RIYADH: Global thought leaders urged the international community on Saturday to join together to find research-based solutions to the unprecedented crises created by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Riyadh-hosted Think 20 (T20) summit brought together think tanks, civil society organizations and international institutions to share ideas on how to build a more prosperous, sustainable and inclusive world.
The T20 is the “intellectual backbone” of the G20, the world’s most powerful nations under the presidency this year of Saudi Arabia.
The past year proved the T20’s work was needed now more than ever, said Prince Turki Al-Faisal, chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown once again how a single nation’s problem can become a global problem,” he said.
Dr. Fahad Al-Turki, the T20 chair and vice president of research at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, called for global joint action to fight the pandemic.
“These are unprecedented times that call for unprecedented collective action. The COVID-19 pandemic has reconfirmed what was already established — health is a global public good and it can only be achieved by effective collaboration,” he said.
Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said no country was an island in today’s interconnected world.“Our biggest challenges remain intrinsically global,” he said.
He called for a return to multilateral cooperation to combat both the pandemic and climate change.
Recommendations in the T20 communiqué will be presented on the final day of the meeting on Sunday before the G20 leaders’ summit on Nov. 21-22.
JEDDAH: Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majed bin Abdul Aziz is sponsoring on Monday the ceremony for male and female winners of the third edition of the Jeddah Innovation Award, in the presence of a number of ministers and officials. The ceremony will be conducted in full compliance with the precautionary measures in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The award is part of the Makkah Cultural Forum, which was launched four years ago.
It aims to protect and invest in cultural assets and to encourage creatives to pursue initiatives that will lead to the development of the region. Its committees, under the supervision of the Jeddah governorate, include renowned national academics.
The website for the award, www.jeddahawards.org, received nearly 1,100 initiatives in all six fields of this edition. Some of the creative initiatives to be awarded include those in the fields of the Arabic language, business, government, and security.
JEDDAH: Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Aziz International Airport in Madinah has been accredited under the Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) program of the Airports Council International (ACI), recognizing the airport’s high standards in upholding hygiene, health and safety in its operations. The AHA program supports airports around the globe in introducing sturdy preventive hygiene, health and safety measures in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The program aligns an airport’s health measures with the ACI Aviation Business Restart and Recovery guidelines and the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Council Aviation Restart Task Force (CART) recommendations along with industry best practices.
Sofiene Abdessaelm, managing director of Tibah Airports Operation, said: “I would like to thank and congratulate General Authority of Civil Aviation, our stakeholders and partners, and the entire Tibah team for their diligent efforts in achieving this important accreditation, this has been a remarkable collaborative effort.”
MAKKAH: Some 10,000 international pilgrims are arriving in Saudi Arabia after a seven-month hiatus to perform Umrah and visit the Prophet’s mosque on the first day of the third stage of the resumption of Umrah.
According to Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Amr Al-Maddah, the 10,000 pilgrims arriving from abroad must first obtain a permit. Upon arrival, pilgrims must isolate for three days before being transported to Miqat sites, principle boundaries at which pilgrims intending to perform Umrah must change into Ihrams.
They can stay in the Kingdom for up to 10 days, three of which are in isolation. As per protocol, 500 groups of international pilgrims are dispersed throughout the day, each with 20 pilgrims. The maximum age limit for international pilgrims is set at 50.
The deputy minister added that countries are subject to continuous evaluation by the Saudi Center for Disease Prevention and Control and the Ministry of Health as part of the government’s approved standards and protocols. Visas for pilgrims arriving from countries that are seeing a noticeable increase in numbers will be placed on hold until further assessment.
More than 1.4 million are using the Eatmarna app as downloads near 3 million. One million permits have been issued for performing prayers and Umrah.
With the start of the third stage, the holy mosques will be working at 100 percent operation, a pivotal stage for companies in the sector. Al-Maddah added that if at any stage there is a cause for concern or danger to pilgrims, the ministry will evaluate the situation and return to previous stages and decrease capacity.
Currently, Saudia is the only certified airline allowed to transport pilgrims to and from the Kingdom. Pilgrims arriving from countries from which the carrier does not operate must arrange through a third party, accounted for by the Kingdom.
Pilgrims must have a health guide provided by Umrah companies to monitor each group throughout their visit. Pilgrims must also have full health insurance that includes emergency treatment if infected and a possible PCR test.
RIYADH: University students will be given the chance to delve into the world of entrepreneurship with a new program launched by the Ministry of Education.
