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MADINAH: Madinah Gov. Prince Salman bin Sultan met with Ukraine’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Anatolii Petrenko in Madinah on Monday.
They discussed issues of common interest, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Petrenko also met with President of the Islamic University of Madinah Dr. Saleh Alagla on the same day.
The two sides discussed means to boost cooperation in education and research, as well as other topics of common interest.
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Malaysian counterpart chaired the first meeting of the Saudi-Malaysian Coordination Council in Riyadh on Tuesday.
Following the meeting, Prince Faisal and Dato’ Seri Utama Hajji Mohamad bin Hajji Hasan, Malaysian minister of foreign affairs, signed a memorandum of understanding on mutual exemption from a short-stay visa for holders of diplomatic, private or official passports.
A second memorandum on social development was signed by Hasan and the Saudi deputy minister of human resources, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Saudi-Malaysian Coordination Council discussed aspects of cooperation in political, security, trade, investment, Islamic affairs and socio-cultural sectors.
Prince Faisal and Hasan stressed the brotherly relations that connect Saudi Arabia and Malaysia and pledged to continue their joint coordination and support for their mutual interests in bilateral, regional, and international issues.
Mesaad Al-Sulaim, Saudi ambassador to Kuala Lumpur, and several other senior Saudi and Malaysian aides and officials, attended the meeting.
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Health is showcasing its latest projects in therapeutic and pharmaceutical healthcare at the CPHI Middle East exhibition in Riyadh.
The event, held from Dec. 10-12, brings together more than 400 exhibitors from 100 countries and over 150 speakers from the pharmaceutical industry.
It aligns with the goals of the health sector transformation program, outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which aims to foster a vibrant society with a healthy life.
Among the key highlights are advancements in biotechnology, highlighting the ministry’s support for the national biotechnology strategy, which seeks to position Saudi Arabia as a regional and global biotechnology hub while enhancing self-sufficiency in the sector.
The pavilion also presents investment opportunities in biotechnology, aiming to enable sector growth and establish the Kingdom as a global leader, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Key initiatives include implementing strategic incentives to attract international companies, promoting sustainable marketing, enhancing financing capabilities, fostering joint investments and driving infrastructure investments.
Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel said: “Hosting the CPHI Middle East exhibition in the Kingdom underscores our dedication to enhancing Saudi Arabia’s role as a hub for pharmaceutical industry innovation in the region.
“This aligns with the Kingdom’s efforts to implement the National Biotechnology Strategy, which aims to contribute 3 percent to gross domestic product, totaling SR130 billion ($34.6 billion) annually by 2040.”
Al-Jalajel oversaw the signing of agreements worth SR10 billion and announced partnerships with major companies, including Vertex Pharmaceuticals for a project valued at around SR1 billion, and Tabuk Pharmaceuticals with an investment of SR100 million.
Vice Minister of Health for Planning and Development Abdulaziz Al-Ramaih praised the transformation of the healthcare sector and the expanding role of private industry in the pharmaceutical industry.
He highlighted the Kingdom’s goal to lead the biotechnology sector in the Middle East and North Africa by 2030 through the National Biotechnology Strategy, which aims to create numerous jobs by supporting research, innovation and integrated biomanufacturing, while boosting the sector’s growth and competitiveness.
Al-Ramaih noted the pivotal role of the pharmaceutical sector in enhancing public health, strengthening health security, fostering economic growth and bolstering the Kingdom’s global standing.
RIYADH: The Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah received on Tuesday Prince Turki bin Mohammed, the Saudi minister of state and Cabinet member, and his accompanying delegation.
Prince Turki conveyed the greetings of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Kuwaiti leadership.
Sheikh Meshal, in turn, sent his greetings and appreciation to the king and crown prince, wishing them continued good health and well-being, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
During their meeting at Bayan Palace, the two discussed relations between their respective countries and ways to develop them.
The Saudi delegation included Prince Sultan bin Saad bin Khalid, the Saudi ambassador to Kuwait, and Mohammed Al-Jadaan, the minister of finance, alongside senior Saudi and Kuwaiti aides.
Prince Turki also met on Tuesday with the Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.
RIYADH: Riyadh Mayor Faisal bin Ayyaf on Monday received the Mayor of North East England Kim McGuinness.
During their meeting the pair discussed ways to boost cooperation between Riyadh and the English region.
Ayyaf stressed the municipality’s keenness to establish international partnerships in various fields.
McGuinness praised the developments achieved by Riyadh and highlighted the importance of cooperation in areas of common interest.
Riyadh: The Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh, in collaboration with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Riyadh Municipality, launched a tree-planting campaign to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
A series of programs are being organized by the embassy to commemorate the golden jubilee of diplomatic ties, an embassy spokesperson told Arab News.
The planting event was organized at Al-Darseena Park in the capital and coincided with the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, or COP16, which is being hosted in Riyadh from Dec. 2 to 13 under the theme “Our Land Our Future.”
A number of officials participated in the event, planting trees, including embassy staff, Sri Lankan Ambassador Omar Lebbe Ameer Ajwad, Himali De Costa of Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Environment, and Dulanji Herath of the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism.
Members of the Sri Lankan community in Riyadh, staff and students of the Sri Lanka International School in Riyadh as well as senior officials of the Riyadh Municipality also participated.
Ghada binth Abdullah Al-Omran, director of volunteer services at the Riyadh Municipality, extended thanks to the Sri Lankan Embassy for launching the initiative and the Sri Lankan community for their active participation.
Addressing the gathering, Ajwad noted that the event aligns with the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to plant 10 billion trees.
It also adds value to the commemoration of ties between Saudi Arabi and Sri Lanka as it shows solidarity with COP16, being hosted in Riyadh, which aims to combat land degradation, desertification, and drought, Ajwad added.
The ambassador expressed his sincere appreciation to Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, mayor of the Riyadh Region, for allocating parks for this tree-planting initiative and the excellent arrangements made by the municipality to this end.
Senior Director Arif Al-Sulami and his team at the Riyadh Municipality helped organize the tree planting event in five prominent parks in the Riyadh Region.
As part of a series of events to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties, the embassy is also organizing the Ambassador’s Cup Cricket Tournament with matches being played by the Sri Lankan community in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.
