Saudi deputy FM attends president of Mauritania’s inauguration ceremony

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji attends the inauguration ceremony of the president of Mauritania in Nouakchott on Thursday. (SPA)
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Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji attends the inauguration ceremony of the president of Mauritania in Nouakchott on Thursday. (SPA)
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Updated 01 August 2024
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Saudi deputy FM attends president of Mauritania’s inauguration ceremony

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji attends the inauguration ceremony of the president of Mauritania in Nouakchott
  • Al-Khuraiji attended the ceremony on behalf of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji attended the inauguration ceremony of the president of Mauritania in Nouakchott on Thursday.

President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani received Al-Khuraiji after the ceremony, and the two officials discussed ways to enhance relations between the Kingdom and Mauritania in various fields to achieve the common interests of the two countries and their peoples.




President of Mauritania Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani receives Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji after the inauguration ceremony on Thursday. (SPA)Caption

Al-Khuraiji attended the ceremony on behalf of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Ghazouani was re-elected as head of state following a national vote at the end of June, winning comfortably in the first round without the need for a run-off.


Saudi Arabia welcomes Canada, Malta’s intentions to recognize State of Palestine

Saudi Arabia welcomes Canada, Malta’s intentions to recognize State of Palestine
Updated 55 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia welcomes Canada, Malta’s intentions to recognize State of Palestine

Saudi Arabia welcomes Canada, Malta’s intentions to recognize State of Palestine
  • Malta and Canada were among 15 Western countries that signed the two-state solution statement following a high-level UN conference, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France this week
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs commended the Canadian and Maltese ‘positive decisions that establish the path of the two-state solution’

LONDON: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the announcement made by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela regarding their countries’ intentions to recognize Palestinian statehood at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September.

Malta and Canada were among 15 Western countries that signed a statement following a high-level international conference, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France this week.

The conference in New York aimed to advance efforts toward achieving a two-state solution to the long-standing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Riyadh commended the Canadian and Maltese “positive decisions that establish the path of the two-state solution, and affirms the agreement of the international community on the need to end the suffering of the brotherly Palestinian people.

“The Kingdom renews its call on the rest of the countries to take such serious steps in support of peace,” the ministry added.

Other countries that signed the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine include Andorra, Australia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, and Spain. However, not all of these countries have officially recognized Palestinian statehood yet.


Taif governor orders probe into amusement ride collapse

Taif governor orders probe into amusement ride collapse
Updated 2 min 24 sec ago
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Taif governor orders probe into amusement ride collapse

Taif governor orders probe into amusement ride collapse
  • Chaos followed as people on the ground raced to help those injured in the horror incident

JEDDAH: An amusement park in the Al-Hada area of Taif has been shut down pending an investigation into the collapse of a ride that left 23 people injured.

The “360 Big Pendulum” ride collapsed while in operation on Wednesday evening.

In a statement posted on the regional government’s X account, Taif Gov. Prince Saud bin Nahar bin Saud bin Abdulaziz ordered the immediate closure of the resort, pending an investigation.

“Several injuries occurred; some were treated at the site, while others were transferred to hospital care,” the statement read. There were no fatalities reported.

According to eyewitness accounts and videos circulating on social media, the ride, which swings passengers in a large arc, experienced a structural failure in its central column, which split horizontally while in motion.

This caused the passenger-bearing arm of the pendulum to crash into the ground, while riders were strapped to their seats.

Footage shared by park visitors shows chaotic scenes moments after the collapse, with several passengers injured from the initial impact and others struck as components from the ride recoiled at high speed, hitting individuals seated on the opposite side.

Emergency teams described varying injuries, with three people in critical condition.

Authorities responded swiftly, with civil defense, emergency medical services, and security personnel arriving at the scene shortly after the incident was reported.

The injured were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment, while some received first aid on-site.

The incident has prompted public concern over safety regulations at recreational facilities, with calls for more stringent inspections and accountability.

The authorities are expected to release preliminary findings in the coming days.


