Discussions focused on enabling different sectors to collaborate to shape the digital future
Updated 35 min 23 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: The governor of the Saudi Communications, Space and Technology Commission, Mohammed Al-Tamimi, took part in the annual meeting of the UN Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development as a committee member.
The meeting, titled “Towards a Resilient, Safe, and Inclusive Digital Future,” aimed to promote digital transformation, develop the global digital economy, bridge the digital divide, and provide information and communication technology services.
Leading figures from government and private sectors took part in the meeting, which was held in New York.
Discussions focused on enabling different sectors to collaborate to shape the digital future, improve the resilience of digital infrastructure to handle crises, and explore future trends in digital technology and their effects on everyday life.
The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development is a UN committee led by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Carlos Slim Helu of Mexico, and co-chaired by the International Telecommunications Union secretary-general and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization director-general.
It comprises several key decision-makers in the ICT sector, along with senior officials from various countries.
The report showed that among the 1,513 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally
Updated 16 min 19 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 22,716 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
According to an official report, a total of 14,446 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 4,780 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 3,490 for labor-related issues.
The report showed that among the 1,513 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 53 percent were Ethiopian, 46 percent Yemeni, and 1 percent were of other nationalities.
The Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom, including providing transportation and shelter, could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000), as well as confiscation of vehicles and property.
Suspected violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.
Saudi-Cuban talks focus on health sector cooperation
The two sides explored ways to enhance cooperation, particularly in the health sector
Updated 46 min 1 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel, along with his delegation, met with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez in Havana as part of an official visit to Caribbean country.
The two sides explored ways to enhance cooperation, particularly in the health sector, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
They also discussed increasing both bilateral and multilateral health coordination to benefit their nations and people.
Saudi Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel, along with his delegation, met with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez in Havana. (SPA)
Al-Jalajel expressed appreciation for the attention given to the health sector in Cuba, and emphasized the importance of supporting shared interests to achieve sustainable development, prosperity, and well-being.
Cuban Minister of Public Health Dr. Jose Angel Portal Miranda attended the meeting along with several other officials.
Funding for response to loss and damage reaches milestone in Baku
The Baku conference marks an important step toward achieving one of the key objectives of the COP29 presidency, as outlined in the first “letter to parties.”
The COP29 presidency plans to use the summit in Baku to work with countries that have pledged nearly $800 million to translate these commitments into actionable resources for communities in need.
Updated 52 min ago
Haifa Alshammari
RIYADH: Hosted by Azerbaijan’s COP29 presidency, a raft of decisions was made by the board of the fund for responding to loss and damage on the fund’s complete operationalization, at the third meeting in Baku.
After years of diplomatic efforts, since the fund’s creation at COP27 and its operationalization decision at COP28, these major discussions pave the way for the fund to start spending money in 2025.
The presidency plans to use the upcoming summit in Baku to work with countries that have pledged nearly $800 million to translate these commitments into actionable resources for communities in need. The presidency will seek further contributions as well.
Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 president, gave his comments on this historical milestone.
“This breakthrough in Baku marks a crucial step in enabling action on climate change,” he said. “This is a truly historic day, years in the making, that has required determination from so many and an unwavering focus on the needs of those on the frontlines of the climate crisis.
“The COP29 presidency will continue to seek further pledges to the fund, and work across the wider loss and damage landscape to ensure that we build on today’s historic achievements.”
The initiative presents an important opportunity for the COP29 presidency to secure one of the objectives for the global climate agenda this year, as outlined in the initial “letter to parties” in July.
During the meeting, the board elected the fund’s executive director, who will be announced soon, and approved the hosting agreement and trustee arrangements with the World Bank.
A number of decisions were taken at the meeting, including approval for the launch of the annual dialogue, COP29, to be co-hosted by Azerbaijan and the board of the fund for responding to loss and damage.
Another decision was the approval of the “Agreement on hosting arrangement for the secretariat of the fund for responding to loss and damage” to be concluded between the World Bank and the board.
KSrelief signs education, housing agreements for conflict-hit Yemen, Syria
Updated 21 September 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief signed cooperation agreement with civil-society organizations in Yemen and Syria to address critical needs in the war-torn countries.
The $1.5 million agreement in Yemen will implement the second phase of a project aimed at educating illiterate students and those with disabilities, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
It will focus on building the institutional capacities of centers and public schools working in the fields of protection, care, and rehabilitation of people with disabilities, as well as literacy schools.
The project will be carried out in the governorates of Aden, Lahij, Al-Dhale, Shabwa, Hadhramaut, and Al-Mahra, benefiting a total of 8,975 individuals.
In Syria, KSrelief signed a joint executive program with a civil-society organization to provide 300 temporary housing units for the 2023 earthquake victims in several camps in the Jandairis area of Aleppo. The initiative will benefit 300 families comprising 1,330 individuals.
Under the agreement, existing fabric tents in targeted camps will be replaced with 300 temporary housing units, each comprising two rooms, a hall with a kitchen, and a bathroom, covering an area of 30 square meters.
Additionally, 300 solar energy systems and 300 water tanks with a capacity of 500 liters will be installed.
The agreements, signed by KSrelief Assistant Supervisor General of Operations and Programs Eng. Ahmed Al-Baiz, are part of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to secure basic needs of people in conflict hit zones.
How a Saudi startup is pioneering the cultivation of algae in the desert
From reducing carbon emissions to providing alternative food sources, algae represents a cornerstone of sustainability
Green Desert Tech uses innovative sensor technology to grow the crop at scale in the water-scarce Kingdom
Updated 21 September 2024
Tamara Aboalsaud
RIYADH: If you have ever brushed against slimy green algae while swimming in the sea, you might not realize that this humble organism holds the key to some of the most promising innovations in food, energy and sustainability.
For Abdulmajeed Hashem, a Saudi chemist and founder of Green Desert Tech, algae is nothing short of revolutionary.
“Algae is the most water-efficient, land-efficient and protein-productive crop to exist in the world,” he told Arab News.
Hashem’s Jeddah-based startup is pioneering new methods to grow algae in the desert, using innovative outdoor cultivation systems that rely on advanced monitoring technology to overcome the environmental challenges of Saudi Arabia’s arid climate.
His journey began in Boston, where he earned a degree in chemical science before pursuing a master’s in organic chemistry at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia.
Hashem’s initial focus was on macromolecule synthesis, but his passion for groundbreaking technologies led him to abandon his PhD to explore something that had “a bit more impact.”
Spirulina, a high-protein and nutrient-dense superfood, has been consumed by humans for centuries. (Greentech photo)
The turning point came from a conversation with his PhD adviser, Basem Moosa, who emphasized the untapped potential of algae as a renewable resource.
The notion fascinated Hashem, and after gaining hands-on experience in greenhouse technology at Red Sea Farms, another KAUST startup, he decided to launch Green Desert Tech.
Hashem’s choice to focus on algae was strategic. “If you look at the protein productivity per meter squared of algae, it’s higher than anything else that exists,” he said.
Algae’s water use is another major advantage. It can be grown using a fraction of the water required by traditional crops — about one-10th to one-15th — and the water it does consume can be fully recycled.
Diagram showing the Green Desert tech's pond.
In a water-scarce region like the Arabian Peninsula, where many essential crops are imported, algae’s water efficiency is a game changer. Moreover, algae thrives in high temperatures and abundant sunlight — two resources that Saudi Arabia has in spades.
The challenge, however, lies in the need for high humidity, something less common in the region. Despite this, Hashem is confident that with the right technology, algae cultivation can flourish.
Green Desert Tech’s primary innovation lies in its sensor technology, which monitors and controls environmental variables in algae pools.
DID YOU KNOW?
• From reducing emissions to providing alternative food sources, algae represents sustainability.
