60th Africa Day celebrated by continent’s embassies in Riyadh

Special 60th Africa Day celebrated by continent’s embassies in Riyadh
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African ambassadors celebrated the 60th anniversary of Africa Day in Riyadh. (Supplied)
Special 60th Africa Day celebrated by continent’s embassies in Riyadh
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African ambassadors celebrated the 60th anniversary of Africa Day in Riyadh. (Supplied)
Special 60th Africa Day celebrated by continent’s embassies in Riyadh
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African ambassadors celebrated the 60th anniversary of Africa Day in Riyadh. (Supplied)
Special 60th Africa Day celebrated by continent’s embassies in Riyadh
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Dean of Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Djibouti to Saudi Arabia Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama speaking at the Africa Day reception. (Supplied)
Special 60th Africa Day celebrated by continent’s embassies in Riyadh
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Cameroon ambassador Iya Tidjani, who is also Dean of the African Group of Ambassadors, speaking at the Africa Day reception. (AN Photo/Rashid Hassan)
Special 60th Africa Day celebrated by continent’s embassies in Riyadh
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African ambassadors celebrated the 60th anniversary of Africa Day in Riyadh. (Supplied). (AN Photo/Rashid Hassan)
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Updated 25 May 2023

60th Africa Day celebrated by continent’s embassies in Riyadh

60th Africa Day celebrated by continent’s embassies in Riyadh
  • Organization of African Unity formed on May 25, 1963
  • Kingdom lauded for peace and aid efforts in Sudan

RIYADH: The 60th anniversary of Africa Day was celebrated with much fanfare by the continent’s embassies in Riyadh on Thursday.

Africa Day is the annual commemoration of the formation of the Organization of African Unity, or OAU, on May 25, 1963. The OAU’s successor is the African Union.

A reception was held at the Cultural Palace in the Diplomatic Quarter on Wednesday, which included a cultural exhibition, cuisine and music, organized by the Africa Ambassadors Group.

It was on this date in 1963 that the heads of independent African states met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, along with leaders from the continent’s liberation movements to craft a way forward from imperialism, colonialism and apartheid.

The outcome of the meeting was the creation of Africa’s first post-independence continental institution, the OAU, which was formed as a manifestation of the pan-African vision for a free region. This was solemnized in the OAU Charter adopted on May 25, 1963.

The reception at the Cultural Palace was attended by Dr. Sami Al-Saleh, assistant minister of state for African affairs on behalf of Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, senior Saudi officials, heads of foreign missions and diplomats.

Speaking on the occasion, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Djibouti to Saudi Arabia Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama, said: “Saudi-African relations have had a long history due to the geographic proximity of the Arabian Peninsula and the African continent.”

“These relations have developed with around 40 African embassies represented in Riyadh out of the total 55 member states of the African Union. Saudi Arabia also has 35 embassies in the capitals of African countries, indicating depth of ties, communication, importance of these relations and common interests,” he added.

Since assuming power, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have received more than 40 African heads of state in various visits to the Kingdom, in addition to numerous visits by the Saudi foreign minister to African countries.

“This is a testament to the important diplomatic movement and momentum between Saudi Arabia and African countries,” said Bamakhrama.

One of the important models and elements of Saudi-African cooperation is the Saudi Development Fund, which has large development projects in African countries, he said, adding that the Islamic Development Bank has similar projects.

“We cannot overlook the role of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) and its efforts in Africa. The center has been providing aid and assistance to African countries in times of crisis and natural disasters, and has implemented various humanitarian projects in different parts of the continent,” said the envoy.

“We look forward with great hope and optimism to the upcoming Saudi-African Summit at the end of this year in Riyadh, as the ambitions of African-Saudi cooperation is significant,” he added.

Cameroon’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Iya Tidjani, who is also dean of the African Group of Ambassadors, said: “This year we celebrate the Africa Day under the theme ‘Our Africa, Our Future’ with the view to shaping the narrative about Africa, by telling our story of the journey of the continent since May 25, 1963, when leaders from 30 African states signed a founding charter of the OAU, which underwent transformation with the African Economic Community created in 1991, and finally the African Union established in 2002.”

The African Continental Free Trade Area, or AfCFTA, was established in 2018 to facilitate free movement of goods, services and people across the continent, knocking down trade barriers and promoting cross border trade, he added.

Africa and Saudi Arabia’s trade relationship has grown fast reaching $87 billion in 2019, he said.

