World Customs Organization appoints first Arab woman to top post

World Customs Organization appoints first Arab woman to top post
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Updated 12 March 2024
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World Customs Organization appoints first Arab woman to top post

World Customs Organization appoints first Arab woman to top post
  • Al-Rasheed served as vice president and director of the RILO for the Middle East at the Saudi Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority

RIYADH: The World Customs Organization has elected the first Arab woman to head up its Regional Intelligence Liaison Offices for 2025 and 2026, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

Munerah Al-Rasheed’s appointment was made during the 31st Global Meeting of the RILO, which was held at the WCO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1.

With nearly 20 years of experience, Al-Rasheed served as vice president and director of the RILO for the Middle East at the Saudi Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority.

She also represented 11 local Saudi Arabia offices in the Middle East region at various meetings, conferences and workshops.


KSrelief Project clears 1,338 Explosives in Yemen

KSrelief Project clears 1,338 Explosives in Yemen
Updated 26 September 2024
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KSrelief Project clears 1,338 Explosives in Yemen

KSrelief Project clears 1,338 Explosives in Yemen

RIYADH: Saudi's aid agency KSrelief's Masam Project dismantled 1,338 explosives in various governorates of Yemen reported state news agency SPA on Wednesday.

This included three anti-personnel explosives, 35 anti-tank explosives, and 1,300 unexploded ordnances.

Since the project's inception, a total of 462,289 explosives have been cleared.

The Masam project is dedicated to clearing explosives in Yemen.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through KSrelief, remains committed to ridding Yemeni lands of all explosives.

This ongoing threat has tragically resulted in the loss of lives and caused injuries to innocent children, women, and the elderly.


KSrelief delivers Gaza humanitarian Aid to Jordan

KSrelief delivers Gaza humanitarian Aid to Jordan
Updated 26 September 2024
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KSrelief delivers Gaza humanitarian Aid to Jordan

KSrelief delivers Gaza humanitarian Aid to Jordan

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief delivered a new shipment of aid for the Gaza Strip to the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO) in Amman reported state news agency SPA on Wednsday.

The Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO) in Amman is preparing aid packages to send to Gaza via Jordanian land crossings.

The aid included 10 trucks loaded with 1,280 shelter bags and 3,537 baskets of essential food items, aimed at securing the daily needs of those affected by the crises.

 


At UN open debate, Saudi FM says violators of international law must be held accountable without favor

At UN open debate, Saudi FM says violators of international law must be held accountable without favor
Updated 26 September 2024
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At UN open debate, Saudi FM says violators of international law must be held accountable without favor

At UN open debate, Saudi FM says violators of international law must be held accountable without favor

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister said restoring respect for international conventions and norms comes through the application of international law and international humanitarian law, and holding violators accountable without being selective.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the absence of serious international action to stop the ongoing Israeli military escalation is conclusive evidence of the shortcomings of the multilateral international system and the weakness of international political will.

“The Kingdom believes that peace is the foundation that paves the way for cooperation and development, and is the protector of their sustainability,” Prince Faisal said during the “Leadership for Peace” open debate on the sidelines of the 79th UN General Assembly in New York.

Prince Faisal said the meeting comes at a time when the pace of conflicts and crises is escalating, common challenges and threats are multiplying, and the crisis of confidence in the multilateral international system and its ability to achieve the hopes of peoples for a future of peace and development is growing.

“These circumstances require us to evaluate the state of international multilateral action and the reasons for its decline in resolving crises and addressing common challenges,” he added.

Prince Faisal said Saudi Arabia “will continue to support the multilateral international system, seek to develop it, enable its purposes, and restore confidence in its institutions. It is also committed to strengthening collective action to achieve common security and development.”


AlUla dates auction bears fruitful results

AlUla dates auction bears fruitful results
Updated 25 September 2024
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AlUla dates auction bears fruitful results

AlUla dates auction bears fruitful results

RIYADH: Farmers at AlUla Dates Auction in northwestern Saudi Arabia are moving date boxes from the bottom to the top to encourage buyers to trust the quality of the goods exhibited and the cleanliness of their harvest.

One farmer said that a batch of dates he sold earlier retailed for roughly SR3 (80 cents) less than the projected price for a kilogram, but he was pleased to later sell another type of dates for SR7 ($1.87) more a kilogram.

Many farmers transport ripe dates at the end of summer to the market square while specialized transport companies manage exports to major cities and outside of the Kingdom.

Saud Al-Anzi, another farmer, pointed to two piles of date boxes on either side of the market, one of which had been sold at auction while the other awaited its turn.

