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RIYADH: Nigeria and Saudi Arabia have maintained a fruitful mechanism of bilateral consultations and coordination between them since the establishment of formal diplomatic relations in 1961, according to Nigerian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Yahaya Lawal.
Speaking at Nigeria’s 63rd independence day anniversary function in Riyadh, the envoy on Monday said: “Last week we joined Saudi brothers and sisters in commemorating their 93rd National Day. We wish them further progress in their remarkable journey toward a prosperous future. Our heartfelt appreciation goes to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman for sustained endeavours in consolidating and advancing the age-long historical and cordial relations binding our two brotherly countries.”
After independence on Oct. 1, 1960, Nigeria established formal diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia in 1961.
“I am happy to inform you that for the past six decades, our bilateral cooperation, which was initially Hajj-centric, has witnessed diversification to cover a number of mutually beneficial areas. I am pleased to note that a large number of our compatriots and professionals, including valued Nigerian football players, are actively working and contributing silently to the strengthening of these relations in various fields. This is expected to receive an additional boost when more than a dozen agreements and MoUs currently under negotiation within the framework of the Nigeria-Saudi Joint Commission are concluded,” the envoy said.
“It is our firm belief that these agreements, when finalized and implemented, would contribute in unlocking the existing huge potentials in the relationship and elevate our cooperation to a strategic level,” Lawal said.
“As members of several international organizations such as the UN, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, the International Energy Forum, the G77, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Islamic Development Bank, the Digital Cooperation Organization and the Saudi-led Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition, our two nations have effectively used these and other platforms for close interaction and coordination,” he said.
“We share similar aspirations as members of OPEC+ for a stable oil market. We also subscribe to the promotion of South-South cooperation for enhancing trade, investment and sustainable economic development.”
Nigeria, like the Kingdom under its “Vision 2030,” was diversifying its economy away from oil dependence by focussing on agriculture, mining, the digital economy and tourism to promote sustainable development, he said.
“Our country is also cleansing and liberalizing the business environment to attract more domestic and Foreign Direct Investments. We have introduced in this regard a number of programs, which include a new National Digital Economic Policy and Strategy, the establishment of Special Agro Industrial Processing Zones, the Agriculture for Food and Jobs Programme and the Petroleum Industry Act, which seeks to transform and open up the oil and gas sector,” he said.
“Our country has also put in place sufficient incentives to attract Foreign Direct Investments. These include a tax holiday for up to five years on agriculture and solid minerals, easy company registration within 24 hours, pioneer status incentives of up to three years, easy repatriation of profits, easy access to credit facility, low import duties, and equal treatment of local and foreign companies,” he said.
The envoy also thanked Saudi Arabia for sending a ministerial delegation to Abuja to participate in the investiture ceremony of the new cabinet. The delegation held fruitful bilateral talks with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.
The president reaffirmed Nigeria’s full backing for the Kingdom to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh and wished it success at the election coming up in December in Paris.
As regional leaders, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia share similar visions for peace in their respective environment.
“In this regard, we thank the Kingdom for its peace endeavours in Sudan. We are also thankful for the annual scholarship awards to Nigerians to study in Saudi universities, and wish to acknowledge with gratitude the numerous humanitarian interventions in Nigeria by the Kingdom through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center,” he said.
He also commended the Kingdom for its initiative to host the Saudi-Africa and Arab-Africa summits in Riyadh and for its faith in the continent.
“It is our hope that the upcoming historic fora would lay the foundation for a new era of partnership between the Kingdom and Africa, especially with the coming into force of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area. The World Bank estimates that the AfCFTA will increase Africa’s income by $450 billion by 2035 and raise intra-African exports by more than 81 percent.”
This single market trade agreement will enable the African economy to reach the 29 trillion dollar mark by 2050, according to the UN Economic Commission for Africa.
The function was attended by Riyadh Deputy Gov. Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz.
JEDDAH: The Historic Jeddah Program announced the launch of several activities to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s local economy and make the country a cultural and economic tourism destination, the state-run SPA news agency reported on Sunday.
The activities were launched under an initiative entitled “Balad Al-Fann,” and will run until March 9.
Through the universal language of art, the initiative seeks to enhance the Kingdom’s cultural scene, provide unique sensory experiences, increase awareness and encourage visitors to visit Historic Jeddah, also known as Al-Balad.
“Balad Al-Fann” will present four art exhibitions, music programs and various theatrical performances, as well as a range of local restaurants, and organized school visits to enrich students with artistic content.
Abdulaziz Ibrahim Al-Issa, the general supervisor of the Historic Jeddah Program, said that the activities aim to enhance cultural interaction in Al-Balad, turn the area into a cultural destination and a creative home, to serve as an attractive center for business and cultural projects, and a destination for entrepreneurs.
They are also part of the Historic Jeddah Program’s objectives to contribute to achieving the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
RIYADH: French engineering and consulting firm Setec Group is working on urban air mobility in the Kingdom.