Over 151m trees planted under Saudi Green Initiative

Over 151m trees planted under Saudi Green Initiative
Updated 31 July 2025
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Over 151m trees planted under Saudi Green Initiative

Over 151m trees planted under Saudi Green Initiative
  • 5 new projects, funding announced by environment minister
  • Aim to increase produce and protect water, land, air, wildlife

RIYADH: More than 151 million trees have been planted and 500,000 hectares of land rehabilitated under the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to plant 10 billion in total, the Kingdom’s environment minister said on Wednesday.

The Kingdom has made significant progress under the National Environment Strategy, en-route to achieving Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals in conservation, water sustainability and food security, said Environment, Water and Agriculture Minister Abdulrahman Al-Fadley.

During a press briefing, Al-Fadley also announced the establishment of five specialized environmental centers, including the Middle East’s first Regional Center for Climate Change Studies and the world’s fourth Regional Center for Sand and Dust Storms.

“The Kingdom has (also) established an environmental fund that is the largest of its kind in the region, reflecting a serious commitment to supporting environmental initiatives,” the minister added.

Protected terrestrial areas went from covering 4.5 percent of the Kingdom’s territory to 18.1 percent, and the number of national parks has increased from 18 to 500.

Since the establishment of the National Center for Environmental Compliance in 2020, more than 40,000 permits have been issued, an increase of 660 percent.

Over 8,000 endangered species have been reintroduced into their natural marine habitats since 2016 as protected zones have grown by 260 percent.

Monitoring services have expanded in all sectors across the Kingdom. There are now 240 air-quality monitoring stations, a new marine program to detect and respond to oil spills, and advanced meteorological sensing and prediction systems.

“We conducted 711 cloud‑seeding flights across regions and increased strategic (water) storage capacity by 600 percent,” increasing rainfall by 6.4 million cubic meters to encourage vegetation and nourish water resources, he said.

New developments have been made in city-level waste management as well, with 21 strategic management plans, and the identification of 330 investment opportunities worth SR450 billion ($119.9 billion).

A number of grants, incentives and environmental funds have been created to support academic collaboration and private sector innovation on mechanisms to divert 90 percent of waste from landfills by 2040.

Al-Fadley also confirmed that water projects worth over SR230 billion have been completed, which includes public and private sector investments for infrastructure and reuse systems.

“Saudi Arabia was chosen by the UN Water Committee as a global model for water sustainability,” he said.

The minister announced that the Kingdom was building 1,000 rainwater-harvesting dams with an annual capacity of 4 million cubic meters.

The Kingdom is the world’s top producer of desalinated water with production capacity reaching 16.6 million cubic meters per day in late 2024, an increase of nearly 100 percent compared to 2016.

And strategic water storage capacity has jumped to 600 percent, with most cities having an average supply coverage of three days rather than one.

In addition to being a large producer, Saudi Arabia also delivers water to 22,000 population centers through an 18,000-km pipeline network.

Reused water now makes up 32 percent of total usage.

The National Center for Water Efficiency and Conservation saves 120,000 cubic meters of water daily, with plans to increase it to 300,000, the minister added.

Over 65 percent of those working in the water sector are citizens, and Saudi Arabia engineers make up 97 percent of engineering roles, marking an emphasis on self-reliance.

The minister said 25 public–private partnership agreements were signed involving SR100 billion in investments.

Energy reduction is also a big focus for the country. Since 2016, the amount of electricity consumed has been cut by half.

The agricultural sector now makes up SR118 billion of the nation’s gross domestic product, an 8 percent increase from the previous year, and food production increased to 12 million tonnes.

Al-Fadley said a major economic and cultural achievement was that the Kingdom was now the world’s top date exporter, completely self-sufficient in date production and distribution, as well as in milk and eggs.

For key vegetables self-sufficiency was between 70 to 100 percent, and poultry and seafood exports were growing, he added.

 


Saudi FM seeks global support for final document of ‘Two-State Solution’ conference

Saudi FM seeks global support for final document of ‘Two-State Solution’ conference
Updated 31 July 2025
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Saudi FM seeks global support for final document of ‘Two-State Solution’ conference

Saudi FM seeks global support for final document of ‘Two-State Solution’ conference
  • Document includes an agreement to work jointly toward ending the war in Gaza and reaching a just, peaceful, and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

NEW YORK: Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, has called on all United Nations member states to support the joint declaration issued at the UN on Tuesday calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza. 

