Saudi crown prince calls for collective response to Gaza during talks with Iranian president, other leaders

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Pakistani Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Pakistani Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. (SPA)
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Updated 12 November 2023
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Saudi crown prince calls for collective response to Gaza during talks with Iranian president, other leaders

Saudi crown prince calls for collective response to Gaza during talks with Iranian president, other leaders
  • Prince Mohammed bin Salman held talks with Turkish, Palestinian and Egyptian presidents and Pakistan’s prime minister
  • He affirmed the Kingdom’s condemnation and categorical rejection of the ‘barbaric war’ against the Palestinian people

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Saturday met Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on the sidelines of an emergency meeting of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in the capital, Riyadh, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed bilateral relations and discussed regional developments, especially in the Gaza Strip.

“The crown prince affirmed the Kingdom’s condemnation and categorical rejection of this barbaric war against the brotherly Palestinian people, stressing the necessity of immediately stopping military operations and providing humanitarian corridors to relieve civilians and enabling international humanitarian organizations to perform their role,” the statement on SPA said.

Prince Mohammed called for “the release of hostages and detainees and saving innocent lives,” the statement added.

The Kingdom hosted the emergency meeting on Saturday following more than a month of deadly assaults by Israeli forces on the Gaza Strip that have killed more than 11,000 people, nearly half of them children, in response to a surprise attack by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7.

The Saudi crown prince also held talks with Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during which he said that “what is happening in the occupied Palestinian territories requires a coordinated collective effort to take effective action to confront this unfortunate situation,” SPA reported.

He also stressed the need to work to lift the siege by bringing in humanitarian and relief aid and securing medical supplies for the sick and injured in Gaza.

Prince Mohammed and Erdogan also reviewed aspects of Saudi-Turkish bilateral relations in various fields and ways to develop and strengthen them.

During his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the crown prince affirmed that the Israeli occupation authorities were responsible for the crimes committed against the Palestinian people and their livelihood, reiterating the Kingdom’s categorical rejection of the continued aggression, occupation and forced displacement of people in Gaza.

He also “affirmed that the Kingdom will continue to stand by the Palestinian people to achieve their legitimate rights to a decent life, and achieve their hopes, ambitions, and a just and lasting peace,’ SPA said.

Prince Mohammed and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi affirmed the importance of halting the military escalation in the Gaza Strip, and said that they categorically rejected the continued aggression, occupation and forced displacement of the people in Gaza, as well as holding Israel responsible for the crimes committed against the Palestinians.

The two sides “agreed on the need to intensify close consultation and coordination between the Kingdom and Egypt during the coming period to assert the Arab and Islamic stance on the Palestinian cause.”

Meanwhile, the crown prince also held talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar to discuss ties and the situation in Gaza, where he reiterated that “the only way to achieve security, peace and stability in the region is to end the occupation, siege and settlement and for the Palestinian people to obtain their legitimate rights.”

The meetings were attended by a number of ministers and senior officials.

 


Historic Jeddah launches artistic events until March to promote local Saudi culture

Historic Jeddah launches artistic events until March to promote local Saudi culture
Updated 11 December 2023
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Historic Jeddah launches artistic events until March to promote local Saudi culture

Historic Jeddah launches artistic events until March to promote local Saudi culture

JEDDAH: The Historic Jeddah Program announced the launch of several activities to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s local economy and make the country a cultural and economic tourism destination, the state-run SPA news agency reported on Sunday.

The activities were launched under an initiative entitled “Balad Al-Fann,” and will run until March 9.

Through the universal language of art, the initiative seeks to enhance the Kingdom’s cultural scene, provide unique sensory experiences, increase awareness and encourage visitors to visit Historic Jeddah, also known as Al-Balad. 

“Balad Al-Fann” will present four art exhibitions, music programs and various theatrical performances, as well as a range of local restaurants, and organized school visits to enrich students with artistic content. 

Abdulaziz Ibrahim Al-Issa, the general supervisor of the Historic Jeddah Program, said that the activities aim to enhance cultural interaction in Al-Balad, turn the area into a cultural destination and a creative home, to serve as an attractive center for business and cultural projects, and a destination for entrepreneurs.

They are also part of the Historic Jeddah Program’s objectives to contribute to achieving the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.


