Mirkaz area they can play games, try their hand at arts and crafts, or sample gourmet food.
The Sardek zone features a Ramadan tent, cinema of the past, roaming characters, and a puppet theater.
The nights, part of the Ramadan Season of festivities, also include live cooking shows and Qur’an recitation contests.
Visitors at the Bab Al-Balad entrance are greeted with traditional Saudi coffee, while in the Mirkaz area they can play games, try their hand at arts and crafts, or sample gourmet food. (Supplied)
A bustling market offers a range of products including perfumes, pickles, tailor-made clothing, and accessories, or festivalgoers can watch games and popular Ramadan TV shows in an outdoor seating area.
Wearing Hijazi attire, Sari Salem Hariri, co-founder and general manager of Al-Mugasap, a Saudi traditional fashion clothing brand, said: “I am very excited to participate in the season and revive the Saudi traditional attire.
“We have installed a booth for visitors to try out the outfits and make a memory of our deep-rooted customs and traditions.”
Badriya Suleimany, who was selling homemade pickles at the event with her daughters, said: “I feel empowered to be a part of the Ramadan Season. I have been doing this business for the last five years, but this is the first time I have been out in the open area and meeting people from different nationalities.
“The real Ramadan vibes are in Al-Balad and it is something which everyone should visit to learn about our culture and holy month traditions.”
Visitors to Al-Balad can also listen to a Musaharati, a person who traditionally walks around a neighborhood beating a drum and chanting poetry to wake people for sahoor. And at various intervals, men in traditional costumes can be seen dancing to traditional songs.
The Musaharati traditionally walks around neighborhoods beating a drum and chanting poetry to wake people for Sahoor. (Supplied)
In addition, storytellers, known as Hakawati, can be heard narrating old Ramadan tales in Hazzazi square.
Saeed Al-Ghamdi, a resident of Jeddah had taken his grandchildren to the event especially for the Hakawati session.
He said: “In the old days, we used to gather and entertain ourselves with storytelling. There used to be master storytellers who shared Islamic tales and history as well as their own real-life stories. We learned from them and gained knowledge.
“Seeing this tradition back here in the festival made me nostalgic and I am glad to share with my grandchildren the beauty of Hakawati.”
Osman Abdullah, 70, from Jeddah, said: “After the Taraweeh, I used to spend time with friends in the neighborhood discussing and sharing religious Islamic stories. Coming to this historic district and witnessing the energetic environment took me back to those days.”
He added that Ramadan nights were special as they were a time when people not only sought spiritual development but socialized.
Another participant, Hadeel Alabbasi, co-founder and academic manager of Al-Kuttab language institute, said: “We invite family and friends to enjoy their time learning calligraphy, poetry, and Arabic this year while experiencing Al-Balad through us where we present the opportunity to learn about the values of Ramadan and the culture.”
A riddles session at the Hazzazi area. (Supplied)
At the Hazzazi area, located in Rubat Al-Khunji Al-Saghir, activities include making accessories, and learning about the history of the area through stories, solving riddles, playing traditional games, hunting for Ramadan treasure, and listening to poetry.
Sarah Hassan, who lives in Australia but always returns to her hometown of Jeddah for Ramadan, said: “I make sure to spend my entire Ramadan in Jeddah because of the vibe which is not the same anywhere in the world. Saudi Arabia is the best place to be during the holy month.
“Coming to Al-Balad with my children, I can teach them the culture and show them how Ramadan is celebrated in the country. We had a good time walking the streets, trying snacks like balila, French fries, luqaimat, and sipping the very famous Vimto drink.”
The ministry has also organized a history of Jeddah exhibition highlighting important archaeological sites, plus a separate display showcasing ancient coins and stamps from different periods in Jeddah’s past.
Saudi minister, UN aid agency chief discuss humanitarian ties
Updated 06 April 2023
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Al-Khuraiji recently met the commissioner general of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Philippe Lazzarini, at the ministry’s headquarters in Riyadh.
During the meeting, Al-Khuraiji reviewed the Kingdom’s efforts in supporting the Palestinian people and discussed with Lazzarini ways to further strengthen cooperation between Saudi Arabia and UNRWA.
In March, the agency appealed for $16.2 million to help Palestine refugees affected by the recent devastating earthquake in Syria.
Part of the UN organization’s 2023 Syria-Lebanon Flash Appeal, the money was urgently required to meet the humanitarian and early recovery needs of the refugee group following the quake that rocked the north of Syria in February.
On the sidelines of the 2023 Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum, the supervisor general of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center met Lazzarini and discussed several issues of common concern and means of developing coordination.
Lazzarini praised Saudi Arabia for its ongoing support for Palestinians and lauded the close partnership between the agency and the center.
Who’s Who: Raad Al-Saady, vice chairman and managing director of Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power
Updated 06 April 2023
Arab News
Raad Al-Saady has been the vice chairman and managing director of Saudi Arabia’s utility service provider, ACWA Power, since February this year.
In his current role, Al-Saady oversees growth and business expansion and provides guidance on strategy, human capital, stakeholder management and other strategic drivers.
The company strives to impact millions of lives daily by delivering essential power and water across three continents while driving the transition to a carbon-free, greener future.
Previously, Al-Saady was part of Abdul Latif Jameel company, a successful and diversified Saudi business conglomerate, where he held several key leadership roles across ALJ’s business sectors, including his tenure as vice president of mobility.
A strategic management veteran, Al-Saady has over 20 years of experience in the financial services and automotive industry, including a stint in the technology venture capital sector in Silicon Valley in California, US.
He also held governance-level roles in investment banking, international trade, real estate and aviation across diverse organizations, including Saudia airline, Morgan Stanley, the Saudi General Authority of Foreign Trade, flyadeal, and numerous other reputable non-governmental organizations.
Al-Saady has also been serving as chairman of the audit, risk and compliance committee for Saudia airline since October 2020, chairman of the executive committee of the Saudi General Authority of Foreign Trade, and chairman of NRC at flyadeal.
He was chairman of the board and the executive committee for Muheel Services LLC from June 2022 to December 2022, chairman of the audit committee for Morgan Stanley from June 2018 to December 2022, and member of the board of advisors for Four Principles from January 2019 to December 2022.
Al-Saady was also chairman of the board for the Mutalabah Company for Financial Entities Debt Collection.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Menlo College in California, US.
