Riyadh’s ICAN 2023 states aim to keep pace with progress in global air transport

ICAN2023 which is affiliated with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), opened in Riyadh on Sunday. (Supplied by GACA)
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ICAN2023 which is affiliated with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), opened in Riyadh on Sunday. (Supplied by GACA)
Riyadh’s ICAN 2023 states aim to keep pace with progress in global air transport
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ICAN2023 which is affiliated with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), opened in Riyadh on Sunday. (Supplied by GACA)
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Updated 04 December 2023
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Riyadh’s ICAN 2023 states aim to keep pace with progress in global air transport

Riyadh’s ICAN 2023 states aim to keep pace with progress in global air transport
  • More than 700 experts and specialists in the aviation industry are attending the event

RIYADH: The 15th International Conference on Air Services Negotiations, which is affiliated with the International Civil Aviation Organization, opened in Riyadh on Sunday with the aim of working to keep pace with rapid developments in the aviation sector.

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh Al-Jasser, who is also chairman of the board of directors at the General Authority of Civil Aviation, opened the conference, which is being hosted by the GACA with the participation of industry leaders, a number of ministers, and heads of civil aviation authorities.

More than 700 experts and specialists in the aviation industry, along with delegations from more than 100 countries and organizations, are also attending the event, which takes place from Dec. 3-7.

Al-Jasser said it was the second time the Kingdom had hosted the conference, which positioned the country among leaders in the field. He also thanked the ICAO for its partnership and support in hosting the event, which is setting a new record for attendance.

He added: “This outstanding participation confirms the importance of the conference and its success in achieving its goals and in advancing the global aviation sector.”

The Kingdom’s efforts in supporting its partners across the world to grow in the transportation and logistics services sector were acknowledged, with special thanks to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Al-Jasser said that the hosting of ICAN 2023 came in light of the unlimited support the air transport sector enjoyed from them.

He added that the Kingdom’s efforts were integrated with the strategy for transport and logistics services, which aimed to connect Saudi Arabia with the rest of the world through a comprehensive, diverse and innovative transport network in accordance with the National Aviation Strategy.

The minister added that the Kingdom was intent on strengthening its cross-border relations, and that the hosting of ICAN 2023 embodied the commitment toward dialogue, and the exchange of experiences and cultures, to work to build a united and cooperative global aviation sector.

He indicated that the agreements and partnerships made at the conference would have a positive effect on the sector.

The opening ceremony announced Malaysia as the ICAN 2024 host and featured cultural performances, in the presence of Al-Jasser, GACA President Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano, and heads of civil aviation authorities from various participating countries.

The GACA president said that the National Aviation Strategy aims to underline the Kingdom’s pioneering role in the field of civil aviation in the Middle East region, by attracting investments worth $100 billion and creating an exceptional travel experience for more than 330 million passengers annually by 2030.

The plan covers airports, airlines, aircraft and air service facilities, including air freight and logistics services, and offers travelers more than 250 destinations through 29 airports, with two global hubs in Riyadh and Jeddah.

This will significantly increase the volume of air freight from 0.8 million tons to 4.5 million tons by 2030, according to the GACA.

Al-Duailej noted that the GACA, as a strategic regulatory body, contributed to preparing the market by providing appropriate regulatory conditions and economic reforms to attract investment and provide growth opportunities throughout the Kingdom.

In addition, this initiative contributed to increasing competitiveness and transparency, providing more options for travelers, while achieving sustainable growth.

The GACA last November issued a new regulation to protect the rights of travelers to ensure that they received care, support and compensation for any difficulties faced on flights.

The GACA president added that the authority was keen to contribute, through its various efforts, to creating a safer and more sustainable global civil aviation system.

The authority would welcome communication, cooperation, and the exchange of experiences with various concerned parties, to build sustainable and advanced aviation systems in the Kingdom and other countries.

Sciacchitano said that the ICAN had succeeded, since its launch in 2008, in hosting more than 5,000 bilateral meetings, which had resulted in the signing of nearly 4,000 agreements and memorandums of cooperation with 160 participating countries.

He added that this year’s edition had attracted more than 95 countries and had more than 700 participants, while expectations were that the number of meetings during the event could exceed 485.

Ministers and heads of civil aviation authorities visited an exhibition which accompanies the conference. It showcases existing and future projects within the sector, and the opportunities offered, including in areas such as air mobility, space, sustainability, and advanced technologies.

The ICAN event, which is the largest of its kind for negotiating and discussing air transport affairs, aims to keep pace with rapid developments in the global air transport industry.

The conference will also witness the establishment of a ceremony to distribute the Facilities Award, hosted by the GACA, and concludes on Dec. 7, International Civil Aviation Day.