Saudi Arabia joins air taxi race

CGI of a concept design for a Vertiport developed for Urban Air Mobility by Setec and its partners. (Supplied)
CGI of a concept design for a Vertiport developed for Urban Air Mobility by Setec and its partners. (Supplied)
Updated 10 December 2023
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Saudi Arabia joins air taxi race

CGI of a concept design for a Vertiport developed for Urban Air Mobility by Setec and its partners. (Supplied)
  • French engineering firm Setec Group a key partner in sustainable transport
  • ‘We’re trying to put our green touch and valued engineering expertise to have buildings and assets with lower impact on the environment,’ says official

RIYADH: French engineering and consulting firm Setec Group is working on urban air mobility in the Kingdom.

The concept being developed with the company’s European partners and manufacturers aims to provide air mobility for people and goods.

With Dubai expecting to launch its first flying taxi by 2026, and countries considering the service as a way to ease traffic conditions, Saudi Arabia is also joining the race for air mobility.

King Salman Park is the world’s largest urban park in the heart of Riyadh, with multidisciplinary engineering design by Setec. (Supplied)

The French integrated engineering solutions provider is developing new mobility solutions, especially for the Gulf region, with the development of public transport and soft mobility services for smart cities.

“It is like an air taxi. We have developed a preliminary feasibility study for Riyadh, to connect Riyadh with the new centralities that are being developed in the vicinity, namely Diriyah and Qiddiyah, and the service might be implemented in the coming years, to ease the road infrastructure, and for fast transit between the different centralities,” Patrick Bteich, a partner at Setec Group, told Arab News en Francais.

“Air mobility needs special permits from various ministries,and you need to work on corridors to mitigate security issues … from pilot to the implementation, it can take a few years depending on the regulation. But it’s a project that could be developed for Vision 2030,” Bteich added.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Urban air mobility would serve to ease traffic conditions.

• Dubai expects to launch its first flying taxi by 2026.

• Setec Group is one amongst several French companies working in AlUla.

Development of AlUla in recent years has witnessed significant French-Saudi collaboration through the AfAlUla and RCU intergovernmental agreement. The partnerships demonstrate the Kingdom’s ambition to make AlUla a leading international destination for culture and tourism.

Setec Group is one amongst several French companies working in AlUla.

The engineering firm’s presence in AlUla falls in line with the intergovernmental agreement, as well as the group’s desire to expand its presence in the western parts of the Kingdom.

Patrick Bteich, Setec Group partner

The French group, which is also working on King Salman Park and the development of metro lines, aims to “help the Kingdom reach its objectives as part of Vision 2030,” Bteich said.

“We’re looking to position ourselves, working on iconic buildings in terms of assets, high-rise tower projects, and we are interested in all the metro and LRT (light rail transit) developments that are happening in the region. In Riyadh, we have line extensions that are going to be floated to the market, including the Qiddiya LRT,” he added.

In its manifesto for low-carbon construction, Setec Group committed to offering low-carbon alternatives on its projects.

Our motto today is resilience and adapting to climate change, which is quite important in the region knowing that heat waves may become stronger and last longer.

Patrick Bteich, Setec Group partner

“We’re also trying to put our green touch and valued engineering expertise to have buildings and assets with lower impact on the environment. Our motto today is resilience and adapting to climate change, which is quite important in the region knowing that heat waves may become stronger and last longer,” he added.

The engineering firm is focused on international expansion, which makes up more than 30 percent of its activity.

With established offices in KSA, the UAE, and Egypt, the group is centering its efforts and business development in Saudi Arabia, in line with the Kingdom’s mega projects, with three offices across the country.

The Louis Vuitton Foundation, a contemporary art center located in the Bois de Boulogne, Paris. Architectural design by Frank Gehry and multidisciplinary engineering design by Setec. (Supplied)

“In the Kingdom, we are now finalizing our work on the King Salman Park, the landscape design with our partners Gerber Architekten (German architects) and Buro Happold (English engineers), and we have submitted the last package at the end of October, and the construction is underway and within budget. The project is expected to open soon,” Bteich said.

Setec is also working on the project management for Diriyah Gate and has worked on project management within the FAST consortium on 3 out of the 6 metro lines of Riyadh.

“The core of our activity is related to transport and infrastructure: Metros, trains, highways, high-speed lines, airports … this is around 60 percent to 65 percent of our activity, and this was the core activity when we started, with complex structures,” he added.

Among its flagship projects, Setec worked on the French section of the underwater Channel Tunnel between France and the UK.

The group also designed the Viaduc de Millau, the world’s tallest cable-stayed bridge, as well as iconic buildings including the Louis Vuitton Foundation Museum in France, the Tribunal de Justice in Paris, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

“We assist architects in the design to make the project happen … we had the chance to meet key clients from Saudi Arabia recently and it is going to open good opportunities for collaboration,” Bteich said.

