Saudi Arabia agency wins global prize for efficient government spending

Saudi Arabia agency wins global prize for efficient government spending
This distinguished honor represents the Kingdom's fourth recognition in procurement excellence. (Supplied)
Short Url
Updated 25 September 2023
Follow

Saudi Arabia agency wins global prize for efficient government spending

Saudi Arabia agency wins global prize for efficient government spending
  • EXPRO took top spot at Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Excellence in Procurement Awards in London

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has won a global award for efficient government spending and allocation of resources aimed at growing the country’s economy in alignment with the Vision 2030 plan.

The Kingdom’s Expenditure and Project Efficiency Authority took the top spot at the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Excellence in Procurement Awards that took place in London recently.

The CIPS granted EXPRO the award in the category Best Procurement Transformation Program, for the project “SpendVision.”

The CIPS is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to upholding excellence in procurement and supply chains, with over 200,000 international experts in the field.

EXPRO’s winning project outlines the strategic initiatives undertaken in partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance and the National Center for Government Resource Systems.

The project was designed to address challenges, including significant price variations, lack of transparency, non-standardized products, lengthy procurement processes, limited supplier commitment, and optimizing expenditure efficiency for government entities.

EXPRO’s CEO Abdulrazzag Al-Aujan said: “This honor reflects the synergistic endeavors of our partners across various government sectors, who have pioneered groundbreaking methods to amplify the efficiency of government expenditure in alignment with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.”

The work undertaken by EXPRO resulted in over 500 government entities overcoming challenges in procurement processes, and standardizing products and services, said Al-Aujan.


Saudi Interior Minister meets with Emir of Qatar in Doha

Saudi Interior Minister meets with Emir of Qatar in Doha
Updated 8 sec ago
Follow

Saudi Interior Minister meets with Emir of Qatar in Doha

Saudi Interior Minister meets with Emir of Qatar in Doha
  • The meeting also reviewed bilateral relations and security cooperation

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz met on Thursday with Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in Doha.
During the meeting, Prince Abdulaziz conveyed the greetings of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, along with their wishes for continued progress and prosperity for the government and people of Qatar.
The meeting also reviewed bilateral relations and security cooperation between the two countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.


Riyadh hosts world’s leading chefs

Riyadh hosts world’s leading chefs
Updated 5 min 21 sec ago
Follow

Riyadh hosts world’s leading chefs

Riyadh hosts world’s leading chefs
  • 200 local and international brands will take part, as well as renowned international chefs
  • Event aims to provide a new global destination on the culinary event map

RIYADH: The world of hospitality and fine cuisine descends on the capital when the Sirha Arabia exhibition is held at the Riyadh Front Exhibitions and Conventions Center from Oct. 1-3.

The exhibition, with the support of the Culinary Arts Commission, is a first-of-its-kind event in the Middle East, in which 200 local and international brands will take part, as well as renowned international chefs.

The global exhibition is an opportunity for chefs, businessmen and food and beverage manufacturers worldwide to participate and display their expertise and excellence in culinary innovations, services and technologies, making it a global platform that anchors the Kingdom’s leadership in the culinary sector.

The event aims to provide a new global destination on the culinary event map, and bring together distinguished chefs from different cultures, food and beverage industry experts, and food service providers from around the world, boosting the Kingdom’s food and beverage industry and hospitality sector.

The Saudi food and beverage industry is the largest in the Middle East and, after being valued at more than SR53 billion ($14 billion) in 2022, is expected to reach about SR130 billion by 2030, with an annual growth rate approaching 11.4 percent.


Saudi hospital performs world’s first fully robotic heart transplant

Saudi hospital performs world’s first fully robotic heart transplant
Updated 12 September 2024
Follow

Saudi hospital performs world’s first fully robotic heart transplant

Saudi hospital performs world’s first fully robotic heart transplant
  • KFSHRC breakthrough strengthens Kingdom’s leadership in medicine, specialist says

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center has performed the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant, Saudi Press Agency reported.

The two-and-a-half-hour operation was carried out on a 16-year-old patient suffering from end-stage heart failure.

A medical team led by Dr. Feras Khaliel, head of Cardiac Surgery and director of the Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery Program at KFSHRC, performed the operation after weeks of preparation.

