Saudi foreign minister, Blinken discuss Gaza during call
Updated 02 February 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Friday received a phone call from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the Kingdom’s foreign ministry said.
During the call, they discussed regional and international issues of common interest, particularly the developments in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings.
The two sides also discussed the efforts to deal with the security and humanitarian repercussions of the Gaza war.
‘We can either waste time on political grandstanding or overcome climate challenges together,’ Saudi Climate Envoy Adel Al-Jubeir tells Arab News/node/2581798/saudi-arabia
‘We can either waste time on political grandstanding or overcome climate challenges together,’ Saudi Climate Envoy Adel Al-Jubeir tells Arab News
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs explains significance of Saudi Arabia’s hosting of COP16 summit to combat desertification
Says there is no contradiction between Kingdom’s roles as oil producer-exporter and as investor in renewable energy sector
Updated 32 sec ago
NOOR NUGALI
RIYADH: As the host of UN negotiations on combating the loss of fertile land to deserts, Saudi Arabia’s climate envoy knows the Kingdom has more expertise on the subject than most.
“We have vast deserts in Saudi Arabia, so we know what it’s like,” Adel Al-Jubeir told Arab News during a special interview.
“We need to prevent the erosion of territory and the expansion of deserts. And we need to work on reclaiming land in order to have more for food production and in order to have more so that the negative impacts on climate get reduced.”
Al-Jubeir, who is also minister of state for foreign affairs, was speaking as the Conference of the Parties of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification — known as COP16 — started in Riyadh on Tuesday.
The 12 days of talks will cover some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity, such as desertification, land degradation and drought.
Saudi Arabia is the first Arab country to host the event, the largest desertification COP since the first in 1997, and comes as momentum grows behind global frameworks to tackle the environmental challenges facing the planet.
In the wide-ranging conversation, Al-Jubeir discussed the aim of the COP16 talks, why land degradation is a global issue, and Saudi Arabia’s leadership role on the environment.
For Al-Jubeir, hosting COP16 carries particular significance given the Kingdom’s vulnerability to desertification, but also the work that has already been done to prevent it.
The approach in Saudi Arabia has been “very simple” and rooted in science and common sense, he said.
“When you disrupt an environment, it gets damaged. So, what you do is you preserve it. You designate territories to be protected areas,” he told Arab News.
“In 2015, for example, I believe less than 3 percent of Saudi territory was protected. Today, we’re almost at 18 or 19 percent, and we will be at 30 percent by 2030. This is a huge achievement.”
Rewilding, which forms part of the Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives launched in 2021, has also generated huge benefits in terms of being able to reintroduce wildlife into these areas.
“You do it by introducing little shrubs,” said Al-Jubeir. “Insects come back, and then more plants, and then rodents come back, and then more plants, and you go up until you can introduce an animal like the Arabian leopard, and you restore it, or the oryx or the gazelle. And this is what we’re doing in Saudi Arabia.”
Al-Jubeir said this approach has led to noticeably fewer dust storms than seven or eight years ago, with less territory being disturbed and more areas being planted.
He said the Kingdom also tackled the issue by assessing the environmental impact of new developments, promoting sustainable farming techniques and ensuring cities were full of green spaces.
“On environmental issues, Saudi Arabia is a leader in global efforts to protect our environment, whether it’s climate, whether it’s oceans, whether it’s land,” Al-Jubeir said.
“Saudi Arabia has worked to bring the world together around a vision that basically says, very simply, we’re all in this together, we all benefit together, or we all suffer together.”
He said Saudi Arabia was bringing many more countries round to that point of view. “Our leadership is committed to this. The vision for 2030 came from our crown prince, and our crown prince was instrumental in launching the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative. He launched the Global Water Initiative, the hosting of COP16,” he said.
“Every initiative we are doing in Saudi Arabia has the direct blessing and support of our leadership, and it goes from the top leadership all the way to the citizen. The whole country is seized by this issue. And so I have no doubt that 10 years from now people will look at Saudi Arabia and they will say Saudi Arabia has played an instrumental role in leading the world toward a better place.”
The hosting of COP16 is about more than simply demonstrating how Saudi Arabia is rehabilitating land; it’s about elevating the importance of desertification on the global stage.
“We believe it impacts every human being on the planet,” Al-Jubeir said. “Land is a very important reservoir for carbon. And so, the less there is of it, the less carbon we can capture naturally.
“The earth is important for us in terms of food production. The less we have, the less food we produce, the more hunger and starvation we have. The more migration we have, the more conflict we have, the more extremism and terrorism we have, the more migration impacts political situations in countries in other parts of the world.
“So, it’s very, very important that it impacts all of our lives.”
The fact that COP16 is the biggest since 1997 represents the emergence of desertification as a global issue. Up to 40 percent of the world’s land is degraded, affecting half of all humans, according to UNCCD.
The consequences are getting worse for the climate, biodiversity and people’s livelihoods. Droughts are more frequent and severe, increasing by 29 percent since 2000 due to climate change and unsustainable land use.
If current trends continue, 1.5 billion hectares of land will need to be restored by 2030 to achieve a land-degradation neutrality.
The UNCCD describes COP16 as a “critical milestone” in advancing global efforts to combat land degradation, desertification and drought.
Under the title “Our Land. Our Future,” 196 countries and the EU have gathered in Riyadh to negotiate solutions, along with experts and civil society.
On Monday, the first day of the negotiations, Saudi Arabia announced the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, an initiative to help 80 of the poorest countries cope with droughts. The partnership has secured $2.15 billion in funding pledges.
Also in Riyadh, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman opened the One Water Summit on Tuesday. Attended by French President Emmanuel Macron and Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the event aims to act as an “incubator for solutions” ahead of the next UN Water Conference.
“Water is the source of life,” Al-Jubeir said. “You can’t survive without it.”
The summit looks at how water can be used most efficiently and not wasted, he explained.
“These are issues where knowledge is important, science is important and sharing of methods and sharing of science are important,” he said.
It is this sharing of expertise that underpins Saudi Arabia’s approach to taking a lead globally on the major issues facing the planet.
Looking ahead, Al-Jubeir said: “We can either waste our time pointing fingers and trying to take political positions and grandstand, and try to appeal to lowest common denominators, or we can join together and practically, pragmatically, scientifically deal with the challenges that we’re facing, and we will overcome them together.
“Here’s the choice: Do we engage in theatrics and fight and get nowhere, or do we engage in serious work and get a handle around the problem? That’s where we’re heading, I believe, and I believe we’re heading there because Saudi Arabia is playing an increasingly big role in the global efforts to deal with those challenges.”
The hosting of COP16 and the One Water Summit is the latest example of Saudi Arabia being at the forefront of global efforts to tackle climate change and challenges to the environment.
Al-Jubeir dismissed criticism that the country, as the world’s top crude oil exporter, is not suited for such a role.
“Saudi Arabia is the largest exporter of oil in the world, and we’re very proud of it,” he said. “We are providing the world with the energy that it needs in order to warm itself, in order to feed itself, in order to develop economically, in order to improve standards of living. And so that is one part.
“The other part of Saudi Arabia, as the largest oil producer/exporter in the world, is we are also one of the major proponents for protecting the environment, and for investing in new technologies and investing in renewable energy.
“Whether it’s solar, whether it’s hydro, whether it’s wind, whether it’s green and clean hydrogen, we are huge investors in this field because we believe that that’s where the future is. And so, there is no contradiction between the two.”
Taking the lead on green issues is also an approach popular with young people in Saudi Arabia, Al-Jubeir said, insisting the younger generations would be instrumental in halting desertification and creating a better living environment in the Kingdom overall.
“They want this issue to be dealt with effectively and efficiently, and they want to lead it,” he told Arab News. “And that’s what’s driving the enthusiasm among our young people toward dealing with desertification, dealing with supporting land restoration, reintroduction of wildlife, and then going beyond that into biodiversity, marine life, and into climate.”
Despite the many stark warnings about the effects of climate change, Al-Jubeir said the will of young people to tackle the issues, along with the direction from the country’s leaders, meant he was positive about how Saudi Arabia would appear in 10 years’ time.
“You will see that Saudi Arabia will be ahead of the world in terms of parks, in terms of fitness, in terms of land restoration, in terms of reintegration of animals into the wildlife, in terms of how pristine its beaches are, in terms of its corals, in terms of its mangroves, in terms of its agriculture, all across the board,” he said.
“We are determined, with courage, and with leadership, and with enthusiasm, to get there.”
Second Riyadh Dog Festival focuses on Arabian Saluki
Event features more than 1,000 dogs in various activities
Furry friends to compete in races, agility competitions and beauty contests
Updated 29 min 16 sec ago
Sulafa Alkhunaizi
RIYADH: The Riyadh Dog Festival returns for its second year with a range of activities and competitions to draw an international crowd of dog lovers, with a spotlight on the Arabian Saluki breed.
The festival, part of Riyadh Season 2024, began on Dec. 2 and is scheduled to run until Dec. 7, featuring more than 1,000 dogs in various activities, according to the General Entertainment Authority.
It will host several competitions, including five main categories: Saluki races, agility dog races, working dog races, a dog beauty contest, and K9 shows.
Attendee Sara Abdulrahman brought her white miniature poodle Cloud, who struck a pose in his colorfully dyed ears and paws.
Abdulrahman told Arab News she attended the event to see what the festival had to offer.
“I want to see what they (Riyadh Season) have prepped for Saudi Arabia and who will win the competition. I also came to get a change of scenery and take a walk with Cloud.”
Wanting her pet to have a different look, Abdulrahman found a pet salon in the Kingdom that dyes animals’ coats with natural ingredients.
“I wanted a different look for my poodle. They are all usually white or brown so I wanted something new and stylish.”
Abdulrahman is one of the many visitors who attended the festival with their pets.
The event spotlights the Saluki breed with a specialized museum. The Saluki is one of the oldest purebred dogs in the world and is believed to have originated in the Middle East.
The museum includes an educational exhibit about the breed’s history and regional significance.
Other attractions at the festival include a Cat Lounge, with different breeds of cats visitors can feed and play with, and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and classic car display featuring decked-out motorcycles and vintage vehicles.
Additional activities include dog fashion shows, grooming demonstrations, a dog park, and a sheepdog demonstration.
The event offers comprehensive facilities and services, including a dedicated dog club, diverse restaurants and cafes, retail shops, and fully equipped health clinics to ensure proper care for participating dogs.
Saudi Manuscripts Exhibition displays 1,200 years of human heritage in Riyadh
Exhibition underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to preserving global cultural heritage and promoting intercultural dialogue
Updated 04 December 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: The Saudi Manuscripts Exhibition is being held in Riyadh until Dec. 7, with a display of human heritage spanning more than 1,200 years.
Blending historical diversity with modernity, the exhibition underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to preserving global cultural heritage and promoting intercultural dialogue, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
Organized by the Libraries Commission, the exhibition is a global focal point for dialogue and innovation, bringing together visitors and researchers through 22 workshops and 30 panel discussions.
These sessions highlight the latest techniques in manuscript preservation and restoration, fostering collaboration among global experts.
The King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives is also participating in the exhibition to show off Saudi heritage and highlight the Kingdom’s efforts to preserve, maintain, digitize and make manuscripts more accessible.
With more than 2,000 rare manuscripts on display — including records from the cultural and intellectual history of the Arabian Peninsula, ancient copies of the Qur’an, scientific, medical and astronomy texts, and manuscripts from the First Saudi State — the exhibition exemplifies the richness and universality of human heritage.
It aims to highlight the Kingdom’s prominent role in preserving and safeguarding cultural heritage while promoting awareness of its civilizational value.
Moreover, it underlines the commission’s efforts to use technology to preserve manuscripts and establish connections with specialized international institutions.
The exhibition has attracted a large number of visitors, immersing them in a rich cultural and civilizational legacy, SPA reported.
Among the exhibition’s highlights is The Title of Glory in the History of Najd, a manuscript that is more than 100 years old, preserved by the King Abdulaziz Public Library in Riyadh.
Another featured piece, Explanation of the Chapters of Hippocrates, is presented using hologram technology, enabling visitors to explore its chapters interactively and learn about its significant content.
The exhibition underscores Saudi Arabia’s efforts to make its historical and intellectual heritage accessible to the public while using cutting-edge technology to enhance engagement and understanding.
Saudi Arabia launches second phase of air bridge to Lebanon
Initiative includes food, shelter, medical supplies, winter aid for displaced people
Updated 04 December 2024
Rashid Hassan
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has launched the second phase of an air bridge to Lebanon to help alleviate the suffering of people displaced by deadly Israeli strikes.
Nasser Al-Nafe, a spokesman for the Saudi aid agency KSrelief, told Arab News that this initiative continues the Kingdom’s humanitarian role in alleviating the suffering of those affected around the world.
He said the second phase was launched in accordance with the directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to KSrelief, providing humanitarian aid to those affected and displaced in Lebanon.
Al-Nafe said that the initiative includes sending 27 planes carrying essential supplies such as food, shelter materials, medical aid, baby formula, personal care items and winter supplies, including blankets.
The mission, coordinated with relevant Lebanese authorities, will distribute aid to displaced families in shelters in various regions of Lebanon, helping to alleviate the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Continuing these efforts, KSrelief also announced the second phase of an aid initiative focused on various food, shelter and health projects to meet the needs of Lebanese families.
These efforts will be carried out in collaboration with international and UN humanitarian organizations and local community institutions in Lebanon.
This initiative is expected to provide support to more than 1.6 million people.
KSrelief emphasizes the need to intensify humanitarian efforts in Lebanon, including supporting medical centers for emergency services and covering part of operational costs.
Among the key facilities supported are the Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut, the Tripoli Governmental Hospital in northern Lebanon, and primary healthcare centers in the most hard-hit areas of Lebanon.
KSrelief also supports health and child programs across Lebanon in collaboration with local and international institutions, benefiting hundreds of thousands of Lebanese citizens and refugees.
Additionally, the Saudi aid agency is working to increase the production capacity of bakeries in regions with high numbers of displaced people and to cover winter clothing needs for thousands of Lebanese families.
Coming up roses — Taif blooms and henna honored by UNESCO
Updated 04 December 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Taif roses and henna are among the latest traditions to secure a place on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, thanks to the Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission.
The recognition comes following collaborative efforts by the commission, the Saudi National Committee for Education, Culture and Science, and Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, with the UAE as the leading country for the initiative.
Henna has great cultural significance in Saudi Arabia, with the art mastered by women and passed down through generations. It represents “joy and optimism” and is a social tradition that strengthens community bonds.
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom’s elevated terrains that span the Al-Hada mountains, Wadi Muharram, Wadi Ghazal, Wadi Qawah, Bilad Tuwairq, and Al-Shifa, the Taif rose has flourished as a cultural and historical symbol. Cultivation techniques, passed down through generations, have contributed to its status.
The Taif rose has been woven into the fabric of Saudi history. Taif’s distinct geography, with its fertile soil and moderate temperatures, provides ideal conditions for the flower to thrive allowing local families to perfect their agricultural expertise over the centuries.
From harvesting and distillation to extracting oil and water, knowledge has been passed down from one generation to the next. Growing along the slopes of Mount Ghazwan, these roses benefit from the area’s cool mountain breezes and spectacular landscape.
Rosewater derived from the blooms serves a sacred purpose in the annual washing of the Holy Kaaba and is favored by various segments of society, particularly royalty and elite Gulf families.
Farmer Raddad bin Radda Al-Talhi spoke to Saudi Press Agency and explained that what began as a small-scale cultivation in the mountain peaks has transformed into a thriving industry.
The sector now represents a significant investment in the Saudi market, valued at over SR64 million ($17 million). The scale of production has increased dramatically, with farms across the Sarawat mountains now harvesting approximately 550 million roses each year.
The industry encompasses more than 910 Taif rose farms across the province, supported by 70 factories and laboratories. These facilities produce over 80 different rose-derived products.
Al-Talhi said the time-honored distillation process of the Taif rose followed precise, traditional methods, beginning with carefully cultivated roses harvested from local farms.
Distillation relies on specially copper vessels, chosen for their superior heat conductivity compared to other metals. The higher temperatures optimize both efficiency and yield.
The process results in three distinct products — standard rosewater, concentrated rosewater (traditionally known as bride’s water) and the globally coveted rose oil.