Setec Group includes more than 40 companies. The firm develops feasibility studies leading to detailed design studies, environmental impact assessments, and offers client site supervision and consulting services.

 

 

 


International Olympic Committee chief visits Diriyah

(Left from right) Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Thomas Bach and Jerry Inzerillo. (Supplied)
(Left from right) Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Thomas Bach and Jerry Inzerillo. (Supplied)
Updated 10 December 2023
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International Olympic Committee chief visits Diriyah

(Left from right) Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Thomas Bach and Jerry Inzerillo. (Supplied)
  • During his official meeting with Prince Abdulaziz, they discussed the major role played by the Kingdom on the global sporting stage

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Sports Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal on Sunday accompanied Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, on a tour of the historic Turaif neighborhood in Diriyah, Riyadh. The CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority Jerry Inzerillo was also present.

Bach arrived in the Kingdom on Saturday and was also was given a tour of the facilities hosting the ongoing Saudi Games 2023.

During his official meeting with Prince Abdulaziz, they discussed the major role played by the Kingdom on the global sporting stage.

 

 


Saudi students shine in international science contest

The Saudi team secured 3 international awards at the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) which took place in Thailand.
The Saudi team secured 3 international awards at the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) which took place in Thailand.
Updated 10 December 2023
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Saudi students shine in international science contest

The Saudi team secured 3 international awards at the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) which took place in Thailand.
  • “The organization aims to push them toward success in inspiring scientific and technological paths, prioritizing national interests”

JEDDAH: Saudi students competing against contestants from 55 countries scooped three awards at the 2023 International Junior Science Olympiad.

The competitions, held in Thailand’s capital Bangkok, took place from Dec. 1 to 10.

Representing Saudi Arabia were the King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), and the Ministry of Education.

Hussein Habib Al-Saleh clinched a silver medal, while Suha Suleiman Al-Salama and Reda Emad Al-Khalaf were both awarded a bronze, adding to the Saudi science team’s medal tally total of 30 – one gold, six silver, and 23 bronze.

In a post on X, Mawhiba said: “The Saudi team secured three international awards at the International Junior Science Olympiad #IJSO2023, which took place in Thailand and attracted 304 students, representing 55 countries. Congratulations to our Kingdom, our students, and our strategic partner @moe_gov_sa.”

Each member of the Kingdom’s team underwent intensive training at Mawhiba, conducted by a group of expert Saudi and foreign trainers.

Praising the students’ efforts, Amal Al-Hazzaa, Mawhiba’s secretary-general, thanked the ministry, the families of the students, and their schools and teachers for their support.

She said: “Mawhiba strives in all its initiatives to inspire and motivate talented Saudi students with exceptional minds and abilities, enabling them to compete globally in scientific, technological, and applied fields.

“The organization aims to push them toward success in inspiring scientific and technological paths, prioritizing national interests.”

 

 


OIC calls for end to human rights ‘double standards’

A displaced Palestinian man rests next to a tent at a camp in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip Dec. 10, 2023. (Reuters)
A displaced Palestinian man rests next to a tent at a camp in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip Dec. 10, 2023. (Reuters)
Updated 10 December 2023
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OIC calls for end to human rights ‘double standards’

A displaced Palestinian man rests next to a tent at a camp in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip Dec. 10, 2023. (Reuters)
  • IPHRC voiced concerns after joining worldwide events to mark Human Rights Day 2023 on Dec. 10, the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

RIYADH: The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation has condemned what it describes as double standards in applying human rights norms globally in light of the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip.

The IPHRC voiced its concerns after joining worldwide events to mark Human Rights Day 2023 on Dec. 10, the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In a statement, the commission said that after more than two months of Israeli aggression in Gaza, and more than 17,000 civilian casualties, the international community is failing in its responsibility to act on credible accounts of war crimes being committed by Israeli forces.

The commission urged the international community to intervene for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in the enclave.

It also described Israeli orders for civilians in Gaza to evacuate without basic necessities as a violation of International humanitarian law.

The commission voiced concern about human rights violations affecting millions worldwide, and cited the deteriorating conditions for Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, persistent violence and discrimination against Muslims in India, and the continued plight of Palestinians and Kashmiris under oppressive regimes.

The IPHRC called for an end to double standards in applying human rights norms globally, and reaffirmed its commitment to promoting good governance, the rule of law, and safeguarding fundamental freedoms.

It also highlighted the need for technological equality and equitable development for OIC member states and other developing nations, and urged the international community to prioritize bridging the technological divide, saying that developing countries face disparities in accessing cutting-edge technologies.

The commission urged member states to adopt innovative, rights-based approaches to address economic, social, and cultural challenges.