The Mobile Innovation Laboratories’ initiative aims to increase the awareness of students in Saudi universities about entrepreneurship, innovation and start-ups, according to Nasser Al-Aqeeli, the deputy minister for research and innovation at the ministry.
“The initiative gives students from 14 universities the chance to get introduced to Design Thinking for Innovation. More students and universities will have access to the program once it becomes available online,” Al-Aqeeli said.
The research and innovation deputyship at the Ministry of Education works to assess programs of research, innovation and entrepreneurship and identifies opportunities and challenges as well as risks to propose regulations. It also helps universities draft and implement research strategies that entrench the culture of research, innovation and entrepreneurship skills at academic institutions.
The initiative aims to increase the awareness of students in Saudi universities about entrepreneurship, innovation and start-ups.
The ministry has previously launched the online global startups challenge, “Let’s Unite to Fight COVID-19,” in collaboration with tech stars and Google to enhance the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship for students and faculty members.
More than 800 participants, both male and female, benefited from the contest, which provided an opportunity for members of the public to develop innovative skills.
It offered 54 hours of help, with the aid of 100 teams and 65 entrepreneurship and innovation experts, and more than 100 hours of consultation to the owners of startups projects that were presented during the three-day contest. To add credibility to the contest, 10 innovation and entrepreneurship arbitrators took part in the event.
The department aims to strengthen relations between research centers and universities while building research capabilities and capacities. It also aims to develop a sustainable financing platform that supports local and international research capabilities and forges international strategic partnerships.
RIYADH: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi inaugurated King Salman International University in Sharm El-Sheikh on Saturday, in the presence of Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, governor of Tabuk region.
Prince Fahd headed the Kingdom’s delegation at the opening ceremony on behalf of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Upon his arrival at Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport, Prince Fahd was received by Egyptian Minister of Youth and Sports Dr. Ashraf Sobhi and Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Osama Nugali.
At the opening ceremony the Egyptian president welcomed Prince Fahd and the accompanying delegation.
Then a documentary film was presented, tracing the building of the university in the Sinai Peninsula. The new establishment consists of 16 faculties and 56 programs related to three smart branches, at Tur, Ras Sedr and Sharm El-Sheikh, to meet the needs of the international labor market and the fourth industrial revolution.
The building of King Salman International University falls in line with the Kingdom’s program to develop the Sinai Peninsula.
Prince Fahd was accompanied by Minister of State Dr. Issam bin Saad bin Saeed, Minister of State for African Countries Affairs Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz Qattan, Minister of Education Dr. Hamad bin Mohammad Al-Sheikh, and the vice president and managing director of the Saudi Fund for Development, Khaled Al-Khudairi.
RIYADH: The traditional skills of the Kingdom’s matchmakers have survived many changes, and they are confident that amid rapid social changes among the younger generation and a technological revolution they can continue to ply their trade.
As men and women enjoy opportunities to mingle and meet and attitudes across the country are starting to change, the once-traditional practice of matchmaking should theoretically start to decline. However, Arab News spoke to women who continue the practice, who revealed that their services are just as in-demand as ever.
When most people hear the word “matchmaker” they probably picture the austere, pinch-faced woman from Disney’s “Mulan” who struck terror in the hearts of young Chinese women looking to bring their family honor, but Saudi matchmakers want people to know that nothing could be further from the truth. Most want only one thing: A successful, happy union for anyone who seeks their services.
Um Nasser, a kindly woman in her 50s, told Arab News that after almost four decades of marriage, her experiences have given her invaluable insight into what makes a relationship work, and love does not always have everything to do with it.
“I was married when I was 16, to the son of a family friend. Though I can’t say it was love at first sight for either of us, eventually we grew into mutual respect and understanding, and our relationship blossomed,” she said. “We’ve been married for 36 years, and our affection and respect for each other is as strong as ever.”
According to Nasser, the fundamentals of marriage are not love and attraction, but understanding and compromise, something she thinks that many young people do not realize when they think about marriage.
“Everyone would like a fairytale romance, or the kind of relationship you see on social media. I want today’s youth to realize how much of what you see on Instagram and in the movies is false. Passion cools, and looks fade, but a strong base to build respect on is the only thing that lasts,” she said.
Nasser enjoys an active following of over 10,000 on Twitter, which she uses to help single Saudis locate potential matches by creating a “dating profile” of sorts.
“I ask my patrons for detailed personal information, such as their age, their height, their specific requests for what they would most like in a partner, and so on. I will then create a tweet that lists this information to the public. Potential partners can send me a private message expressing their interest, and if their requests are compatible, I can then set them up via the proper channels for further discussion,” she said.
She added: “If I receive details from one client that I think would suit another, I can also set them up directly, via whoever they have asked to ‘represent’ them in the discussion. For women, it is usually a parent or a guardian. For men, it might be their mother, sister, or aunt.”
Nasser said that in almost 20 years of matchmaking, she had married over 300 couples, almost all of whom have enjoyed successful relationships so far.
Marriage is give and take. Listening and understanding and applying what you learn about each other. Navigating around difficult situations, hearing the other person’s complaints and expectations, but also respecting the other person’s boundaries and making sacrifices.
Um Mansour, a traditional matchmaker
“It gives me a lot of joy to know that I have helped people find their life partners, and some of them are even still in contact with me to this day,” she said. However, with many of today’s youth beginning to find their own partners due to the changing attitudes across the country, and the increasing opportunities for men and women to meet each other in the workplace or at social events, how have today’s matchmakers continued to find work?
Um Mansour, another traditional matchmaker, told Arab News that her business had achieved renown purely via word of mouth. “I don’t use social media because I don’t need it. Many of my former clients recommend me to friends and family, and I’m able to work that way.” According to Mansour, a marriage is more than a relationship: It is a partnership, which means that everyone has to contribute equal work to keep things moving.
When most people hear the word ‘matchmaker’ they probably picture the austere, pinch-faced woman from Disney’s ‘Mulan,’ but Saudi matchmakers want people to know that nothing could be further from the truth.
“Compromise, compromise, compromise. Marriage is give and take. Listening and understanding and applying what you learn about each other. Navigating around difficult situations, hearing the other person’s complaints and expectations, but also respecting the other person’s boundaries and making sacrifices,” she said.
Mansour said that while she does not see as many requests from people under the age of 30 nowadays, her clients come from an often forgotten different demographic of the public.
“Our society can sadly have a negative outlook towards divorced and widowed women. Many of these ladies that come to me are wonderful, loving women who have simply been the victims of unfortunate circumstances. They deserve second chances, and I want to do everything in my power to make sure they get them,” she said.
But what do today’s Saudi youth think about the practice of matchmaking? Arab News asked men and women under the age of 30 whether or not they would consider an arranged marriage, and what they want from a potential partner.
Sarah Almutairi, a 22-year-old woman from Riyadh, said she was open to the idea of an arranged marriage, provided she had the opportunity to build a connection with the person that was chosen for her.
“I think that I am still a little young to consider marriage that seriously, but I believe that what’s meant to be will happen. If my family brought forward someone they thought would be a good match for me, I wouldn’t refuse it outright, but I don’t think I would be comfortable marrying a stranger. If we could meet first for a while, even under supervision, and get to know each other, I wouldn’t be opposed,” she said.
Hussam Alajmi, a 30-year-old man from Riyadh, said that he might consider going to a matchmaker if he did not meet someone on his own in the next few years.
“I’m still holding out hope to meet someone at work or at a social event, but maybe if I don’t meet someone before I turn 35 I’ll think about it. I’m at an age where I’m seriously thinking about settling down soon,” he said.
Alajmi said that while there were a few reasons he had not got married yet, a big part of the reason was financial.
“Marriage is a big financial commitment, and I don’t know if I am currently making enough money to support a wife and a household. I want to be able to provide for my wife, even if she has her own source of income. That’s just how I was raised,” he said.
Yasmeen Alkhudair, 27, agreed that financial worries were a big part of why she had not married yet, saying that rising expenses and skyrocketing real estate prices were causing concern among many of her generation.
“I disagree with the idea that all the pressure of providing for a household and responsibility for paying rent, etc., should be placed on men. In this economy it’s an unfair expectation. When I get married, I would want us to be partners. But some men find that concept emasculating, because of the pressure society puts on them,” she said.
However, Alkhudair rejected the idea of traditional matchmaking, saying that she wanted to meet her partner in an “organic” way.
“I want to meet someone on my own and build a relationship with them before jumping into marriage. I realize that marriage is more than just being in love with someone, but to me that’s a fundamental part of the process. Dating in our society is still a bit of an alien process, granted, but I think it can be done in a respectful way in line with our traditions and our religion both,” she said. “That’s how I want to meet my life partner.”