• Algae can grow using a fraction of the water needed for traditional crops.
Hashem said current methods for cultivating algae are outdated and inefficient.
Open pool systems, while simple and cost-effective, are not optimized for maximum productivity. On the other hand, photobioreactors — closed systems with controlled lighting — are highly efficient but expensive to scale.
“If you think of a future where algae is our main source of biofuel, food and feed, it can’t be done through bioreactors,” Hashem said. “Scaling algae production will have to happen through open pools.”
Open pool systems, left, are simple and cost-effective but not optimized for maximum productivity. Photobioreactors (right) are highly efficient but expensive to scale. (Green Desert & Shutterstock photos)
The company’s first step toward optimization is better monitoring. If you are to optimize a system, “you have to know what’s going on,” Hashem said.
Green Desert Tech has developed a sensor box that provides real-time data on the pool’s conditions, from temperature to algae density, with readings every 10 seconds.
“All of these sensors already exist,” Hashem said. “This is not something very novel. The way we integrate it into our system is.”
The sensor technology uses optics and transmittance to monitor algae growth. As algae grows, it absorbs more light, blocking signals from reaching a detector. By tracking the changes in these signals, the system can determine growth rates over time.
Green Tech's sensor technology uses optics and transmittance to monitor algae growth. (Green Desert photo)
In the future, Hashem hopes to implement microscopy for even more accurate monitoring. It will not just provide a quantitative sense of the algae growth rate but also qualitative information, he said.
With microscopy, Green Desert Tech could track cell health, detect contaminants, and even observe potential damage to algae cells in real time.
Once the system gathers data, it uses control mechanisms to adjust conditions in the pool, ensuring optimal growth. For example, when pH levels fluctuate, the system automatically dispenses sodium bicarbonate to stabilize the environment.
For Hashem, the significance of algae extends far beyond its agricultural potential. He believes it offers a viable solution to some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.
One of the most exciting aspects of algae cultivation is its ability to absorb carbon dioxide at rates far higher than traditional plant life.
A hectare of algae is 10 to 20 times more efficient at absorbing carbon dioxide than a hectare of trees, Hashem said. This makes algae a powerful tool in the global effort to combat climate change.
Algae could offer a nutritious and eco-friendly substitute to fish being used as animal feed. (Green Desert photo)
Algae also has potential as an alternative animal feed. Currently, about 70 percent of fish produced globally are used to make fish feed, which is unsustainable in the long run. Hashem believes algae could offer a nutritious and eco-friendly substitute.
“You have a process that essentially takes nothing from the Earth and even gives back,” he said. Algae not only cleans the air by absorbing carbon dioxide but also produces a high-value biomass that can replace traditional feed or energy sources.
Green Desert Tech is now moving from the prototype stage to a larger production scale. Having successfully tested its technology in a 50-square-meter prototype facility in Tahlia, Jeddah, the company is expanding to a new 10,000-square-meter facility in Huda Al-Sham.
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This new site will serve as a production center and a research and development hub, where the team can continue refining their technology while producing algae for commercial purposes.
Hashem envisions a future where several industries can benefit from algae. The goal is to make it easy and economically feasible for producers to grow algae, he said.
Green Desert Tech has already started selling sensor boxes to algae pool owners, sharing its cutting-edge technology with the broader industry. Hashem hopes that as more algae pools adopt these sensors, they can collectively build a vast data bank on algae cultivation.
Green Desert Tech founder Abdulmajeed Hashem. (Supplied)
“With AI (artificial intelligence) and generative AI models becoming more prevalent, the data is one of the most valuable commodities we will produce,” he said. As more data flows into the system, AI could help refine algae production methods, driving further efficiencies.
For Hashem, algae represents a cornerstone of sustainability. From reducing carbon emissions to providing alternative food sources, he believes it has the potential to reshape industries and ecosystems worldwide.
Green Desert Tech’s mission is to unlock that potential, making algae cultivation more efficient, scalable and accessible.
