Saudi Arabia’s bold recycling plan will see it become a world-leader, experts believe

Saudi Arabia’s bold recycling plan will see it become a world-leader, experts believe
Saudi Arabia is seeking to make the most of the industry. Shutterstock
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Updated 16 September 2024
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Saudi Arabia’s bold recycling plan will see it become a world-leader, experts believe

Saudi Arabia’s bold recycling plan will see it become a world-leader, experts believe
  • This initiative is anticipated to contribute approximately SR120 billion ($31.99 billion) to Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product

RIYADH: In an era marked by growing environmental concerns and the pursuit of sustainable development, recycling has emerged as a crucial driver of economic prosperity for countries worldwide.

Beyond its environmental benefits, recycling holds significant economic advantages, fostering job creation, stimulating local industries, and bolstering long-term economic stability.

Saudi Arabia is seeking to make the most of this industry, and in January the Kingdom’s Ministry of Environment announced a comprehensive plan to recycle a significant portion – up to 95 percent – of the country’s waste. 

This initiative is anticipated to contribute approximately SR120 billion ($31.99 billion) to Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product, and aims to generate over 100,000 employment opportunities for the Kingdom’s nationals. 

When fully implemented, the plan will see the recycling of around 100 million tonnes of waste annually, showcasing the nation’s commitment to sustainability.

The program aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader sustainable development goals, emphasizing the implementation of well-designed strategies and processes across various sectors, including the National Environment Strategy.

Thinking behind the plan

According to Julien Vermersch, partner at Bain and Co. Middle East, the Kingdom’s ambition to divert 90 percent of its waste away from landfills by 2040 is not only going to be achieved via recycling.

“Whilst increasing circularity and materials recovery will certainly be a very significant lever – in particular because today only about 5 percent of the waste is recycled – this cannot be the only lever,” Vermersch told Arab News.

“Some waste streams, e.g. specific hazardous waste, cannot easily be recycled and in some cases incineration with heat recovery, i.e. waste-to-energy, will remain a better option,” he added.

There are more than economic factors at play in this plan, Vermersch explained, pointing to the rapid urbanization and population growth in the Kingdom putting existing infrastructure under significant pressure.

“All key urban centers are struggling with landfill saturation and whilst it is possible to open new sites or expand existing ones, this trend will rapidly become unsustainable as urban developments continue. Then landfills pose a real environmental threat,” he said.

The Bain and Co. partner shed light on the fact that despite some advancements in this area, the effective management of leachate remains a persistent challenge in urban and industrial areas, as evidenced by numerous reported instances of soil and groundwater contamination over time.

“Additionally, in the absence of gas capture systems, the decomposition of organic wastes in landfills is a major source of methane emissions  – estimated to be around 30-50 Mtpa (million tonnes per annum) of CO2 equivalent emissions, which is 5-7 percent of the total greenhouse emissions of the Kingdom,” Vermersch said.

He further noted that the Kingdom’s landfill diversion target is consistent with what is already achieved in a number of European countries or select advanced Asian countries.

“The ambition to get there by 2040 however is quite bold. For these countries that have made the transition, getting to 90 percent landfill diversion has been a 25-plus years journey requiring stringent regulations, public engagement to build awareness and support and massive capital investments in new waste management infrastructure,” the partner clarified.

Yves Takchi, principal and global co-lead for Arthur D. Little Waste, Water and Circularity Competence Center, told Arab News that according to the National Center for Waste Management the overall ambition is similar across all waste streams, with the combined landfill diversion targets close to 90 percent for all types.

“To achieve this diversion rate, Saudi Arabia has put a great emphasis on recycling, but is also aiming to deploy a variety of other techniques such as waste-to-energy to complement it. The landfill diversion targets that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has embraced are rooted in an ambitious and yet scientific approach to transform the waste management sector in the country,” Takchi said.

He went on to explain that at a strategic level, countries have three high level options to manage the waste that is generated by its economy.

“Firstly, most economies with a nascent waste management sector treat waste management as a sanitation service and focus on reducing expenditures while safeguarding public health. This often means that they heavily rely on sanitary landfilling as a cheap and effective method to dispose of waste. The second approach is adopted by countries that want to minimize the waste that goes to landfills while still maintaining convenience and ease of implementation,” said Takchi.

He added that the usual objectives in this scenario are to avoid landfilling in recognition of its environmental damage and unnecessary space usage, as well as to leverage waste to fuel the increasingly energy demanding economies.

The Arthur D. Little official also said that countries in this situation usually end up relying heavily on recovery technologies such as waste-to-energy and refuse-derived fuel, which although have a higher cost and only marginal improvements in environmental performance, are much easier to put in place and rely much less on citizen participation and behavioral change.

Takchi argued that world-leaders in waste management follow the third approach. 

“These countries have managed to put in place systems that strive toward a circular economy approach – as opposed to the linear use-throw-dump model. Their waste systems follow the waste hierarchy, which maximizes first the reduction and reuse of waste materials, then the usage of recycling as the next best alternative, with waste to energy and energy recovery transitional and residual treatments before landfilling,” he said.

With regards to the Kingdom, Takchi believes that Saudi Arabia has “rightly understood” that it is in a unique position to leapfrog from its current model to the more advanced, ambitious model. 

“The country as a whole is embarking on a massive transformation journey embodied by Vision 2030, which has paved the way for massive investments in infrastructure across sectors and has demonstrated that the Saudi people are remarkably adaptable and embracing of positive change,” he said. 

The benefits of this model include environmental protection of land, air and water, a growth in local socio-economic value by increasing investments in infrastructure and creating jobs, and enabling self-sufficiency in materials by keeping scarce resources – like rare metals and minerals – flowing within the economy, which improves the trade balance.

Initiatives implemented to support recycling goals

According to Takchi, the Kingdom has galvanized the sector through the creation of two separate entities – Saudi Investment Recycling Co., and the National Center for Waste Management, also known as MWAN.

The former was established by the Public Investment Fund to act as a sector champion, unlocking access to capital and investing in sector-building investments in partnership with local and world leading companies.

MWAN created a unified sector regulator that consolidated the previously fragmented regulatory ecosystem and took the lead on putting in place the ambitious public-sector led efforts to enable the sector’s transformation.

“We have already seen developments from both entities, with SIRC having put in place recycling initiatives and multiple massive investments announced  – including mega scale infrastructure for Riyadh City. On the other hand, MWAN has already put in place the unified Waste Management Law and its Implementing Regulations, the new regulatory framework for the sector that has finally resolved fragmentation of regulation challenges,” Takchi added.

The Global Co-Lead for Arthur D. Little Waste also said that MWAN has also begun to improve the compliance environment, having embarked on a large-scale master-planning exercise across the different regions in Saudi Arabia. 

It has also announced multiple sector-enabling initiatives aimed at preventing waste at the source, incentivizing resource recovery and maximizing diversion from landfills and including the launch of hundreds of investment opportunities.

“The key success factors to accelerate this paradigm shift will be to find the optimal balance of planning and action and to maintain collaboration and alignment behind the national agenda of an extremely complex ecosystem of many actors, including regulators, municipalities, royal commissions, investors, operators, commercial and industrial players and even citizens,” Takchi said.

Key government support

Strong government backing and regulatory support are essential for the successful transformation of the waste management sector.

Bain and Co. Middle East’s Vermersch highlighted the costly nature of the transition from landfilling to recycling, incineration or waste-to-energy.

“When you look at countries that have very low landfilling rates today, they have introduced over 30 years ago either landfill taxes that have risen to significant levels and/or very stringent landfill restrictions/bans,” he added.

That said, the partner underlined that in order to make this transition possible, an effective system to sort the waste is essential – which typically relies on segregation at the source and requires municipalities to step in.

“As we can see with the example of Riyadh that has been piloting a multi-bin system in recent years, it is not enough to just roll out the new collection infrastructure. It takes awareness campaigns and meaningful community engagements to educate residents and businesses on the importance of sorting waste and on how to use the new system effectively,” Vermersch said.

Takchi said that like most complex and ambitious transformation initiatives that fall within the framework of Vision 2030, the government has a crucial role to play to ensure success for the waste management sector, and that was the impetus behind the creation of MWAN.

“Such a massive leapfrog requires a clear national level direction of travel and strategy to be clear to all actors in the sector. That will allow us to fully synergize efforts and accelerate change. The government also has an important part to play in laying down the necessary enablers to unlock private sector investment and ensure the successful deployment of infrastructure and services,” he said.


Saudi Arabia, NASA explore collaborations in space technology

Saudi Arabia, NASA explore collaborations in space technology
Updated 17 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia, NASA explore collaborations in space technology

Saudi Arabia, NASA explore collaborations in space technology

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia is seeking to strengthen its ties with NASA following a recent high-level meeting in the US focused on exploring partnerships in advanced technologies and global scientific innovation.

During his visit, Abdullah Al-Swaha, the Saudi minister of communications and information technology and chairman of the Saudi Space Commission, met with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson to discuss strategic collaborations in space-related industries.

The discussions centered on joint efforts to promote space-based scientific innovation for the benefit of humanity.

Al-Swaha also met with Princess Reema bint Bandar, the Saudi ambassador to the US, and leaders from the American Chamber of Commerce to explore investment opportunities between the two nations.

Topics included potential investments in the digital economy, artificial intelligence, space, and innovation, as well as Saudi initiatives aimed at fostering science and entrepreneurship, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

While in Washington, Al-Swaha praised Saudi students at the Cultural Attaché office for their achievements, highlighting their contributions to the country’s competitiveness in science, engineering, technology, and space.

As part of Saudi Arabia’s delegation to the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, he also participated in the Summit of the Future held last month in New York.

During the summit, Al-Swaha noted that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s support for youth and women has led to significant progress in inclusion and empowerment, with a 35 percent participation rate of women in the tech sector in just six years—surpassing averages in the EU and G20 countries.

He highlighted initiatives like the Misk Foundation’s “Saudi Codes” program, which has trained one million women and youth in programming, and the historic journey of Rayyanah Barnawi, the first Muslim Arab female astronaut to the International Space Station.

He concluded by emphasizing that these efforts have improved Saudi Arabia’s standing in global indices, including the UN E-Government Development Index 2024, where the Kingdom ranked fourth worldwide and second among G20 nations in the digital services index.

Al-Swaha also discussed Saudi Arabia’s role as a model of international cooperation, collaborating with the UN’s International Telecommunication Union to address the digital divide affecting 2.6 billion people lacking access to digital solutions.

He showcased the Kingdom’s pioneering virtual hospital, which has successfully performed specialized surgeries, including open-heart operations for patients in various countries. Additionally, he reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to advancing its digital economy through the proposed establishment of the Digital Cooperation Organization, aimed at serving over 800 million people by providing digital platforms and a unified digital market to stimulate innovation in healthcare, education, and business.

At the summit, Al-Swaha also discussed Saudi Arabia’s efforts to bridge social, economic, and AI gaps during a session titled “Toward a Common Digital Future.”

He revealed that the Kingdom presented seven recommendations to the UN, including the establishment of an independent international scientific committee on AI and the creation of a platform for sharing AI-related standards and best practices.


Saudi Arabia expanding gender roles in cybersecurity, forum hears

Saudi Arabia expanding gender roles in cybersecurity, forum hears
Updated 02 October 2024
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Saudi Arabia expanding gender roles in cybersecurity, forum hears

Saudi Arabia expanding gender roles in cybersecurity, forum hears

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is redefining its approach to cybersecurity as it advances its Vision 2030 agenda, aiming to broaden participation in the field beyond traditional military roles, a forum was told. 

Speaking on the first day of the Global Cybersecurity Forum in Riyadh, Silvana Koch-Mehrin, founder and president of global network Women Political Leaders, emphasized the need to make the industry more inclusive, stating: “Cybersecurity does not mean military.” 

Koch-Mehrin highlighted the diverse opportunities within the sector that appeal to women, particularly as they navigate the digital landscape. 

“It has a lot of different facets, passion, and relevance for women, especially as mothers and as individuals who live in the digital world. This is something women would be interested in working on,” she said. 

This push aligns with Saudi Arabia’s commitment to cybersecurity as a national priority, not only to safeguard its digital infrastructure but also to create opportunities for women in the workforce. 

Hala bint Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri, president of the Human Rights Commission in Saudi Arabia, pointed out that the reforms enabling this shift have been profound and far-reaching. 

“For a very long period of time, women were highly educated in Saudi, not all of them very young, and also they were only employed in certain sectors,” Al-Tuwaijri said. 

She added: “With the Vision 2030, and with the opening of different sectors for women, and also for the older reforms, the legal, structural procedure reforms that happened. These new sectors that opened, allowed for that kind of leap in the participation of women.” 

Al-Tuwaijri emphasized that empowering women in cyberspace is as essential as in the real world. 

“It’s a necessity — an economic and security necessity — for us to have women play a role because, from our experience in Saudi Arabia, the empowerment of women could not have reached these levels without the participation of women,” she said. 

Koch-Mehrin underscored the importance of challenging ingrained biases in the workplace and society, saying: “Perceptions on leadership and which jobs are for men or women are deeply rooted in many societies. It’s impressive to see what’s happening in Saudi Arabia, where these norms are being questioned and changed. This shift will be a major driver for future change.” 

One effective tool for facilitating this change, according to Koch-Mehrin, is mentoring, both traditional and reverse – where mid-level women work with senior male executives to raise awareness about unconscious biases. 

“Mentoring is critical,” she said, adding: “But I would also say reverse mentoring is very important, and some corporations do that already. It’s not only about traditionally male executive mentoring mid-level women on how to get up to the executive level but also about raising awareness about what it’s actually like for women in these spaces.” 

Saudi Arabia has made significant strides in strengthening its cybersecurity capabilities, reflecting the Kingdom’s growing focus on digital security as it becomes more interconnected globally.

The establishment of the National Cybersecurity Authority and initiatives like the Global Cybersecurity Forum position the Kingdom as a leader in safeguarding its digital landscape.  

As the country undergoes rapid digital transformation, ensuring the protection of data and infrastructure has become a national priority, where women can play a critical role. 


Public, private sectors partnership is crucial to ensure cyberspace safety, official says

Public, private sectors partnership is crucial to ensure cyberspace safety, official says
Updated 02 October 2024
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Public, private sectors partnership is crucial to ensure cyberspace safety, official says

Public, private sectors partnership is crucial to ensure cyberspace safety, official says

RIYADH: Genuine partnership between the public and private sector is crucial to ensure technology safety within cyberspace, a former director at the UK Government Communications Headquarters said. 

Speaking in a panel discussion titled “Pathways to De-escalation: Shared priorities for reducing tensions and advancing stability in cyberspace” on the first day of the Global Cybersecurity Forum in Riyadh, Sir Jeremy Fleming explained that the private sector has many of the levers needed to facilitate and highlight cyber threats effectively.

This falls in line with the fact that on the domestic front, working with the private sector offers governments a chance to leverage insights and expertise to improve digital defense. 

According to the Global Cybersecurity Index 2024, almost 63 percent of countries reported having inter-agency processes for cybersecurity within their governments.

“Big technology companies have as good a radar on what’s happening in cyberspace as governments do, and so that leads to two conclusions for me. The first is that there is no point in governments talking to each other about cyberspace. There has to be a genuine partnership with the private sector because the private sector has many of the levers we need to make sure that this technology is safe, to make sure that threats are called out,” Fleming said. 

“Now, there is a space in all of that for, for secret stuff, there’s a space for the things that only governments can do. But again, that has to be in tandem with the private sector,” he added. 

Fleming further highlighted the importance of effective communication within the sector.

“The second thought is that I spent the last 15 years thinking and talking about cyber, but if you ask me to give you a crisp definition of it, I’m still struggling. And so, I think we have a communication problem here in how we talk about cyber and how we engage our populations in making sure that it stays at the top of the agenda,” the former director of GCHQ said.

“The debate we’re having at the moment about artificial intelligence and particularly safety is a way into this,” he added.

Also speaking during the same panel, the former President of the European Commission and former Prime Minister of Portugal, Jose Manuel Barroso, shed light on child protection within cyberspace. 

“There are some areas where I believe international cooperation can be relatively sincere; one of them is child protection,” Barroso said.

“I don’t see any reason why the governments, in spite of geopolitical interests and differences, should not consider child protection a global public good,” he added.

Barroso continued to highlight that cybercrime will increase because there are politically and economically malign actors, and some of the technologies, including AI, generative AI, and others, make the digital space even more difficult to manage.

“It’s true that according to some experts, some of those innovations can also help us fight cybercrime, it’s true. But the reality is that the digital space is becoming increasingly difficult to manage from a security point of view, for states, for companies,” he said.

“So, my first word is let’s prepare. Preparedness is the key at the national level. At the regional level, in the European Union, we are doing something. We have a European Agency for Cyber Security. I believe it’s not sufficient,” the former president of the European Commission added.

Also present at the panel, former US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper tackled what businesses need in order to navigate the digital economy.

“As businesses try to navigate more and more the digital economy, they’re going to need more consistency, more predictability. They cannot afford patchworks of regulatory law or privacy and data sharing, things like that. So, we’re going to need to smooth out, smooth out that electronic environment,” Esper said.

“In cyberspace, it’s an asymmetric tool that rich countries, poor countries, strong countries, weak countries, organizations or people or even governments can use that tool against others to gain an advantage or to level the playing field,” he added.

The former US secretary of defense emphasized how cyberspace is not static, but instead, is dynamic.

“As you see increasing advances in artificial intelligence and quantum sciences and advanced logarithms and software, it’s going to make this offense-defense component all the more challenging out there,” he said.

Experts from technology, public policy, defense, and other sectors will gather in Riyadh for the two-day Global Cybersecurity Forum.  

The event will focus on fostering collaboration under the theme “Advancing Collective Action in Cyberspace,” with the goal of enhancing multi-stakeholder engagement and driving joint initiatives on key strategic priorities.  

The program will feature five core sub-themes, each addressing a crucial aspect of cybersecurity.


Saudi Arabia eyes investment boost in Azerbaijan

Saudi Arabia eyes investment boost in Azerbaijan
Updated 02 October 2024
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Saudi Arabia eyes investment boost in Azerbaijan

Saudi Arabia eyes investment boost in Azerbaijan

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia is focused on increasing investment in Azerbaijan, noting that the current trade volume of $13.4 million is relatively small, indicating significant growth potential.

At the fifth Saudi-Azerbaijani Business Forum in Baku, Hassan Moejeb Al-Hwaizy, chairman of the Federation of Saudi Chambers, emphasized the opportunity for enhanced economic collaboration as both nations pursue diversified development.

The forum, which included Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Economy Elnur Aliyev and over 300 investors and officials, outlined plans to bolster private-sector partnerships.

Orkhan Mammadov, chairman of the Azerbaijani business council, highlighted the country’s strong infrastructure and the forum’s role in promoting new investment projects.

In a post on X, he stated that the partnership between Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan is now stronger and more dynamic than ever.

“Our meetings are always interesting and business-like. This time was no different. At the 5th meeting of our business council, we tried to find new areas of cooperation with our entrepreneurs. The council will expand trade relations between our countries,” Mammadov said.  

He remarked that significant strides were made during the forum to enhance economic relations, identify investment opportunities, and discuss future collaborations, calling it “a promising day for both nations.”

Azerbaijan proposed establishing a joint sovereign investment fund with Saudi Arabia to direct investments into critical sectors like energy, tourism, and infrastructure.

This proposal, discussed between Azerbaijan’s Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov and Al-Hwaizy, aligns with both countries’ goals for economic diversification, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency. The Baku forum showcased Azerbaijan’s investment potential, offering Saudi investors tax exemptions, free money transfers, and simplified procedures in its free economic zones.

The forum also addressed logistical challenges facing Saudi investments. Al-Hwaizy emphasized the importance of strengthening economic cooperation and exploring investment opportunities in renewable energy, infrastructure, tourism, and agriculture.

Aliyev praised Saudi investments in Azerbaijan, particularly in renewable energy projects by ACWA Power, and highlighted incentives for further investment in agriculture, logistics, and healthcare.

Saudi Ambassador to Azerbaijan Essam Al-Jutaili reiterated the embassy’s commitment to supporting investors through the joint committee, encouraging Azerbaijani investors to seize opportunities in the Kingdom.

Ahmed Al-Dukhail, chairman of the Saudi-Azerbaijani Business Council, stated that the council aims to boost the import of raw materials from Azerbaijan to enhance Saudi industry while increasing exports to Azerbaijan. He also advocated for the removal of legislative and logistical barriers to facilitate trade.


Global Cybersecurity Forum highlights the need for collective action to secure the digital future

Global Cybersecurity Forum highlights the need for collective action to secure the digital future
Updated 02 October 2024
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Global Cybersecurity Forum highlights the need for collective action to secure the digital future

Global Cybersecurity Forum highlights the need for collective action to secure the digital future

RIYADH: Cybersecurity industry leaders have emphasized the growing importance of digital protection as the world becomes increasingly interconnected at a special event in Riyadh.

Speaking at the Global Cybersecurity Forum, Saad Al-Aboodi, CEO of the Saudi Information Technology Co., highlighted the global nature of the challenge during an address at the event, titled “Advancing Collective Action in Cyberspace.” 

He said: “We live in multiple and parallel grids of data connectivity, transportation, energy, and supply chains. Our systems and infrastructures are globally interconnected, whether directly or indirectly, making cybersecurity a critical global issue that affects every aspect of modern society.”

Al-Aboodi stressed the growing shift from physical to digital assets, underscoring the necessity of robust cybersecurity measures. 

“It’s a fact of life that our societies are tech-driven, and as we become more digitally interconnected, we are pushing more assets from the physical space to cyberspace,” he said. 

He further argued that cybersecurity needs to understand the economics of the online world, as well as promoting responsible emerging technologies, and enhancing international collaboration.

“Starting with the economics of cybersecurity, it’s a subject worth deeper contemplation by academia, think tanks, industry players, and policymakers,” Al-Aboodi said. 

“One would need to calculate the value of assets, cost of protection, cost of damage, and the cost to launch a cyberattack using today’s tools on today’s exposure services.”

Al-Aboodi pointed out that while the global cybersecurity market is worth approximately $180 billion in 2024, the cost of cybercrime could reach $9.5 trillion by the end of the year. 

He also warned of the increasingly intertwined relationship between physical and cyber warfare, leading to rising costs for protection and attacks. “The value of assets, the cost of cyberattacks, and the cost of protection will rapidly increase,” he said.

Artificial intelligence was another major topic of discussion, with Al-Aboodi describing AI as an “embedded technology” that has far-reaching impacts. 

“It’s not a standalone technology or a sector on its own,” he explained, adding: “It is pervasive and impactful in whatever it does and wherever it goes.”

Al-Aboodi further underscored the importance of cooperation in safeguarding the future of cyberspace, saying: “Only through collective action — governments, industries, and individuals working together — can we build a future where cyberspace is safe, dependable, and sustainable.”

Megat Zuhairy, CEO of Malaysia’s National Cyber Security Agency, reinforced the need for trust in the digital space.

“When it comes to investments coming into Malaysia, the main priority is to see whether there is a conducive environment, specifically in cybersecurity,” he said. 

“It’s always about shared responsibility, but sharing, understanding, and collaboration require trust. Trust is very important, regardless of how advanced the technology or skills are,” Zuhairy added.

Suk-Kyoon Kang, CEO of AhnLab, underscored the role of AI in achieving security efficiency. “One of the key objectives of AI is to achieve security efficiency and make people’s lives easier,” he said. 

AhnLab has been training AI models with over one petabyte of data, processing 10 million detections daily to accurately identify threats such as phishing emails and text messages.

Suk-Kyoon Kang, CEO of AhnLab. AN

Miguel Angel Canada, head of National Coordination at Spain’s National Cybersecurity Institute, emphasized the economic opportunities within the industry. 

“Cybersecurity is not a security issue — it’s a business opportunity,” Canada said. 

He called for stronger connections between research and market applications to ensure that new technologies translate into products and services.

Timothy Sherman, vice president and CTO of Security Solutions Engineering at Cisco Systems, emphasized the universal importance of cybersecurity. “Cybersecurity should be a given right for everybody,” Sherman said.

The two-day Global Cybersecurity Forum is a platform for experts to call for unified global action to address growing cyber threats.