“To draw on the full potential of the continent’s rising economies, we appeal to the Saudi business community and MNCs (multinational companies) based in the Kingdom and the Gulf region to establish strong ties with African counterparts,” said Tidjani.

“We also want to register our appreciation to the Saudi authorities for undertaking a seamless evacuation operation and timely humanitarian assistance to foreigners, expatriates and Sudanese nationals escaping violent war, through Port Sudan to the naval port and airbase in Jeddah,” he added.

“We, as African Group of Ambassadors, applaud the tireless efforts of the Saudi government in collaboration with other partners in search for a sustainable ceasefire and a lasting peaceful resolution to the conflict in Sudan,” he said.


Global Research Council re-elects Saudi Arabia as MENA region chair

Global Research Council re-elects Saudi Arabia as MENA region chair
Updated 03 June 2023

Global Research Council re-elects Saudi Arabia as MENA region chair

Global Research Council re-elects Saudi Arabia as MENA region chair
  • The decision came during the 11th annual meeting of the Global Research Council in The Hague
  • The Kingdom presented a working paper on the challenges and opportunities faced by the research councils in the MENA region

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has been re-elected to represent the Middle East and North Africa region on the governing board of the Global Research Council during its 11th annual meeting in The Hague, The Netherlands, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
The President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Dr. Munir Eldesouki, will continue to represent Saudi Arabia at the GRC and his re-election reaffirms the Kingdom’s prominent position in the scientific and research fields and its commitment to enhancing joint cooperation among research centers in the MENA region.
This achievement is also a testament to the unwavering support of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is head of the Higher Committee of Research, Development and Innovation.
During the annual meeting, which took place from May 29 to June 2, Eldesouki chaired a meeting of the heads of research councils from the MENA region and participated in a panel discussion on the funding of climate change research, in which the participants endorsed a statement to strengthen international cooperation, research outputs, scientific communication, financing strategies, taking into account social and economic conditions, local cultures and knowledge, capacity building in science, innovation and entrepreneurship, and identifying best practices.
Eldesouki, who is also the general supervisor of the founding team of the Research, Development and Innovation Authority, met with a number of heads of international research councils from Singapore, Canada, the US, Turkiye, Britain and Germany to discuss areas of cooperation on the sidelines of the annual meeting.
The Kingdom presented a working paper on the challenges and opportunities faced by the research councils in the MENA region and the delegation participated in a number of other key meetings, including the council’s executive committee, the international consultative committee, and the working groups concerned with equality, diversity and inclusion, responsible evaluation of research, and international multilateral funding.
Saudi Arabia has played a pivotal role in the GRC’s work since its establishment in 2012, including strengthening cooperation between research funding institutions, exchanging best practices and expertise in supporting scientific research, and exploring ways to support the scientific community across the world.
The Kingdom currently occupies the position of vice-chair of the GRC’s board of governors and also represents the regional research councils of the MENA region on the board, as well as on the executive committee.


Dhahran students win big at first Formula 1 in Schools event in Saudi Arabia

Dhahran students win big at first Formula 1 in Schools event in Saudi Arabia
Updated 04 June 2023

Dhahran students win big at first Formula 1 in Schools event in Saudi Arabia

Dhahran students win big at first Formula 1 in Schools event in Saudi Arabia
  • Three teams showing great promise have qualified for Formula 1 in Schools World Finals in a first for Saudi Arabia

DHAHRAN: The Kingdom’s first Formula 1 in Schools event took place at the King Abdulaziz Center for Culture (Ithra) recently.

The three-day event featured F1 race car displays and discussion sessions led by F1 experts, as well as the announcement of the Saudi teams who will represent the Kingdom in the Aramco F1 in Schools World Finals in Singapore later this year: Shaheen from Dhahran, Oryx from Dhahran, and Abiyya from Riyadh.

The five regions represented were Dhahran, Al Ahsa, Riyadh, Madinah and Jeddah. Dhahran won big, collecting seven of the 13 national awards.

The three-day event at Ithra included race car displays and discussions. (SPA)

According to the official statement, “F1 in Schools is a global educational program that aims to raise awareness of STEM and Formula 1 among school students. Students are challenged and inspired through a STEM-based learning program covering topics such as physics, aerodynamics, design, manufacturing, branding, graphics, sponsorship, marketing, leadership/teamwork, media skills and financial strategy.

