Saudi crown prince congratulates Japan’s new prime minister

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. (File/SPA/AFP)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. (File/SPA/AFP)
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Updated 02 October 2024
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Saudi crown prince congratulates Japan’s new prime minister

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. (File/SPA/AFP)
  • Ishiba officially took office after a parliamentary vote on Tuesday, replacing Fumio Kishida

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a cable of congratulations on Wednesday to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba after he officially took office on Tuesday.

The crown prince wished the premier success and the Japanese people further progress and prosperity. He praised Saudi-Japanese relations and said the Kingdom is keen to develop them “in all fields.”

Ishiba officially took office after a parliamentary vote on Tuesday, replacing Fumio Kishida.

Kishida stepped down as the leader of the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).


Saudi Arabia’s Red Crescent celebrates contributions from volunteers

Saudi Arabia’s Red Crescent celebrates contributions from volunteers
Updated 23 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia’s Red Crescent celebrates contributions from volunteers

Saudi Arabia’s Red Crescent celebrates contributions from volunteers
  • 47,946 volunteer opportunities across the Kingdom in 2024, contributing nearly 119m hours
  • Organization says women significantly outnumber men, 54 percent of volunteer base 

RIYADH: The Saudi Red Crescent Authority honored its volunteers at its annual ceremony on Wednesday, revealing statistics of financial outcomes and volunteer projects in 2024.

In the presence of key figures in the humanitarian sector, the SRCA stressed that volunteering remained central to its social mission and an integral part of Vision 2030.

The SRCA honored the efforts put into projects in the health, educational, environmental, and media sectors by some 211,703 officially registered volunteers in 2024. 

It said that 78 percent of its volunteers were under 30, with women significantly outnumbering men at 54 percent of the volunteer base, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The SRCA recorded 47,946 volunteer opportunities across Saudi Arabia during the year, leading to nearly 119 million volunteering hours that contributed an estimated SR366 million ($97m) to the national economy. 

The SRCA also facilitated a diverse range of volunteer activities in 2024, the SPA reported.

In the ambulance services it supported 8,435 opportunities, contributing to nearly 20 million hours of work, while it created 7,965 humanitarian aid openings which led to 88 million hours, and 13,770 educational initiatives with nine million hours of volunteering.

In the environmental sector it supported 935 opportunities totaling 258,023 hours, while media activities saw 924 opportunities with 108,563 hours, and administrative roles had 5,917 opportunities adding up to 899,058 hours.

The SRCA thanked its partners in the country’s public and private sectors for promoting a volunteer culture within their organizations. It also celebrated the success of Kafo, a program designed to incentivize and reward volunteering efforts.


Jazan governor inaugurates Saudi International Medical Education Conference

Jazan governor inaugurates Saudi International Medical Education Conference
Updated 54 min 22 sec ago
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Jazan governor inaugurates Saudi International Medical Education Conference

Jazan governor inaugurates Saudi International Medical Education Conference
  • President of Jazan University Mohammed Abu Rasin said that the conference is being organized to keep pace with the world in the field of medical education
  • Jazan Gov. Prince Mohammed bin Nasser attended the cooperation signing ceremony between Jazan University, the Armed Forces Hospital in Jazan, and Abha International Private Hospital

JAZAN: Jazan Governor Prince Mohammed bin Nasser inaugurated the Saudi International Medical Education Conference at Jazan University on Wednesday.

The two-day conference was organized by the university’s faculty of medicine in partnership with the Saudi Society for Medical Education and the Deans’ Committee of Medical Colleges in the Kingdom.

In his welcome speech, the president of Jazan University, Mohammed Abu Rasin, said that the conference is being organized to keep pace with the world in the field of medical education, which manifests the Kingdom’s vision to foster medical innovation, enhance development, and signifies the support of the Saudi leadership for higher education.

Abu Rasin said that medical professionals from within and outside the Kingdom, will enrich educational processes and contribute to the creation of an effective scientific platform that keeps pace with global technology.

President of the Saudi Society for Medical Education Dr. Hussein Al Zahrani, said that the conference was initiated to facilitate communication between health professionals and researchers and to ensure continual cooperation between institutions for medical education.

Al Zahrani pointed out that the conference, held under the slogan “Education Cooperation among Health Professions:  Expectations and Challenges,” will discuss the strategies of empowering medical faculty members and enhancing their competencies in medical education, and identify challenges, organize conferences and provide opportunities for the development of medical education in the Kingdom.

He said that in addition to contributions and recent developments in medical education, such as e-learning, simulation and virtual reality, the research abstracts in the conference totalled 200, of which 90 were accepted as scientific posters; not to forget the achievement of hosting an elite group of participants in the field of health education at an international level.

The governor attended the cooperation signing ceremony between Jazan University, the Armed Forces Hospital in Jazan, and Abha International Private Hospital.


At least 120,000 Saudis benefited from social training programs in 2024, says vice minister

At least 120,000 Saudis benefited from social training programs in 2024, says vice minister
Updated 05 December 2024
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At least 120,000 Saudis benefited from social training programs in 2024, says vice minister

At least 120,000 Saudis benefited from social training programs in 2024, says vice minister
  • Abdullah Abuthnain: We introduced new reforms such as launching the professional accreditation program to verify the capabilities of expatriate workers in all categories
  • Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development aims to upskill and reskill more than 320,000 workers in seven sectors in cooperation with the human capacity development program

RIYADH: At least 120,000 people this year have benefited from government training programs and skill development initiatives aimed at achieving financial independence, a Saudi vice minister told Arab News.

Abdullah Abuthnain, vice minister of human resources and social development for labor at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, spoke to Arab News about some of the ministry’s recent initiatives that were discussed at the Regional Social Security Forum for Asia and the Pacific, organized by the General Organization for Social Insurance, or GOSI, in Riyadh.

“We introduced new reforms such as launching the professional accreditation program to verify the capabilities of expatriate workers in all categories. In partnership with employers, we launched the national training campaign, Waad, to provide about 3 million training opportunities,” he said.

The ministry aims to upskill and reskill more than 320,000 workers in seven sectors in cooperation with the human capacity development program, Abuthnain added.

It has also established 12 councils to improve the skills of the Saudi workforce, he said.

One notable initiative was the launching of the “Qiwa” platform, which provides more than 130 basic services to regulate the market, Abuthnain said.

The ministry has encouraged the digitization of contracts and has set regulations to support new forms of work, such as adopting freelance work, flexible work and remote work, he added.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development aims to support low-income groups in society by promoting their integration and empowerment.

To achieve this, the ministry established “empowerment clinics,” which serve as community centers connecting government entities with the private and non-profit sectors to meet the diverse needs of individuals and families receiving social security.

A session at the forum, “Practical Approaches to Excellence in Social Security Administration,” demonstrated the importance of enhancing efficient and effective social security laws.

The session also addressed several key topics, including ways to improve productivity, protect workers and ensure unemployment insurance coverage.

The forum provides an exclusive framework for professionals to exchange experiences, strategies and best practices, to enhance administrative efficiency and supporting innovation methods, said Ammar Nagadi, vice minister of economy and planning.

Participants agreed on the need to develop effective training and professional programs to support the unemployed in returning to the labor market, along with improving compensation disbursement mechanisms.

They discussed investing social security funds in long-term investment projects that ensure substantial returns and enhance the financial sustainability of social security systems, with a focus on transformation and innovation in this field.

In the plenary session titled “Transformation and Innovation — Key Success Factors,” speakers emphasized digital transformation and innovation in addressing the growing challenges facing social security systems.

GOSI also received 10 international certificates of excellence in the field of social security best practices, presented by Dr. Mohamed Azman, president of the International Social Security Association, during the forum.

The certificates recognized the authority’s success in the digital transformation of insurance protection and detecting insurance fraud.


Innovation forum connects French companies with Saudi partners

Innovation forum connects French companies with Saudi partners
Updated 05 December 2024
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Innovation forum connects French companies with Saudi partners

Innovation forum connects French companies with Saudi partners
  • Top tech companies represented
  • Summit highlights national climate efforts

RIYADH: A delegation of 20 top French technology companies gathered in Riyadh for the third French-Saudi Innovation Forum at the Crowne Plaza Digital City on Wednesday.

Companies were able to connect with potential Saudi partners, showcase their skills, and assess their expectations and needs with a view to establishing formal partnerships.

Solar-powered drone manufacturer Xsun was one such company. Benjamin David, CEO and founder, told Arab News: “We have signed a contract to create a subsidiary of the Xsun group in Saudi Arabia with a local partner wishing to deploy this technology.

“Our Saudi partner aims to build an assembly plant for our machines, which will also serve as a maintenance center, pilot training center and flight center for flying these machines.

“This center will also be able to welcome visitors for demonstration flights and offer services for using our systems. All these things will be possible thanks to this partnership.

“The advantage is that it’s very sunny in Arabia most of the time. For example, if we look back over the last 25 years, we can see that the amount of sun falling on the ground is completely reproducible every month of the year.

“This means we can accurately predict the amount of solar energy and fully anticipate the autonomy of these solar machines.

“This autonomy will enable us not only to cover great distances and large areas, but also to acquire a considerable amount of data for monitoring marine biodiversity and environmental monitoring of projects.

“We are currently in discussions with the major Saudi nature reserves to preserve the environment and its flora and fauna,” he said.

David said that the Saudi market was very dynamic and keen on innovation, with a young and well-educated population, “which is a perfect match for our needs.”

This year’s symposium featured high-level discussions between French and Saudi industrial leaders, including representatives of the Saudi Made initiative and La French Fab, to foster strategic partnerships to support sustainable industrial growth in the region.

Panel discussions explored how sustainable technologies could transform the industrial landscape in Saudi Arabia while respecting the environment.

Discussions also focused on Saudi Arabia’s commitment to localize industries and integrate women into its industrial sector.

The event was held in partnership with the Saudi Ministry of Investment and the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program.


Chedi Hegra Hotel opens at UNESCO site

Chedi Hegra Hotel opens at UNESCO site
Updated 05 December 2024
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Chedi Hegra Hotel opens at UNESCO site

Chedi Hegra Hotel opens at UNESCO site
  • Chedi Hegra Hotel will feature 35 rooms designed to reflect harmony between luxury and the surrounding environment
  • Chedi Hegra integrates existing structures, such as the railway station, into its architecture, preserving the cultural heritage of the region while blending it with modernity

ALULA: The Royal Commission for AlUla has announced the opening of the Chedi Hegra Hotel within the Hegra Archaeological Site, the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Saudi Arabia.

The hotel, representing a new chapter in AlUla’s development as a world-class tourist destination, will feature 35 rooms designed to reflect harmony between luxury and the surrounding environment. It integrates existing structures, such as the railway station, into its architecture, preserving the cultural heritage of the region while blending it with modernity.

Guests can enjoy three culinary experiences with views of the breathtaking natural environment, as well as a heritage gallery, a wellness center, and a Saudi coffee house.

The main restaurant is located in the station, featuring a rare 1906 carriage at its center. The train maintenance area has also been preserved and can be viewed through a glass floor.