JEDDAH: We’ve all heard the expression “once in a blue moon” to denote something rare — and Saturday night was one of those special occasions, when the skies above the Kingdom were lit up with the spectacular full moon.
What makes it a blue moon is not its color, however, but the fact that it is the second full moon to appear in this calendar month, a phenomenon that occurs every 2.5-three years.
The term is also used for the third of four full moons in the season a blue moon, as each season contains three months.
With Saudi Arabian skies mostly clear and the full moon rising around sunset on a weekend, residents were able to take the chance to venture out in the desert and stargaze as evening temperatures drop.
Sky observers might also have noticed a reddish star nearby: Mars is vibrant and clear at present, and it is a good time to get a glimpse at the planet. The moon does really turn a blue color on very rare occasions, when “Earth’s atmosphere contains dust or smoke particles of a certain size, slightly wider than 900 nanometers,” according to EarthSky.
This happened when the volcano Krakatoa erupted in Indonesia in 1883, and the particles of ash in the air gave the moon a blue hue. People watched blue moons and purple sunsets for years, according to NASA.
Prince Fahad bin Mansour bin Nasser is the chair of the Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance (YEA) Summit under the Saudi G20 presidency.
A serial entrepreneur and investor, Prince Fahad has an extensive track record in launching and accelerating start-ups. He has expanded his business portfolio from digital technology and logistics to encompass enterprises that address the current global and local market needs, paving the way for new ideas and opportunities.
He is also the founder of Evission, a nongovernmental entity whose focus is on working with entrepreneurs and supporting the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Evission is a member of the YEA and the current summit host and organizer.
The YEA is a group of organizations from across the G20 that promote youth entrepreneurship as a driver of economic renewal, job creation, innovation and social change.
The YEA convenes each year in advance of the G20 Summit, and its call to the world’s young entrepreneurs to work with global economies to aid recovery from the devastating effects of the pandemic was loud and clear.
This year’s summit took place virtually on Oct. 29-30 under the theme “Entrepreneurship is a Source of Innovation and Resilience.”
According to a recent report commissioned by Monsha’at, 50 percent of working-age Saudi women and 30 percent of men are launching or running businesses that are less than 42 months old.
Prince Fahad said: “Here in Saudi Arabia, we are blessed with outstanding infrastructure and the government’s support to help entrepreneurs bring their idea to life.”
RIYADH: Women’s participation in the workforce and the wider Saudi economy and having more women in leadership positions is one of the key goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform strategy. That is why the Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF) has made achieving gender parity and the promotion of women to senior positions a top priority, according to its vice president of strategic planning and business development, Noor Shabib.
SIDF has already reached some important milestones, boosting the proportion of women on its staff from zero to 17 percent in less than three years, making it one of the most successful in this regard among Saudi government entities.
“Not only that — we have women employed in every single department, distributing women leaders and young talent to all departments and in various ranks and positions, ranging from vice president for strategic planning and business development, director of enterprise risk management and a director of the SIDF academy,” Shabib told Arab News. “So, we have women at the highest levels, which is something we’re very proud of.”
Shabib hopes the SIDF’s partnership with the Alnahda Philanthropic Society for Women at this year’s edition of the Women 20 (W20), virtually hosted by Riyadh, has encouraged more Saudi institutions to follow suit.
“The SIDF is an advocate sponsor of W20 and the Alnahda society, joining forces to support the advocacy of women’s issues in Saudi Arabia to empower women, diversity and inclusion in the workplace,” said Shabib.
Established in 1974, the SIDF was created to provide mid- and long-term loans to the private industrial sector. Today it commands capital worth SR105 billion ($28 billion). It is therefore in a strong position to promote change across a whole swathe of the economy.
One of the SIDF’s flagship programs is its Nokhab training scheme, which has been running for over 40 years, providing entry-level employees with advanced qualifications in business, human resources and engineering.
“Two years ago, the SIDF set a 50:50 gender target on the program,” Shabib said. “Our Nokhab program a few years ago was obviously 100 percent men because that’s all you had. We mandated that 50 percent of all fresh graduates coming into this would be women.”
When institutions open up to accepting more women on their staff, they become far more meritocratic, benefiting from a wider pool of talent and experience, Shabib said.
* 22% - Women in G20 countries who lack access to formal bank accounts.
* 64% - Women-led firms’ share of business ops strongly affected by COVID-19.
* 30% - Job losses for women anticipated in COVID-19-affected sectors.
“It means that I can choose the best among men and women,” she said. “The women we have are not the best because they’re women — they’re the best because they worked hard and they earned their spot here. They are competing just like everybody else. We hire the best.”
The result has been a much more positive work culture. “Having women in the leadership team at the SIDF has positively impacted the aspirations of junior women working with us and set for them a good picture of what their career progression could look like,” Shabib said.
Shabib is perhaps a model example of women’s professional empowerment. After completing a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, Shabib became Saudi Arabia’s first female field engineer with Schlumberger Drilling and Measurements in 2003.
In 2008 she earned an MBA at the University of Oxford and went on to work in Al-Khobar as deputy services manager at Rawabi Trading and Contracting Co. Then, between 2011 and 2017, she joined Saudi Aramco, working in multiple roles. During this time, she completed her second master’s degree in oil and gas leadership and in 2015 became an Eisenhower Fellow.
Shabib co-founded the Group (Qudwa) in 2012 to raise awareness about gender differences in the workplace. Its 5,000 members — 77 percent of them men — conducted over 60 events and workshops and established mentorship programs for young women, which were later handed over to Aramco’s diversity and inclusion division.
From here she took on a job at the Center for Strategic Development, a semi-governmental think tank providing decision-makers with evidence-based research on socio-economic development under the Ministry of Economy and Planning.
These experiences have clearly served her well since joining the SIDF in 2018. A key part of the fund’s mandate is enabling the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP), which is helping the Kingdom grow into a leading industrial power and international logistics hub through a range of lending and advisory products. Central to this is encouraging more women to launch and manage private sector ventures.
“For the past 46 years, the SIDF has witnessed some of the most successful businessmen that are now leading the industrial sector. Now, as we hire more talented women, we aim to support them and enrich the industrial sector with successful businesswomen,” Shabib said.
“All offerings apply a gender-neutral policy without discrimination on grounds of gender with regards to access to services and opportunities. The SIDF continues to innovate new, more tailored products and services that ensure the same opportunities are offered to both men and women investors to increase the private sector’s participation in the Kingdom.”
These initiatives and more were on show at the W20 summit earlier in October, where Shabib took part in a panel discussion called “Replicating success in inclusive manufacturing,” alongside Selina Jackson, senior vice president of global government relations and public policy at Procter & Gamble, and Mohammed Al-Mutlaq, head of strategy at Alfanar Group.
“The purpose of the session was to highlight the benefits of diversity. These benefits will reflect on the industrial landscape and shed light on reasons why there are fewer female entrepreneurs and industrialists,” said Shabib.
The panel also sought to highlight some of the best practices at a local and global level for bringing more women into manufacturing — acknowledging where these efforts have been successful and identifying areas in need of improvement.
One success story is an Alfanar factory in Saudi Arabia, which has been operated by a staff of 650 women since 2004. “It is amazing. I visited the factory. It was so humbling and so inspiring because they love the place, they are so happy and empowered and they are growing in their careers. Some of them have been there for 17 years, so they love it,” Shabib said.
Procter & Gamble can also be considered a success story, having achieved 50:50 gender representation on its board of directors.
“One of the most important things that was mentioned is how important gender bias training was in shifting the culture to make the environment more welcoming and retaining of women,” Shabib said. “Selina was saying how eye-opening it was for men when they did the training.”
With these inspiring examples in mind, the SIDF is launching a new program in November, in association with the Council of Saudi Chambers devoted to empowering female entrepreneurs, titled “How to start your industrial project.”
“By hiring more women in the SIDF and investing in their development, whether it’s through our credit program or the programs that we have in partnership with Stanford, LBS, or Fitch Learning, we will be contributing to creating a good base for female industrialists who will contribute to the advancement of the country in the years to come,” Shabib said.
“It will also add to the level of awareness of what it takes to become an ambitious female industrial entrepreneur, which is our vision.”
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Twitter: @LujainBenGassem
JEDDAH: Saudi women are breaking new barriers on the Kingdom’s golf greens, becoming acquainted with the sport and the benefits that come with it.
Though golf is a relatively new sport in the country, women have been encouraged to take up the game through new opportunities and support provided to them.
Golf continues to be a male-dominated sport. Despite women showing huge interest in the game, they are poorly represented in its ranks around the world.
A recently launched sporting initiative will allow women in the Kingdom to learn golf for free. The Aramco Saudi Ladies International, presented by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), is a first for the Kingdom. Another project, Golf Saudi’s innovative “Ladies First Club,” will offer complimentary membership, including golf lessons, driving range access and full 18-hole rounds on three different courses.
The offer is open to all Saudi women, with initial membership capped at 1,000. Sarah Al-Arifi, a 26-year-old Saudi entrepreneur, told Arab News that she was excited about the prospect of a Saudi female golf club. Even though the sport is perceived as male dominated globally, sports development is progressing rapidly in the Kingdom and is becoming inclusive, Al-Arifi said. She said the new projects will be “empowering.”
Al-Arifi highlighted the benefits of creating a community for every sport, not only golf, adding that from a consumer’s perspective, it promises to generate creativity.
“Having a community for a specific sport is not only important, it’s necessary because it drives competition and that’s much better for us as consumers. The obvious benefits of a community aside, as a consumer, I want there to be competition because it drives innovation and problem solving,” she said.
Depending on location, players in the scheme will be designated as a Ladies First Member at either Riyadh Golf Club, Dirab Golf Club or King Abdullah Economic City’s Royal Greens Golf & Country Club.
The Ladies First Club will officially launch during a tournament buildup for the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF.
It will take place between Nov. 12 and 15, two days before the Saudi Ladies Team International, which will see teams of four golfers compete for $500,000 in prize money from Nov. 17 to 19.
RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) has launched a campaign of insecticide spraying and raising dengue fever awareness in Aden governorate, Yemen, with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO).
The 18-month campaign will include spraying, community awareness activities about dengue fever and malaria, vector surveillance and environmental management of all mosquito breeding sources, suctioning stagnant water and drying water marshes to limit the spread of mosquitoes that transmit the disease, providing direct protection to 1.7 million people.
MAKKAH: The president of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, inspected the King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Zamzam Water Project on Friday.
Following his tour of the facilities, Al-Sudais met with the members of the supervising committee. He urged all those responsible for the project to empower Saudi youth by encouraging them to take part.
The committee stressed the importance of using the latest technology to ensure the best possible distribution of Zamzam water.
The 11th Forum for Medical Research, sponsored by Saudi National Guard Minister Prince Abdullah bin Bandar, will be held virtually on Nov. 4 and 5 under the title “COVID-19 vaccines: Global challenges and the future.”
The forum will consist of 10 sessions discuss six of the most important topics related to the development of a safe, working vaccine for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), including vaccines currently being used, the progress of clinical experiments, and international vaccine production.
The Saudi tourist destination of AlUla reopened its doors to visitors on Friday, and will remain available and packed with outdoor activities throughout the year. Visitors do not have to wait for a season to visit AlUla; they can now visit the ancient site at any time. The destination will be ready for international visitors, too, when travel restrictions are lifted next year.
Qasr Al-Farid, one of the largest existing tombs, is among the main attractions. Its name reveals its uniqueness as a single rock independent of the other palaces or tombs.
The tomb is unique because it was left incomplete and there are no signs of burial sites inside. While most graves have two columns, Al-Farid has four with Nabatean crowns on the front.
The palace contains a pagan symbol, the eagle, in front of the gate. The Nabateans were known to be polytheists.
JEDDAH: China’s Sinovac coronavirus vaccine is set to be administered to Saudi patients after passing third stage clinical trials, but remains on hold until approved by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority.
King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC) signed an agreement with China’s Sinovac Biotech to receive a vaccine for COVID-19 to be distributed to about 7,000 health workers.
The vaccine has passed the third stage of trials at the King Abdullah Center for the National Guard.
“So far there have been no health complications or allergic reactions in those who have tried the vaccine, except for a fever or mild migraine, but that is normal when vaccination is administered with any virus,” said Aref Al-Amri, head of the Department of Biomolecules and Cytogenetics at the regional laboratory in Riyadh.
The total number of coronavirus cases in KSA reached 346,880.
The total number of recoveries in the Kingdom reached 333,409.
KAIMRC’s vaccine unit was among 10 global bodies chosen to test and evaluate several vaccines as part of an international alliance by the World Health Organization, CEPI and NIBSC.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia reported 20 new COVID-19-related deaths on Friday, raising the death toll to 5,383. There were 398 new cases reported in the Kingdom, meaning 346,880 people have contracted the disease. There are 8,088 active cases, 766 of which are in critical condition.
According to the Health Ministry, 53 of the newly recorded cases were in Riyadh, while Makkah recorded 32 and Jeddah 37. The ministry also announced that 404 more patients had recovered from the virus, bringing total recoveries in the Kingdom to 333,409.
There were 56,255 polymerase chain reaction tests conducted in the past day, bringing total test numbers to more than 8 million.
RIYADH: The Ministry of Finance’s figures for the third quarter of 2020 show that the Kingdom continues to successfully diversify its economy and shift the country away from its reliance on oil revenues.
The ministry announced on Wednesday that non-oil revenues for Q3 2020 amounted to SR122.9 billion, while oil revenues reached SR92.5 billion, marking a continuation of a trend that has developed over the three years since Vision 2030 was announced.
Dr. Abdullah Baeshen, a financial adviser and chairman of Team One Financial Consultants, told Arab News that the “high-level commitment” from government agencies and a rationalization of spending and expenditure efficiency has led to an increase in non-oil revenues.
“This leap has been achieved because of economic diversification, which helped increase non-oil revenues, reflecting an indicator for stability of the budget and a positive future outlook for foreign investors, as well as strength and stability of the currency,” he said.
While the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the national and global economy, Q3 figures show a significant increase over Q2, although they are still behind year-on-year. Baeshen said he expects significant additions to 2021 revenues because of privatization. “The government owns significant assets that can realize good revenues for many years to come.”
Abdullah Al-Barrak, a financial adviser, attributed the increase in quarterly revenues to the ease of COVID-19 restrictions towards the end of Q3, with levels of consumer spending reaching a percentage similar to the norm. He also said the increase in VAT from 5 percent to 15 percent was a “primary reason” for the increase.
King Salman received a written message from Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Friday.
The message was handed to Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Riyadh when he received Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, minister of foreign affairs and acting minister of information of Kuwait.
Later, Prince Faisal saw the Kuwaiti minister off on his departure from Riyadh.
Also on Friday, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent letters to the Algerian president after he tested positive with the coronavirus.
They wished Abdelmadjid Tebboune a speedy recovery after he was hospitalized in Germany.
Bander Asiri has been appointed for a second four-year term as Shoura Council member by a royal decree issued last week.
The decree, issued by King Salman, appointed 150 members to the council for a period of four years and it will be headed by Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Asheikh.
During his career in public office, Asiri worked as the acting president of the General Commission for Audiovisual Media from July 2015 to November 2017. He was also the chairman of the board at the Arab Satellite Communications Organization during the same period.
Asiri was the chairman of the board of the Saudi Media Measurement Co. from September 2016 to November 2017, a board member of Jeddah Development and Urban Regeneration Co. from March 2017 to November 2017, and the General Entertainment Authority from November 2016 to November 2017.
Prior to that, Asiri held several senior positions in the private sector including director general of Al-Khaleejiah Advertising and Public Relations Co. from September 2007 to September 2011, and the human resources development manager at Almarai Co. from July 2003 to March 2006.
He also founded several companies in the digital and marketing market. Asiri graduated from his studies in English at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh and obtained his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Leicester, UK.
He believes that the legislative role that the Shoura Council undertakes creates the required policy framework for achieving Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
Asiri also believes that the efficiency and effectiveness that the Shoura Council operates under makes it a leader compared to other G20 legislative bodies. This can be seen in the number of laws and policies issued by the council annually.
The Hajjana — fearless camel riders who patrolled the Kingdom’s borders — helped pave the way for the establishment of the modern Saudi state.
Their story goes back almost 90 years when a Hajjana border patrol was established during the reign of King Abdul Aziz in 1933.
After the Kingdom’s founder reclaimed Al-Ahsa, he ordered sea and land patrols to be carried out to tighten security in the region’s border areas.
Patrols were led by camel riders, so a military sector was formed at that time known as Hajjana. Its name was derived from their means of transport — camels.
Now, nine decades later, the Camel Club has established the Royal Hajjana to commemorate the group’s distinguished cultural heritage.
Since its creation in April, the Royal Hajjana has been preparing to take part in official reception ceremonies for King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s guests as well as national festivals sponsored by the king and crown prince.
It will also perform in Saudi heritage shows and represent the Kingdom in local and international camel festivals.
Hajjana officers became famous throughout the country after acquiring their name from the “hejin,” or camel. They protected the Kingdom’s residents from the south of the Empty Quarter to north of the Nafud Desert.
One of the founding king’s priorities was to provide security and protect the nation’s borders, so the Border Guard was among the first military sectors created.
The Coast Guard’s budget also included allocations for Hajjana officers, known as the Hajjana patrol commanders, whose role was part of the Frontier Corps.
