First public policy master’s program in Riyadh begins
Program is aimed at equipping future leaders with the skills to shape public policy at national and global levels
Two-year program, designed for working professionals, combines theory with practical experience and is taught by policy experts and thought leaders
Updated 04 September 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: The KAPSARC School of Public Policy, the first such college in the Kingdom, has welcomed its new master’s students.
Selected from a competitive pool of applicants, all admitted students received full scholarships for the program of the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, minister of energy and chairman of the board of trustees of the KAPSARC, thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for supporting the nation’s skills development initiatives.
He said the program is aimed at equipping future leaders with the skills to shape public policy at national and global levels.
The two-year program, designed for working professionals, combines theory with practical experience and is taught by policy experts and thought leaders.
Ghada Alarifi, dean of the school, said the program would meet the demands of the labor market.
There was a strong turnout of local and international applicants, and significant interest from various government and nongovernment organizations in the Kingdom, she added.
Established by the Council of Ministers on Feb. 20, 2024, the school will focus on economics, data analytics, energy, climate, and sustainability.
KSrelief distributes clothing vouchers, shelter kits to hundreds in Lebanon, Afghanistan
Updated 02 December 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has distributed hundreds of vouchers across Lebanon to those most in need to buy winter clothing, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
KSrelief gave out 455 vouchers in Miniyeh district, and 420 in the Beirut and Akkar governorates, to orphans and people with special needs. The vouchers enable people to buy winter clothing from approved stores.
The agency also distributed 164 shelter bags in Afghanistan, benefiting 984 people as part of a shelter project for people returning from Pakistan and those affected by this year’s floods.
Saudi envoy attends Palestine solidarity event at Arab League HQ in Cairo
Organization’s secretary-general: Israel making life for Palestinians ‘impossible’
International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People organized by UN since 1977
Updated 01 December 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the Arab League, Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Matar, attended an event marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People at the organization’s headquarters in Cairo on Sunday.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, also attended, as did Saeed Abu Ali, an assistant on the Palestinian issue to Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, among other Arab ministers and officials.
They confirmed full solidarity with the Palestinian people’s struggle to achieve their legitimate rights of freedom and independence, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Aboul Gheit said Israeli actions in the Occupied Territories aim “at ending the Palestinian presence, liquidating the project of the Palestinian state, and forced displacement, by making the life of Palestinian society ... impossible.”
The Arab League honored UNRWA during a ceremony for its vital work in delivering aid and securing shelter for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People has been organized by the UN since 1977.
Events worldwide, including at the UN headquarters in New York, are planned yearly on Nov. 29.
Right on track: Riyadh Metro commuters on board with excitement
Arab News speaks to commuters at King Abdullah Financial District Station
Updated 01 December 2024
Nada Alturki
RIYADH: The Saudi capital is ending the year on a high as Riyadh Metro trains officially began running on Dec. 1.
Stations were buzzing with excitement across the blue, yellow, and purple lines as commuters celebrated the opening of a project which was 12 years in the making.
At the King Abdullah Financial District Station, which connects all three lines, Saudis, residents, and tourists spoke to Arab News about their eagerness to try out the city’s new mode of transportation.
Khalid Alohari, who was en route to visit his grandmother, told Arab News: “I live in the north, near to the KAFD Station, and my grandma is in the far east, so going by car was always a hassle. Now the metro will make visiting her so much easier. The experience is just phenomenal. I’ve been waiting for this.”
Medical student Khalid Alohari. (AN photo by Jaafer Alsaleh)
As a medical student at King Saud University, he was eligible for a 50 percent discount on all fares. He plans to use the metro system regularly to attend classes.
He added: “A month (of) using public transport, the metro, the buses, the supplementary cars, for just SR70 ($18) for a student, it’s just something we didn’t imagine could happen. I have a station close to my home. I’m going to take it to the university, and use it for the commute.
“As a medical student, I can use the 30-40 minutes of the commute to study, and it will also have a positive impact on my grades. It’s a win-win for everyone basically.”
He said that the metro will play a crucial role in reducing the growing traffic problem in Saudi Arabia, while also making transportation a greener experience as the system runs primarily on electrical energy rather than oil combustion.
Tourists Greg and Emma Turra were visiting Riyadh from Australia. Unsure how to spend their last day in the city, they decided to hop on the train to see where it took them. They were surprised to learn that the special day was the first they could have accessed the mass transit system.
Greg told Arab News: “We were just looking at a bit of time to waste on our last six hours, and what better way than doing this? It’s not every day you ride a train on its opening day.”
Tourist Greg Turra. (AN photo by Jaafer Alsaleh)
They started their journey from Alinma Bank Station on the blue line and made it to KAFD.
Emma said: “The first thing we saw was that it was brand new, modern, futuristic, and the architectural brilliance of it, really, is quite special.
“Everyone was so excited to be traveling on it — we couldn’t believe that. That’s how we realized that it was obviously the first day.”
Tourist Emma Turra. (AN photo by Jaafer Alsaleh)
She added that the system could be an attraction for tourists as the city’s traffic has been a well-known problem for tourists.
She added: “Before I came to Riyadh I was told the traffic was a nightmare. And when we arrived, we took close to two hours to get to our hotel. This line goes to the airport so that might be another option for people.”
Ameera Alrumaih, a student at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, told Arab News: “I've been thinking about this project for forever.
Ameera Alrumaih, a student at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University. (AN photo by Jaafer Alsaleh)
“I’ve been seeing it being built near our house. Every outing we have, I always see the metro. I’ve been excited for forever to try it.”
Alrumaih and her friend hopped on the train from the university to grab breakfast at KAFD, and headed back to continue their classes.
Alrumaih said: “We traveled from our university to KAFD in less than 10 minutes, which is so much easier, especially for me. I think I would use it. I live in the east so from east to east I’ll still use my car, but from east to north I think I’ll use the metro.
“I’ve tried the metro in Istanbul and London. I think (in Riyadh) it is much clearer, much nicer and well-lit.”
Osama Alharbi. (AN photo by Jaafer Alsaleh)
Commuter Osama Alharbi arrived at KAFD Station from Khurais Road with a sense of pride, and said: “It was so easy to come here. It’s around 15 or 20 minutes around this time but if you take a car from my house to KAFD, maybe an hour.
“When I came to the train station the support was so amazing. The (station managers and assistants) came up to the door to bring me to the ticket (machine) and tell me about the prices.”
The only issue he noted was that there was no clear direction between the standard and first-class sections so travelers could easily hop in any of the cars.
Saudi and Ethiopian diplomats discuss cooperation in Riyadh
Talks focus on regional and international affairs and ways to strengthen the relationship between Riyadh and Addis Ababa
Updated 01 December 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi and Ethiopian diplomats held a round of political consultations and talks in the ministry of foreign affairs’ official diwan in Riyadh on Sunday to discuss cooperation in various fields.
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji chaired the meeting with the Ethiopian delegation led by Mesganu Arga Moach, the state minister of foreign affairs at the foreign ministry in Addis Ababa, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The two sides discussed the latest developments in regional and international affairs, ways to strengthen cooperation, and the friendly relationship between Riyadh and Addis Ababa.
In August, the two countries established the Saudi-Ethiopian Business Council to strengthen economic ties and enhance trade and investment opportunities for the period 2024 to 2028 term.
The meeting on Sunday was attended by Fahad Alhumaydani, the Saudi ambassador to Ethiopia; the director of the general department of expatriate affairs at the foreign ministry, Mohammed Al-Shammari; and the Ethiopian ambassador