 

 


Saudi man arrested for $131m bank fraud

Saudi man arrested for $131m bank fraud
Updated 07 November 2024
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Saudi man arrested for $131m bank fraud

Saudi man arrested for $131m bank fraud
  • Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority announce new cases
  • Includes arrests for tobacco smuggling, roadworks scam

RIYADH: A Saudi man has been arrested for illegally obtaining SR493 million ($131 million) of bank financing.

The Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) worked with the Presidency of State Security and the Saudi Central Bank to arrest Khalid Ibrahim Al-Jraiwi.

He was arrested for “working with a bank employee in deceiving the banking regulations and obtaining an illegal bank financing of SR493 million,” Nazaha said on X.

It was one of a number of criminal cases announced on Wednesday by the authority, with legal proceedings underway.

Al-Jraiwi submitting a financing request containing false property deeds and fake contracts indicating investments in those properties by government entities.

The bank employee connected to Al-Jraiwi accepted the request and sent an email to the relevant departments at the bank confirming that the documents were valid. After receiving the financing, Al-Jraiwi transferred SR100 million abroad to purchase properties, registered under the names of his relatives.

Three men from the General Directorate of Passports were also arrested for facilitating the illegal entry and exit of Al-Jraiwi in exchange for money. The accused individuals admitted the charges and have been referred to court for prosecution.

In another case, Nazaha officials cooperated with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority to arrest Saudi man Mohammed Ghazi Mohammed Al-Sayed and two Yemeni residents, Abdulmalik Ahmed Qaid and Abdullah Abdu Qasim, for smuggling a container of cigarettes from Jeddah Islamic Port.

The men were “caught in the act” of paying SR1.5 million to smuggle the container without paying a SR7.2 million tariff, by claiming that the cigarettes were paper tissues.

Investigations into the case are continuing ahead of the appearance of the accused in court.

The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority also helped Nazaha arrest Sudanese man Osman Mohammed Naeem Abdulrahman for using a car and SR20,000 to pay for smuggling four tons of tobacco from Jeddah Islamic Port.

In another case, Al-Jouf Municipality official Khalaf Saleh Marzouq Al-Khaldi was arrested for receiving SR8 million from Yemeni resident Mohammed Ali Omar Al-Saqaf to issue invoices worth more than SR17.6 million for roadworks projects in the region that were not executed.


Saudi stories pique audience interest, says Bloomberg Media MD

Saudi stories pique audience interest, says Bloomberg Media MD
Updated 57 min 58 sec ago
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Saudi stories pique audience interest, says Bloomberg Media MD

Saudi stories pique audience interest, says Bloomberg Media MD
  • Visiting the Athar Festival of Creativity in Riyadh, Amit Nayak told Arab News: “We’ve seen a real appetite from our global audiences for content from here”

RIYADH: Stories and articles about Saudi Arabia and the region are among the most widely read by audiences, according to Bloomberg Media’s managing director in the Middle East and Africa.

Visiting the Athar Festival of Creativity in Riyadh, Amit Nayak told Arab News: “We’ve seen a real appetite from our global audiences for content from here.”

He said that with such a large and diverse team based in the Middle East, Bloomberg Media was able to bring local insights and perspectives to provide content based on what audiences wanted.

“We remain focused on deeply understanding our Middle Eastern audience, fostering direct relationships, and delivering trusted news and insights tailored to their needs,” he said.

“We work with leading entities across the region, such as Saudi Tourism Authority and Red Sea Global, using custom content across different platforms to help tell their stories to regional and global audiences.”

The use of smart technology has been big part of Bloomberg’s strategy for over a decade, with The Bulletin being a predominant feature on the app. Launched by Bloomberg’s Media Innovation Lab in 2018, it provides single-sentence summaries of the top three stories.

“We leverage first-party subscriber data through our AI-powered Audience Accelerator platform,” added Nayak. “This allows us to precisely target key demographics to inform machine learning models that predict the population of users on the site, enhancing campaign performance and building brand credibility.”

In 2022, Bloomberg Media Studios opened a regional studio in Dubai and earlier this year launched “Bloomberg Horizons: Middle East & Africa,” a flagship morning program.

Bloomberg News also launched the Mideast Money newsletter, which focuses on “the intersection of wealth and power, and the impact of regional sovereign investors and dealmakers in global finance.”

Evolving as a commercial team that, 10 years ago, predominantly sold advertising, Nayak said that as clients became more sophisticated and keener to reach global audiences, Bloomberg Middle East was fostering internal talent to better collaborate with them.

“We were well placed because we have invested heavily in our teams on the ground here — whether that’s expanding sales, building a client marketing team, or hosting events on the ground in the region,” he said.


Saudi national guard minister holds talks with South Korean president in Seoul

Saudi national guard minister holds talks with South Korean president in Seoul
Updated 06 November 2024
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Saudi national guard minister holds talks with South Korean president in Seoul

Saudi national guard minister holds talks with South Korean president in Seoul
  • Meeting takes place during official visit by Prince Abdullah bin Bandar to attend a military parade

SEOUL: Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia’s minister of national guard, held talks on Wednesday with President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea in Seoul, during which they discussed bilateral relations and ways in which ties between their countries might be enhanced.
It came during a visit by the prince to attend a Korean Ministry of National Defense military parade, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Abdullah conveyed greetings from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and their best wishes for the continued progress and prosperity of the president and people of South Korea. The president passed on his own greetings and message of appreciation to the king and crown prince.


Saudi crown prince receives medical team that performed world’s first fully robotic heart transplant

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives a Saudi medical team from KFSHRC.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives a Saudi medical team from KFSHRC.
Updated 06 November 2024
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Saudi crown prince receives medical team that performed world’s first fully robotic heart transplant

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives a Saudi medical team from KFSHRC.
  • The crown prince congratulated the medical team and the leadership of the hospital on the historic achievement
  • Saudi medical team successfully performed world’s first fully robotic heart transplant in September 2024

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday received the Saudi medical team that successfully performed the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant.

The transplant was performed at Riyadh’s King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in September on a 16-year-old patient suffering from end-stage heart failure.

The crown prince congratulated the medical team and the leadership of the hospital on the historic achievement, praising the efforts of Saudi personnel and their ability to innovate and achieve a global precedent in the medical field.  

Members of the medical team thanked Prince Mohammed for his support, while the head of the medical team, Saudi cardiac surgeon Dr. Feras Khaliel, said the reception is an incentive for the team to do more to serve humanity and the Kingdom.


Specialists participate in international conference in Jeddah over the conservation of Red Sea turtles

Specialists participate in international conference in Jeddah over the conservation of Red Sea turtles
Updated 06 November 2024
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Specialists participate in international conference in Jeddah over the conservation of Red Sea turtles

Specialists participate in international conference in Jeddah over the conservation of Red Sea turtles
  • First-of-its-kind symposium an important step toward cooperation between Red Sea countries and international experts in facing environmental challenges
  • Participants reviewed the latest research and discussed issues related to the status of sea turtles in the region

JEDDAH: More than 90 academics and experts in environmental sciences and biodiversity conservation from 10 countries participated in the first International Symposium for the Conservation of Sea Turtles in the Red Sea.
The Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday that the symposium, which ran from Nov. 3-6 in Jeddah and titled “Moving toward the future … enhancing the protection of sea turtles in the Red Sea through science, cooperation and innovation.” was organized by the General Organization for the Conservation of Coral Reefs and Turtles in the Red Sea (Shams).
The first-of-its-kind symposium is an important step toward cooperation between the Red Sea countries and international experts in facing environmental challenges, because it reflects an urgent regional and global desire to enhance environmental sustainability and develop effective strategies to protect sea turtles in the Red Sea, in line with international environmental obligations and preserving the natural heritage of the Kingdom.
During the four-day event, participants reviewed the latest research and discussed important issues related to the status of sea turtles in the region, as well as means to find innovative solutions to the challenges they face, through lectures, presentations and interactive workgroups.
Seven of the most prominent international speakers gave keynote speeches, during which they presented their experiences and research expertise on protecting sea turtles and made recommendations aimed at enhancing the sustainability of this vital species in its natural environment.
The conference staged 31 presentations and four workgroups that addressed various topics, including assessing the strengths and weaknesses of efforts to protect sea turtles in the Red Sea, and identifying activities and procedures that contribute to developing a comprehensive action plan for the Red Sea.
In addition, the workshops during the symposium highlighted the importance of developing an integrated strategy to protect sea turtles in their breeding sites, especially in the Ras Baridi area, which faces critical environmental challenges.
Among the conference’s main priorities and outcomes, the development of a regional action plan for the conservation of sea turtles was discussed, in addition to bilateral initiatives between the Red Sea countries to rehabilitate beaches designated for turtle nesting and provide strategic support for future development plans.
It was also agreed to strengthen partnerships with universities to provide international supervision for Saudi students, and to establish local partnerships aimed at preserving important natural environments for turtles, especially in the Four Sisters islands, which were recently discovered by the Shams team and designated as a special area requiring environmental management to protect them.