“The students will then apply what they learn in a practical, imaginative, exciting and competitive environment that echoes a scaled-down version of an F1 team.”

HIGHLIGHTS

• F1 in Schools is a competition where students form teams to design and manufacture miniature F1 race cars.

• The Saudi teams that won the national finals are Shaheen from Dhahran, Oryx from Dhahran, and Abiyya from Riyadh.

Andrew Denford, founder and chairman of F1 in Schools, told Arab News: “I’ve just attended the first ever Saudi Arabia national final, it’s been absolutely incredible.” He noted that 68% of the participating students were female.

The F1 in Schools World Finals will take place in Singapore in September. (Supplied)

“We’re over the moon,” he continued. “I can’t wait to see the three teams in Singapore in September in the World Finals.”

During the awards ceremony, Ithra director Abdullah Al-Rashid offered words of encouragement to the students. He said Saudi Arabia is known for its energy — but will also be now known for the energy of its youth.

He noted that the F1 in Schools program not only helped to create young leaders of the future, but built friendships that he hoped would last a lifetime. The students “didn’t just build a car,” he told the crowd.

Dhahran also is sending F1 in Schools’ second place winners, ORYX team, to Singapore to represent the Kingdom. (Supplied)

Aramco announced its plan to sponsor F1 in Schools as a title partner back in 2019. Ithra, being an Aramco initiative, took the wheel in the Kingdom, in partnership with the King Fahd University for Petroleum and Minerals.

Through a rigorous selection process, 16 teams from across Saudi Arabia were chosen to participate. Each team had a local training hub, including specialist facilitators and a state-of-the-art research and development lab. The training included creating a brand identity and marketing plan, as well as learning about the engineering involved in F1 cars.

We call ourselves Shaheen. It is the fastest supercomputer in the world (located in KAUST). And it’s also Arabic for ‘falcon,’ which represents the culture of our country, Saudi Arabia.

Noor Alsadat, Shaheen project manager

David Palfreeman, one of the judges, who flew in from Australia for the occasion, has been a judge in the program since 2018. He noted that the students in Saudi Arabia were already at the same level as some of the graduate students he has met.

“Super, super-impressed with the quality of the presentation and documentation, the standard is really high. Just very, very well presented. Really well thought-out, consistent,” he told Arab News. “The Saudi students are all so articulate, they’re so confident. It’s really exciting.”

Riyadh’s ABIYYA team won third place and is also heading to Singapore in September to represent the Kingdom. (Supplied)

Ithra also hosted a few interactive sessions to coincide with the announcement of the winners. The Great Hall had F1 simulator stations, exhibition booths, a Lego workshop, a pit-stop challenge and a “Formula 1 Through the Years” exhibition.

In the main plaza, a neon-green Aston Martin car with the Aramco logo could be seen and was likely the most photographed item during the three-day event. There was also a booth selling official Aramco and Aston Martin F1 merchandise, including gilets, caps, t-shirts and other items.

The big winners of the day, team Shaheen, were led by project manager Noor Alsadat, who jumped up and down with her whole team as the crowd rose to their feet to applaud them.

“We are very happy that we won first place. I’m very proud of my team. We came from different schools, we met in the Khobar Hub and we created our team,” Alsadat told Arab News. “We call ourselves Shaheen. It is the fastest supercomputer in the world (located in KAUST). And it’s also Arabic for ‘falcon,’ which represents the culture of our country, Saudi Arabia.”

 


Saudi minister of industry and mineral resources begins official visit to Egypt

Saudi minister of industry and mineral resources begins official visit to Egypt
Updated 03 June 2023

Saudi minister of industry and mineral resources begins official visit to Egypt

Saudi minister of industry and mineral resources begins official visit to Egypt
  • Bandar Alkhorayef is set to meet with various government officials and investors
  • His visit will explore opportunities to enhance cooperation in the industry and mining sectors

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef began an official visit to Egypt to discuss bilateral relations and explore opportunities to enhance cooperation in the industry and mining sectors, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
Alkhorayef, who is being accompanied by Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Osama Al-Zamil, is scheduled to meet with various government officials and investors in the industrial and mining sectors from both countries, and will conduct field visits to multiple companies and factories.
This visit is part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to bolster the role of the industrial and mining sectors in the national economy and attract investors from around the world. His trip will also look to review investment opportunities and highlight the Kingdom’s initiatives to develop the two sectors.
Last year, the volume of Saudi non-oil exports to Egypt exceeded SR11 billion ($2.9 billion), while imports totalled SR10 billion. The Kingdom’s primary exports to Egypt included petrochemicals, building materials, and medicines, while key imports consisted of food products, heavy machinery, and electronics.