Patrols continued to operate in southern regions until recently. However, the memory of the Hajjana remains fresh in the minds of the Kingdom’s border guards.
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Education’s online education platform Madrasati is currently hosting over 850,000 virtual classrooms allowing teachers and students from across the Kingdom to interact on a daily basis.
The platform provides students with virtual classes, homework assignment and delivery tools and is used in conjunction with the iEN YouTube channel and the iEN national education portal.
School leaders consistently monitor the educational process via Madrasati, prepare class schedules, communicate with absent students, and provide technical support for students and their parents.
RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) on Thursday launched a new voluntary medical campaign in Sudan to combat blindness and the diseases that cause it.
KSRelief’s volunteer medical team will perform about 2,500 surgeries, in addition to distributing eyeglasses and medicines for cases that do not require surgeries.
Meanwhile in Amman, KSRelief delivered civil defense machinery to the Palestinian government.
The deputy chief mission of Palestine to Jordan, Hatim Salih Kayed, extended thanks to KSRelief, the Saudi government relief arm, for the assistance received by the Palestinian civil defense authority.
MAHRA: The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) has inaugurated eight schools in Yemen’s Mahra governorate with the start of the new academic year.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Mahra Gov. Sheikh Mohammed Ali bin Yasser, Director of Education Samir Harash, SDRPY Secretary-General Salem bin Nimer and other officials.
The project is carried out and financed by the SDRPY to increase education and teaching opportunities in Mahra, and will benefit almost 11,000 people.
The schools include classrooms, administrative offices, staffrooms, laboratories, and basketball and volleyball courts.
JEDDAH: Thursday’s G20 Young Entrepreneur’s Alliance (YEA) Summit focused heavily on the way in which numerous small businesses and entrepreneurs have successfully pivoted to adapt to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and shown that they can be valuable partners in keeping economies afloat.
The virtual event, which continues Friday, brought together thousands of business leaders and talented young entrepreneurs from across the world.
G20 YEA Saudi chair, Prince Fahad bin Mansour bin Nasser, told the audience, ”Our theme for this year is entrepreneurship as a source of innovation and resilience as we reflect on the challenges facing the world in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is clear that adopting an entrepreneurial mindset is becoming more vital than ever.”
He added: “Here in Saudi Arabia, we are blessed with outstanding infrastructure and the government’s support to help entrepreneurs bring their idea to life.”
According to a recent report commissioned by Monsha’at, 50 percent of working-age Saudi women and 30 percent of men are launching or running businesses that are less than 42 months old.
“As significant contributors to employment, these emerging SMEs are set to drive economic growth in the Kingdom,” Prince Fahad said. “Around 75 percent of these businesses reported having six or more employees. Saudi Arabia’s commitment to assisting SMEs has been enshrined as part of Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s ambitious roadmap.”
He pointed out that Saudi Arabia aims to increase the contribution of SMEs to the national GDP from 20 to 35 percent over the coming decade.
“Saudi Arabia is enabling 100 Saudi companies to compete on the regional and global levels as a means to stimulate the entrepreneurship landscape and provide new opportunities for the sector,” he said.
The YEA is a group of organizations from across the jurisdiction of the G20 that promote youth entrepreneurship as a driver of economic renewal, job creation, innovation and social change.
The director of the innovation and entrepreneurship sector at the Ministry of Investment, Dr. Mazin Al-Zaidi, said that the most important thing for entrepreneurs is the number, and potential value of, opportunities.
“I believe we in Saudi Arabia have the largest opportunity for any entrepreneur. It is very easy to set up an opportunity in Saudi Arabia. Any foreign entrepreneur can obtain a license in less than three hours, with a 100 percent ownership, for only $500,” Al-Zaidi said.
For his part, Armen Ovanessof, principal director at Accenture Research, shed light on what the future might hold and what other uncertainties may lie ahead, stressing that the world will need “vision, agility and collaborative spirit” to build a better future.
Saudi Venture Capital Company CEO Dr. Nabil Koshak said: “Vision 2030 has highlighted the importance of entrepreneurship in economic and social transformation. We have seen innovative products and service solutions. The government and the local authorities have been working on updating and changing the regulatory environment to be more friendly to entrepreneurs, startups and investors.”
The vice governor of entrepreneurship advancement at the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at), Esam Al-Thukair, explained why he believes that fostering entrepreneurship is important.
“It is important for two main reasons: It is the most job generating industry and it has become a more significant GDP contributor than ever,” he said.
