Saudi project clears 1,338 Houthi mines in Yemen

Saudi project clears 1,338 Houthi mines in Yemen
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The initiative trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. (Supplied)
Saudi project clears 1,338 Houthi mines in Yemen
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The initiative trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. (Supplied)
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Saudi project clears 1,338 Houthi mines in Yemen

Saudi project clears 1,338 Houthi mines in Yemen
  • The total included three anti-personnel mines, 35 anti-tank mines, and 1,300 unexploded ordnances

RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 1,338 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.

The total included three anti-personnel mines, 35 anti-tank mines, and 1,300 unexploded ordnances, according to a recent report.

Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the initiative’s managing director, said a total of 462,289 mines had been cleared since its inception in 2018.

The explosives were planted indiscriminately and posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.

Project Masam is one of several initiatives undertaken by Saudi Arabia on the orders of King Salman to help the Yemeni people, clearing routes for humanitarian aid to reach the country’s citizens.

The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.

The initiative trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.

Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate safe movement for civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.

About 5 million people have been forced to flee their homes since the start of the conflict in Yemen, many of them displaced by the presence of land mines.


DCO launches tool to bridge digital economy gap

DCO launches tool to bridge digital economy gap
Updated 10 sec ago
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DCO launches tool to bridge digital economy gap

DCO launches tool to bridge digital economy gap
  • The DEN was unveiled at SDG Digital during the 79th UN General Assembly in New York

RIYADH: The Riyadh-based Digital Cooperation Organization, a global body focused on digital prosperity, has launched its Digital Economy Navigator. This tool helps countries navigate digital economy maturity, identify growth opportunities, benchmark progress, and address economy gaps.

The DEN was unveiled at SDG Digital during the 79th UN General Assembly in New York, which is taking place until Sept. 27, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

Using official statistics, secondary data, and DCO’s proprietary survey data, the DEN assesses digital economy maturity across 50 countries, including DCO’s members.

It provides a unified framework to promote a global digital economy, fostering accessibility, sustainability, and shared prosperity, the SPA reported.

The DEN evaluates factors contributing to economic prosperity, sustainability, and quality of life, offering a common understanding for stakeholders to collaborate on digital economy strategies.

Deemah Al-Yahya, the DCO’s secretary-general, said that the navigator aims to enhance accessibility, sustainability, and economic prosperity, ensuring that countries lead in the digital era.

She added that it offers reliable data, insights into trends, and strategic foresight for future challenges, helping nations achieve higher levels of prosperity and sustainability.

The DEN is relevant for policymakers, business leaders, and experts. It offers data and analysis to promote an inclusive digital economy, encourage innovation, create jobs, boost growth of gross domestic product, and enhance sustainability.

The DEN uniquely assesses the digital economy via three intersecting dimensions: digital enablers, digital business, and digital society, using 102 indicators across 50 countries. It introduces a five-category maturity classification system to guide stakeholders in driving digital advancement and innovation.


Crown prince’s vision empowers youth, women, UN forum told

Crown prince’s vision empowers youth, women, UN forum told
Updated 3 min 4 sec ago
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Crown prince’s vision empowers youth, women, UN forum told

Crown prince’s vision empowers youth, women, UN forum told
  • Saudi Arabia records record female participation in tech, surpassing EU and G20 averages, says communication minister

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha, speaking in New York at the UN Summit of the Future, said that the support and empowerment of youth and women by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has led to one of the country’s greatest success stories of inclusion and empowerment.

Al-Swaha said that the crown prince’s vision is a source of inspiration for the Saudi people and creates global momentum for diversifying the economy by empowering women and youth, as well as harnessing technology and innovation, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

In his speech at the “Hope of Digital” session, the minister said that Saudi Arabia recorded the highest percentage of women participating in the tech sector, reaching 35 percent in just six years, surpassing the EU and G20 averages.

He highlighted inspiring stories of women’s empowerment and inclusion in technology in the Kingdom, including the largest women and youth participation in programming, led by the Misk Foundation.

This initiative resulted in the training of one million women and youth through the “Saudi Codes” program and in sending the first Muslim Arab female astronaut, Rayyanah Barnawi, to the International Space Station.

Al-Swaha said that these successes have contributed to Saudi Arabia ranking high in several global indices, such as the UN E-Government Development Index 2024, in which the Kingdom ranked fourth in the world and second among the G20 countries in the digital services index.


Saudi Cultural Office celebrates National Day in Tokyo

Saudi Cultural Office celebrates National Day in Tokyo
Updated 22 September 2024
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Saudi Cultural Office celebrates National Day in Tokyo

Saudi Cultural Office celebrates National Day in Tokyo
  • Ambassador Ghazi Faisal Binzagr recalled the historical significance of Saudi Arabia’s National Day

TOKYO: The Saudi Arabian Embassy’s Cultural Office in Tokyo, a key institution promoting Saudi culture and education in Japan, celebrated the Kingdom’s National Day at an event attended by Ambassador Ghazi Faisal Binzagr and Badr Al-Outaibi, head of the cultural office, along with graduates and students.

In his opening remarks, Binzagr recalled the historical significance of Saudi Arabia’s National Day.

“On this momentous occasion, I am reminded of the great efforts made by our founder, King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Faisal Al-Saud and his dedicated followers,” he said.

These efforts, he added, unified the country, strengthened security and established the foundations of the modern state based on the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammed and on a firm foundation of justice and fairness.

“Under the leadership of the custodian of the two holy mosques, King Salman, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Kingdom has strengthened its position regionally and internationally through a steadfast commitment to achieving international security and peace,” he said. “This commitment is a source of reassurance for all of us.”

The ambassador’s emphasis on tolerance, cooperation and dialogue as the means to establish peace and stability everywhere resonated with the audience, fostering a sense of shared responsibility and community.

Al-Outaibi echoed Binzagr’s comments: “We stand with respect and humility for all the achievements of the past and present, for all the steps that have been taken for our country to advance and flourish. We are part of a great story, a story of a country rooted in our hearts, and part of the knowledge being renewed every day.

“Let us all be as one and build and raise the flag of the homeland in every city so that we may be the guardians of our heritage and our witnesses, sincere in praying for this precious country, and working for its future, for our better future and our future generations.”

Al-Outaibi added that National Day was not just a commemoration but “a call to persist in giving and loyalty and to act in the love of this country, from which we derive strength and determination.”

The Japanese graduates and students expressed their happiness and joy regarding their studies and experiences in Saudi Arabia.

They highlighted specific experiences or studies, underscoring the positive effects of cultural exchange and international education.

Mohammed Mahdaly, a PhD candidate at Sofia University in Tokyo, talked about the rich experience enjoyed while studying in Japan and his eagerness to bring those experiences back home.

Dr. Akifumi Nomura of Takushoku University mentioned his experience of living in the Kingdom and studying at King Saud University and endorsed increased scientific and student exchange between the two countries.


Saudi foreign minister discusses Gaza with Algerian counterpart 

Saudi foreign minister discusses Gaza with Algerian counterpart 
Updated 22 September 2024
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Saudi foreign minister discusses Gaza with Algerian counterpart 

Saudi foreign minister discusses Gaza with Algerian counterpart 

RIYADH: Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Saturday held a phone call with his Algerian counterpart Ahmed Attaf, state news agency SPA reported. 
During the call, the two ministers discussed Gaza developments and reiterated the need for increased coordination to achieve a ceasefire. 
They also emphasized “intensified efforts to halt the ongoing Israeli escalation and violations against the Palestinian people,” said SPA.


King Salman, crown prince congratulate Armenia and Belize on their independence celebrations

King Salman, crown prince congratulate Armenia and Belize on their independence celebrations
Updated 22 September 2024
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King Salman, crown prince congratulate Armenia and Belize on their independence celebrations

King Salman, crown prince congratulate Armenia and Belize on their independence celebrations

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Saturday congratulated Armenia and Belize on their independence day celebrations.

In a cable, King Salman wished Armenian President Vahagn Garniki Khachaturyan “continued health and happiness,” and the government and people of Armenia “steady progress and prosperity.”

He also made a similar wish in another cable to Belize Governor-General Froyla Tzalam.

Crown Prince Mohammed, who is prime minister of Saudi Arabia, sent similar messages to the president of the West Asian country and the ruler of the Caribbean nation.

Belize, on the east coast of Central America and formerly known as British Honduras until 1973, gained independence from Britain on Sept. 21, 1981.

Armenia, a nation of 2.78 million, declared independence from the former Soviet Union on Sept. 23, 1991.