Saudi Tour 2023 expands entertainment itinerary

Egyptian singer Sherine performed recently at a Kingdom Tour event. (Twitter/ Enjoy_Saudi)
Egyptian singer Sherine performed recently at a Kingdom Tour event. (Twitter/ Enjoy_Saudi)
Updated 03 June 2023

Saudi Tour 2023 expands entertainment itinerary

Egyptian singer Sherine performed recently at a Kingdom Tour event. (Twitter/ Enjoy_Saudi)
  • Saudi Tour 2023 is one of the General Entertainment Authority initiatives aimed at providing entertainment to residents and visitors

RIYADH: The General Entertainment Authority’s Kingdom Tour 2023 has added more regions to its itinerary, bringing the total number of cities and regions to 17.

After Baha was added about a week ago, Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of the authority, announced the inclusion of Najran in the events that will tour Saudi Arabia until the end of September.

In a statement, Al-Sheikh said: “Kingdom Tour 2023, which is the largest entertainment tour around the Kingdom, is being carried out in strategic partnership with the Quality of Life Program. Local companies in all regions are responsible for organizing and managing the tour.”

The tour has opened up opportunities for Saudis across the Kingdom to participate in various stages of the events, including pre-production and performance, as well as the supporting services, and logistical and technical services accompanying the events.

Al-Sheikh added that the authority aims to “maximize the economic benefits and achieve the social impact of the entertainment activities that the cities and regions will experience.”

FASTFACT

Kingdom Tour 2023 has opened up opportunities for Saudis across the country to participate in various stages of the events, including pre-production and performance, as well as the supporting services, and logistical and technical services accompanying the events.

He said that the youth of the Kingdom will play a major role in organizing the events, which will give them experience and increase their contribution to the entertainment sector, one of the promising sectors in the Kingdom.

Al-Sheikh concluded his statement by expressing his gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their unlimited support for the entertainment sector and all sectors of the state.

Kingdom Tour 2023 is one of the General Entertainment Authority initiatives aimed at providing entertainment to residents and visitors.

Tour activities will feature Saudi and Arab stars, in addition to Saudi youth, participating in plays and concerts.

Events recently included a concert at King Abdulaziz Cultural Center in Baha featuring Asil Abu Bakr Salem and the young singer Rami Abdullah. In Abha, at King Khalid University Theater, Asala and Majid Almohandis also performed a concert.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian comedy play “Hatta La Yatir Al-Dukkan” was staged at the Literary and Cultural Club Theater in Hail.

 


Who’s Who: Moataz Bin Ali, regional vice president and managing director for Trend Micro

Moataz Bin Ali
Moataz Bin Ali
Updated 03 June 2023

Who’s Who: Moataz Bin Ali, regional vice president and managing director for Trend Micro

Moataz Bin Ali

Moataz BinAli has been appointed as the regional vice president and managing director for Trend Micro in the Mediterranean, Middle East, Russia, Central Asia and Africa since January.

In his new role, BinAli has taken on the strategic leadership of the company throughout the region, enhancing its position as a cybersecurity leader dedicated to secure digital information exchange.

BinAli’s responsibilities encompass leading Trend Micro’s efforts to strengthen cybersecurity for both government and private entities across the entire region.

He is focused on contributing to the region’s digital economy by driving cybersecurity adoption programs, and fostering the exchange and localization of cybercrime successful global practices in the region.

Under his leadership, numerous successful long-term partnerships have been established in both the public and private sectors.

He has significantly increased the company’s profits, spearheaded a qualitative leap in the region, and expanded its influence across all levels. Additionally, he has brought technical expertise and global business resources to the region.

BinAli established Trend Micro’s regional headquarters for the Middle East and Africa in Riyadh, making it the first global cybersecurity company to establish a regional hub in Saudi Arabia.

With over 20 years of professional experience in the information technology sector, BinAli is recognized as a forefront innovator and renowned transformer in the field.

Before joining Trend Micro, he held several leadership roles within global technology organizations, such as SAP, IBM and Microsoft in the region.

He holds a doctorate in technology innovation management from the Universite de Lyon. He also received a master’s degree in business administration with a focus on organizational management from the University at Buffalo, and a bachelor’s degree in software engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals.