Kaspersky expands regional presence with opening of 1st Transparency Center in Riyadh

Update Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Communications and Information Technology Haitham bin Abdul Rahman Al-Ohali inaugurated the facility at a ceremony attended by officials of his ministry, the IT company, and other industry players. AN photo
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Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Communications and Information Technology Haitham bin Abdul Rahman Al-Ohali inaugurated the facility at a ceremony attended by officials of his ministry, the IT company, and other industry players. AN photo
Update Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Communications and Information Technology Haitham bin Abdul Rahman Al-Ohali inaugurated the facility at a ceremony attended by officials of his ministry, the IT company, and other industry players. AN photo
2 / 2
Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Communications and Information Technology Haitham bin Abdul Rahman Al-Ohali inaugurated the facility at a ceremony attended by officials of his ministry, the IT company, and other industry players. AN photo
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Updated 18 September 2023
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Kaspersky expands regional presence with opening of 1st Transparency Center in Riyadh

Kaspersky expands regional presence with opening of 1st Transparency Center in Riyadh

RIYADH: As part of its global initiative aimed at building trust and assuring the integrity of its solutions and processes, Kaspersky opened its first Transparency Center in Riyadh on Sunday.

It is the first-of-its-kind facility the multinational cybersecurity company has launched in the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Communications and Information Technology Haitham bin Abdul Rahman Al-Ohali inaugurated the facility at a ceremony attended by officials of his ministry, the IT company, and other industry players.

In an interview with Arab News, Eugene Kaspersky, founder and CEO of Kaspersky, said the new center aims to prove instrumental in advancing the Kingdom’s digital transformation initiatives.

Kaspersky CEO elaborated that as Saudi Arabia undergoes development, the company is well-positioned to play a crucial role in maintaining cybersecurity across various technologies, including enterprise systems, the Internet of Things, manufacturing systems, and monitoring environments.

He said the increasing use of smart devices in homes will further amplify the necessity for robust cybersecurity measures in the future.

Visitors to the center in Riyadh can review the source code of all of Kaspersky’s on-premise solutions. The whole review process depends on the level of sophistication and follows “piste” skiing classification color codes — “blue,” “red,” and “black.”

“Blue piste” offers a general overview of the security development processes of Kaspersky products and services, as well as data management procedures. “Red piste” allows a review of the most critical aspects of source code, assisted by the company’s specialists, and provides a targeted analysis of a particular functionality.

“Black piste” enables visitors to conduct the most comprehensive source code review, with the help of Kaspersky’s experts.

“This year we celebrate the five-year anniversary of our ‘Global Transparency Initiative.’ As true pioneers in advancing digital trust, we are pleased to celebrate the arrival of this initiative in the Middle East region, which is witnessing rapid digital transformation,” Kaspersky stated.

“In order to enhance our partners’ confidence in the services we provide to them, we are pleased to welcome them to the newly opened Transparency Center in Riyadh to answer any questions about the nature of our work and our solutions,” he added.

Kaspersky further elaborated that the cybersecurity company selected Riyadh as the venue for its first such facility in the Middle East to closely align with the goals of Vision 2030.

“I see that Saudi Arabia has a lot of plans and is already on the way to building a new cybernation with a lot of research development in cyber including IoT devices and systems. So we will be very happy to work together on cyber immunity,” Kaspersky added.

He noted that Saudi Arabia is among the company’s most significant markets, contributing substantially to its overall growth.

Vision 2030 aims to promote the Kingdom’s position as the hub for technology and innovation and has transformed the country into a destination to attract international companies to establish their regional headquarters in Riyadh.

The company is also committed to fostering awareness and cultivating young talent within the Kingdom. To this end, they have implemented training initiatives designed to bolster both local and global cybersecurity efforts. The most recent initiative is the “Cyber Generation” training — an internship program that accommodates young talent both with and without a background in IT or cybersecurity. It aims at increasing cybersecurity awareness, and enabling skills and knowledge sharing to defend against evolving cyberthreats.

Speaking to Arab News, Mohamad Hashem, general manager of Kaspersky Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, stated that the company has been working with the Saudi government to boost cybersecurity for almost five years.

“We already have a lot of initiatives with the Saudi government targeting students in schools and universities,” Hashem stated.

“We have a partnership with the Saudi Federation for Cyber Security and Programming where we have been working closely with them for the past five years. We have (organized) cybersecurity boot camps and training programs that aim to support Saudi students. Plus, we have our transparency centers which is our own way to provide more support to the Saudi students on preparing them for the market with cybersecurity expertise,” he added.


Saudi Arabia to host 12th session of the OIC’s statistical committee

Saudi Arabia to host 12th session of the OIC’s statistical committee
Updated 7 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia to host 12th session of the OIC’s statistical committee

Saudi Arabia to host 12th session of the OIC’s statistical committee

RIYADH: Amid efforts to enhance communication and collaboration between countries, Saudi Arabia is set to host the 12th session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation statistical committee.

According to a statement by the General Authority for Statistics, the two-day meeting will take place from Oct. 3-4 in Jeddah.

The engagement cements the Kingdom’s standing globally and in the Arab world, given that this is the first time the gatherings have been held outside its headquarters in Turkey.


KSA expands coffee production to further diversify economy

KSA expands coffee production to further diversify economy
Updated 16 min 50 sec ago
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KSA expands coffee production to further diversify economy

KSA expands coffee production to further diversify economy

RIYADH: In an effort to further diversify its oil-dependent economy, Saudi Arabia is increasing its coffee production to achieve a relative balance with crops that yield high economic returns. The country aims to plant 1.2 million coffee trees by 2026, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

As the Kingdom ascends to the ranks of the world’s top 10 coffee-consuming nations, the government is prioritizing this commodity through various initiatives, aiming to stimulate sector growth and increase production. 