The pioneering achievement, overcoming significant medical challenges associated with such procedures, reinforces Saudi Arabia’s leadership in healthcare, and highlights KFSHRC’s ability to innovate medical practices, SPA said.

The process began with detailed theoretical planning to ensure precision and minimize potential risks.

The team devised a surgical approach to access the heart and perform the transplant without opening the chest of the patient.

To ensure the effectiveness of this approach, the team practiced the procedure virtually seven times over three days before carrying out the operation.

The successful operation has been hailed as a significant development in heart transplant surgery, moving away from traditional chest-opening procedures that require long recovery periods, often lasting months.

Robotic technology allows for minimally invasive surgery, reducing pain, shortening recovery time, and minimizing the risk of complications. This significantly improves patients’ quality of life and accelerates recovery.

KFSHRC CEO Dr. Majid Al-Fayyad said that the successful operation marked another major advance in heart transplant surgery, first performed in the 1960s.

“The success of the world’s first robotic heart transplant marks a transformative leap, not only for our institution but also for Saudi Arabia’s journey toward global leadership in specialized medicine, in line with Saudi Vision 2030, which places innovation at the core of its efforts to improve quality of life,” he said.

“This remarkable achievement would not have been possible without the unwavering support of the Saudi leadership, who have prioritized the development of the healthcare sector, paving the way for a transformative leap in health care services, unlocking new possibilities to elevate the quality of life for patients both locally and globally,” he added.

The breakthrough aligns with KFSHRC’s commitment to medical innovation. As a leading training center in robotic organ transplant surgery, KFSHRC contributes to advancing the global understanding of minimally invasive organ transplants by collaborating with medical institutions worldwide to train their medical teams and achieve better outcomes, further elevating global medical practices.


Saudi crown prince, Chinese premier in high-level talks

Saudi crown prince, Chinese premier in high-level talks
Updated 12 September 2024
Follow

Saudi crown prince, Chinese premier in high-level talks

Saudi crown prince, Chinese premier in high-level talks

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang on Thursday led discussions during the fourth meeting of the High-Level Saudi-Chinese Joint Committee.

With the aim of bolstering Saudi-Chinese relations, the talks focused on “focusing on strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries across all fields,” state news agency SPA reported.

They also touched upon key regional and international issues of mutual interest.

 

 

“Both parties commended the robust economic, trade, and investment relations between the two nations, with Saudi Arabia being China’s top trading partner in the Middle East and reciprocally, China being the Kingdom’s foremost trading partner,” a portion of the statement, issued after the meeting, said.

During the meeting, both sides discussed avenues to enhance cooperation across various fields, including politics, security, defense, energy, trade and investment, finance, science, technology, culture and tourism, SPA reported.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, meanwhile, posted on social media platform X: “Premier Li highlighted that under the strategic guidance of the two countries’ leaders, #China and #SaudiArabia have maintained mutual respect, trust, and benefit, as well as mutual learning & understanding. The bilateral relationship has developed comprehensively, rapidly, and deeply, with fruitful results in various areas of #cooperation.”


Saudi foreign ministry condemns Israeli targeting of UN school in Gaza

Saudi foreign ministry condemns Israeli targeting of UN school in Gaza
Updated 12 September 2024
Follow

Saudi foreign ministry condemns Israeli targeting of UN school in Gaza

Saudi foreign ministry condemns Israeli targeting of UN school in Gaza

RIYADH: The Saudi foreign ministry has condemned ‘in strongest terms’ the Israeli targeting of a UN school sheltering displaced Palestinians in Gaza, which resulted in the death of least 34 people including UN personnel.

Airstrikes hit the UN’s Al-Jawni Preparatory Boys School in central Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp, with the Israeli military claiming it was targeting Hamas militants planning attacks from inside the school.

 

 

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s condemnation and denunciation in the strongest terms of the Israeli occupation forces’ targeting of a school housing displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the deaths of a number of people, including employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East,” the foreign ministry said in a statement posted on X on Thursday.

The ministry also reiterated the Kingdom’s rejection of the continuation of Israel’s genocidal crimes in the Palestinian Territories and Gaza, as well as calls for an immediate ceasefire and the protection for civilians in the besieged territory.