The document includes an agreement to work jointly toward ending the war in Gaza and reaching a just, peaceful, and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the effective implementation of the two-state solution, and to build a better future for Palestinians, Israelis, and all peoples of the region.

The declaration’s plan says conference co-chairs France and Saudi Arabia, the European Union and Arab League, and 15 countries that led the working groups agreed “to take collective action to end the war in Gaza.”

Prince Faisal urged the rest of the 193 UN member nations “to support this document” before the start of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in mid-September.

“These outcomes reflect comprehensive proposals across political, humanitarian, security, economic, legal, and strategic narrative tracks, and they form an integrated and actionable framework for implementing the two-state solution and achieving peace and security for all,” the foreign minister said, according to the Saudi Press Agency. 

He reiterated Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of all attacks by any party targeting civilians, including indiscriminate attacks, all assaults on civilian infrastructure, provocative actions, incitement, and acts of destruction.

The declaration condemns “the attacks committed by Hamas against civilians” in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. It marks a first condemnation by Arab nations of Hamas, whose attacks killed about 1,200, mainly Israeli civilians, and whose militants took about 250 people hostage. Some 50 are still being held.

It also condemns Israel’s attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza and its “siege and starvation, which have produced a devastating humanitarian catastrophe and protection crisis.” 

Israel’s offensive against Hamas has killed over 60,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.

It's plan envisions the Palestinian Authority governing and controlling all Palestinian territory, with a transitional administrative committee immediately established under its umbrella after a ceasefire in Gaza.

“In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority,” the declaration says.

It also supports deployment of “a temporary international stabilization mission” operating under UN auspices to protect Palestinian civilians, support the transfer of security to the Palestinian Authority and provide security guarantees for Palestine and Israel — “including monitoring of the ceasefire and of a future peace agreement.”

The declaration urges countries to recognize the state of Palestine, calling this “an essential and indispensable component of the achievement of the two-state solution.” Without naming Israel but clearly referring to it, the document says “illegal unilateral actions are posing an existential threat to the realization of the independent state of Palestine.”

(With agencies)


Saudi CAIOs now control 67% of AI budgets, outpacing global average

Saudi CAIOs now control 67% of AI budgets, outpacing global average
Updated 31 July 2025
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Saudi CAIOs now control 67% of AI budgets, outpacing global average

Saudi CAIOs now control 67% of AI budgets, outpacing global average
  • One of the clearest signs of Saudi Arabia’s AI momentum is the strong executive backing CAIOs receive
  • Saudi CAIOs also tend to come from data-rich backgrounds, suggesting a strong national emphasis on technical capability and analytics

ALKHOBAR: Saudi Arabia’s artificial intelligence leadership is gaining international attention, with Chief AI Officers in the Kingdom now overseeing 67 percent of their organizations’ AI budgets, a figure that outpaces the global average of 61 percent, according to a new joint study by IBM and the Dubai Future Foundation.

The report, based on surveys from more than 600 CAIOs across 22 countries, reveals how Saudi Arabia is aligning with global best practices while carving out its own AI roadmap tied to Vision 2030.

One of the clearest signs of Saudi Arabia’s AI momentum is the strong executive backing CAIOs receive. A remarkable 83 percent of respondents in the Kingdom said they have broad C-suite support, while 67 percent enjoy direct support from their CEOs. The study highlights that such backing is a key driver of success for AI initiatives, and in Saudi Arabia, it appears to be translating into action.

The data also shows that 22 percent of organizations in the Kingdom have formally adopted the CAIO role, close to the global average of 26 percent. But what sets Saudi Arabia apart is its AI governance structure. Half of the surveyed companies in the Kingdom use a centralized or hub-and-spoke AI operating model, an approach shown to deliver up to 36 percent higher return on AI investments.

Saudi CAIOs also tend to come from data-rich backgrounds, with 75 percent saying their careers have been focused on data, compared to 73 percent globally. This suggests a strong national emphasis on technical capability and analytics.

However, the report also flagged a gap in internal talent development. Only 38 percent of CAIOs in Saudi Arabia were promoted from within their organizations, significantly below the global average of 57 percent. Addressing this could help foster long-term leadership pipelines in the Kingdom’s rapidly growing AI sector.