In a country where nearly 400,000 Arabica coffee trees yield over 800 tons of coffee annually, primarily in Jazan, Asir and Al-Baha regions, this shift underscores coffee’s burgeoning cultural and economic significance.

In commemoration of World Coffee Day, observed annually on Oct. 1, the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture has released substantial statistics about coffee farming in the southern region.

Currently, there are over 2,535 coffee farms in this area, including more than 500 model coffee farms. 

The emphasis on expanding Arabica coffee production in 15 additional governorates in the southwestern region aligns with the objectives of Vision 2030, demonstrating the government’s commitment to supporting the national economy through the coffee industry.

This development underscores the dual role of coffee as a cultural tradition and an economic force in the country.


First regional sukuk meet calls for scientific approach to deal with risks

First regional sukuk meet calls for scientific approach to deal with risks
Updated 28 min 27 sec ago
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First regional sukuk meet calls for scientific approach to deal with risks

First regional sukuk meet calls for scientific approach to deal with risks

RIYADH: Global financial experts called for a scientifically guided approach to managing the risks associated with sukuk transactions during a meeting in Cairo on Sunday.

This event, held under the theme “The Importance of Strengthening the Role of Sukuks in Sustainable Development: Presentation and Analysis of International Experiences,” was organized by the Arab Administrative Development Organization in partnership with the Albaraka Forum for Islamic Economy and the Egyptian Islamic Finance Association. 

The Saudi Press agency reported that the discussions convened industry leaders to explore how a bond adhering to Islamic finance principles can power investments in sectors aligned with sustainability objectives.

As the global economy undergoes rapid transformation, conference discussions focused on the dynamic role of sukuk in adapting to this evolving landscape.


Abu Dhabi’s non-oil economy surges 12.3% in Q2 to $42bn: SCAD

Abu Dhabi’s non-oil economy surges 12.3% in Q2 to $42bn: SCAD
Updated 43 min 39 sec ago
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Abu Dhabi’s non-oil economy surges 12.3% in Q2 to $42bn: SCAD

Abu Dhabi’s non-oil economy surges 12.3% in Q2 to $42bn: SCAD

RIYADH: Abu Dhabi’s non-oil economy grew by 12.3 percent in the second quarter of 2023, accompanied by a 3.5 percent increase in its overall gross domestic product, reported the Statistics Centre — Abu Dhabi.

The emirate’s real non-oil GDP soared to 154 billion dirhams ($42 billion), marking its highest since 2014. This increase represents a record for the first quarter of the current year, surpassing 146 billion dirhams.

SCAD’s statistical estimates revealed growth in the construction sector, with a year-on-year increase of 19.1 percent, reaching 25.3 billion dirhams.

The financial sector also grew 29.7 percent in the second quarter compared to the same period last year, reaching 18.3 billion dirhams.

The manufacturing sector also advanced 7 percent in the second quarter to 25 billion dirhams compared to the year-ago period.

The real estate sector climbed to 9.8 billion dirhams in the second quarter from 9.3 billion dirhams in this year’s first quarter.

Furthermore, wholesale and retail trade activities reached their highest quarterly value since 2014, amounting to 16.7 billion dirhams.

These activities contributed 5.8 percent to the GDP in the second quarter of 2023.

Ahmed Jasim Al-Zaabi, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, emphasized: “The continued strong performance of Abu Dhabi’s economy despite mounting challenges in the global economic landscape reaffirms the success of the emirate’s diversification strategy and adaptability to market shifts.”

Last month, S&P Global Ratings anticipated that the UAE would achieve 3 percent economic growth in 2023, primarily driven by the non-oil sector.

The analysis from the rating agency forecasts a further expansion rate of 4 percent next year.

Trevor Cullinan, a sovereign ratings analyst at the agency, pointed to the impressive expansion of the UAE’s non-oil sector, citing significant strides in services and industrial domains, reported the Emirates News Agency.

Identifying key sectors that are steering the UAE’s economic growth, Cullinan mentioned oil and gas, wholesale trade and industry, real estate, construction and financial services.

The rating agency also reported that the employment growth in the UAE last month was at its highest since October 2016, even as the Purchasing Managers’ Index hit 56.6, up from 56.1 in September.


OPEC optimistic on demand, calls for more oil and gas investment

OPEC optimistic on demand, calls for more oil and gas investment
Updated 02 October 2023
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OPEC optimistic on demand, calls for more oil and gas investment

OPEC optimistic on demand, calls for more oil and gas investment

ABU DHABI: The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is optimistic on demand and sees under-investment as a risk to energy security, Secretary-General Haitham Al-Ghais said on Monday at an energy industry event in Abu Dhabi.

He stressed the importance of continued investment in the oil and gas industry and said he sees calls to stop investing in oil as counterproductive.

“We still see oil demand as quite resilient this year, as it was last year,” Al-Ghais said, noting the group’s forecast was for year-on-year demand growth of more than 2.3 million barrels per day (bpd).

He added that investment in the oil and gas sector was important for energy security.

“We are...running quite low on spare capacity; we have said this repeatedly and this requires a concerted effort by all of the stakeholders to see the importance of investing in this industry,” he said.

The UAE’s Energy Minister Suhail Al-Mazrouei echoed the call and said investment by both international and national oil companies was needed.

“And these investments need the financial world to be willing to finance oil and gas,” Al-Mazrouei said.

He later told reporters that his country is on track to expand its oil production capacity to 5 million bpd by 2027 from 4.2 million bpd currently.