He anticipated a fair price of about SR10 a kilogram for his premium variety, known as “berni,” but the auction surprised him shortly afterwards with a price about SR4 higher.

Omar Al-Balawi, the general supervisor of AlUla Dates Auction, told Arab News that the auction was established to root the market value of AlUla dates and enhance their competitiveness after farmers previously traveled long distances to other markets, especially in Madinah, which is about 350 km from their farms in the northern province of the Madinah region.

He said that several gains have been achieved for both farmers and buyers, raising the quality of the varieties and ensuring fair prices.

AlUla Date Auction is continuing its events as part of the “Date Season” during the Fridays and Saturdays of September and October, having been extended for an additional two weeks to allow distant farms in the province to participate in the auction and provide an opportunity for their dates to ripen.

The Royal Commission for AlUla, in collaboration with several government and private entities, organized the auction at Al-Iskan playground south of AlUla until Nov. 9.

The auction allows AlUla farmers to showcase their date products to buyers and investors from within and outside the Kingdom.

The auction establishes competitiveness for AlUla dates in local, regional and global markets, in line with AlUla Vision, which aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 aimed at enhancing the Kingdom’s role to become the largest exporter of dates worldwide.

As part of the festival, AlUla Date Auction 2024 Award will be held for participating farmers in the festival auction, where the first-place winner will be awarded SR75,000 ($20,000), the second 50,000 ($13,300), and the third 30,000 ($8,000).

Winners will be selected on specific criteria related to the quantity and total value of sales.


Judy Murray, Garbine Muguruza conduct tennis clinic for Saudi kids

Judy Murray, Garbine Muguruza conduct tennis clinic for Saudi kids
Updated 26 September 2024
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Judy Murray, Garbine Muguruza conduct tennis clinic for Saudi kids

Judy Murray, Garbine Muguruza conduct tennis clinic for Saudi kids
  • Event in Diriyah held ahead of WTA Finals in Riyadh in November
  • ‘It’s important that we share the sport as much as we can,’ Murray says

RIYADH: Scottish tennis coach Judy Murray and former world No. 1 Spanish-Venezuelan Garbine Muguruza conducted a tennis clinic for children at the Net Tennis Academy in Diriyah on Tuesday.
Ahead of the WTA Finals that will be held for the first time in Riyadh in November, the pair spoke to Arab News about the growth of the sport in the region.
“I think there is a new generation now ... We have great players from all nationalities and we feel like every tournament there’s different winners. So that means that it’s very competitive,” Muguruza, who will act as tournament director for the upcoming event, said.
Public events could help to raise the profile of the sport, she said.
“One very good example is what we are doing here today. We are bringing the community together, especially the kids. The kids are the ones that are going to follow our footsteps and be the next generation.”

Scottish tennis coach Judy Murray, the mother to former world No. 1 and three-time Grand Slam champion Sir Andy Murray and his brother Jamie, has said she sees a bright future for tennis in Saudi Arabia. (AN photo: Abdulrahman Shalhoub)

The Saudi Sports for All Federation and Saudi Tennis Federation are working together to stage the Tennis for All program at SFA Neighborhood Clubs in Riyadh, Jeddah and the Eastern Province. The initiative is one of several launched to encourage people across the Kingdom to become more physically active.
Murray, who is mother to former world No. 1 and three-time Grand Slam champion Sir Andy Murray and his brother Jamie, had a similar message.
“It’s important that we share the sport as much as we can with those in the local community,” she said.
“The bigger your workforce, the more you can share your sport with any kids, teens, adults who might be interested in getting involved and picking up a racket.”

Scottish tennis coach Judy Murray conducts a tennis clinic for children in Diriyah, as part of an initiative to grow the Saudi game. (AN photo: Abdulrahman Shalhoub)

But the most important thing was passion, she said.
“I look at my sons, who were professional players for many, many years. They’re 37 and 38 now and they still love the game. They still love competing. They’re real students of the game. They really research, study it, love it. And I think I would say exactly the same for myself. I love the game.”
Having worked directly with the SFA, Murray said she saw a bright future for tennis in Saudi Arabia.
“I think bringing the World Tour Finals here for a three-year period and also having brought the next gen finals here, and there are a number of other things in the pipeline that will bring some major events into Saudi, the closer you can get your people to the action, live action, the more they are probably inspired to try it ... the more they believe that they could actually do it as well,” she said.
“I think that the goal is by 2030, to have a million people playing tennis, which is always good to have a target and I actually think you’re going to smash that target.”