The concept being developed with the company’s European partners and manufacturers aims to provide air mobility for people and goods.
With Dubai expecting to launch its first flying taxi by 2026, and countries considering the service as a way to ease traffic conditions, Saudi Arabia is also joining the race for air mobility.
The French integrated engineering solutions provider is developing new mobility solutions, especially for the Gulf region, with the development of public transport and soft mobility services for smart cities.
“It is like an air taxi. We have developed a preliminary feasibility study for Riyadh, to connect Riyadh with the new centralities that are being developed in the vicinity, namely Diriyah and Qiddiyah, and the service might be implemented in the coming years, to ease the road infrastructure, and for fast transit between the different centralities,” Patrick Bteich, a partner at Setec Group, told Arab News en Francais.
“Air mobility needs special permits from various ministries,and you need to work on corridors to mitigate security issues … from pilot to the implementation, it can take a few years depending on the regulation. But it’s a project that could be developed for Vision 2030,” Bteich added.
• Urban air mobility would serve to ease traffic conditions.
• Dubai expects to launch its first flying taxi by 2026.
• Setec Group is one amongst several French companies working in AlUla.
Development of AlUla in recent years has witnessed significant French-Saudi collaboration through the AfAlUla and RCU intergovernmental agreement. The partnerships demonstrate the Kingdom’s ambition to make AlUla a leading international destination for culture and tourism.
Setec Group is one amongst several French companies working in AlUla.
The engineering firm’s presence in AlUla falls in line with the intergovernmental agreement, as well as the group’s desire to expand its presence in the western parts of the Kingdom.
The French group, which is also working on King Salman Park and the development of metro lines, aims to “help the Kingdom reach its objectives as part of Vision 2030,” Bteich said.
“We’re looking to position ourselves, working on iconic buildings in terms of assets, high-rise tower projects, and we are interested in all the metro and LRT (light rail transit) developments that are happening in the region. In Riyadh, we have line extensions that are going to be floated to the market, including the Qiddiya LRT,” he added.
In its manifesto for low-carbon construction, Setec Group committed to offering low-carbon alternatives on its projects.
Our motto today is resilience and adapting to climate change, which is quite important in the region knowing that heat waves may become stronger and last longer.
Patrick Bteich, Setec Group partner
“We’re also trying to put our green touch and valued engineering expertise to have buildings and assets with lower impact on the environment. Our motto today is resilience and adapting to climate change, which is quite important in the region knowing that heat waves may become stronger and last longer,” he added.
The engineering firm is focused on international expansion, which makes up more than 30 percent of its activity.
With established offices in KSA, the UAE, and Egypt, the group is centering its efforts and business development in Saudi Arabia, in line with the Kingdom’s mega projects, with three offices across the country.
“In the Kingdom, we are now finalizing our work on the King Salman Park, the landscape design with our partners Gerber Architekten (German architects) and Buro Happold (English engineers), and we have submitted the last package at the end of October, and the construction is underway and within budget. The project is expected to open soon,” Bteich said.
Setec is also working on the project management for Diriyah Gate and has worked on project management within the FAST consortium on 3 out of the 6 metro lines of Riyadh.
“The core of our activity is related to transport and infrastructure: Metros, trains, highways, high-speed lines, airports … this is around 60 percent to 65 percent of our activity, and this was the core activity when we started, with complex structures,” he added.
Among its flagship projects, Setec worked on the French section of the underwater Channel Tunnel between France and the UK.
The group also designed the Viaduc de Millau, the world’s tallest cable-stayed bridge, as well as iconic buildings including the Louis Vuitton Foundation Museum in France, the Tribunal de Justice in Paris, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
“We assist architects in the design to make the project happen … we had the chance to meet key clients from Saudi Arabia recently and it is going to open good opportunities for collaboration,” Bteich said.
Setec Group includes more than 40 companies. The firm develops feasibility studies leading to detailed design studies, environmental impact assessments, and offers client site supervision and consulting services.
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Sports Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal on Sunday accompanied Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, on a tour of the historic Turaif neighborhood in Diriyah, Riyadh. The CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority Jerry Inzerillo was also present.
Bach arrived in the Kingdom on Saturday and was also was given a tour of the facilities hosting the ongoing Saudi Games 2023.
During his official meeting with Prince Abdulaziz, they discussed the major role played by the Kingdom on the global sporting stage.
JEDDAH: Saudi students competing against contestants from 55 countries scooped three awards at the 2023 International Junior Science Olympiad.
The competitions, held in Thailand’s capital Bangkok, took place from Dec. 1 to 10.
Representing Saudi Arabia were the King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), and the Ministry of Education.
Hussein Habib Al-Saleh clinched a silver medal, while Suha Suleiman Al-Salama and Reda Emad Al-Khalaf were both awarded a bronze, adding to the Saudi science team’s medal tally total of 30 – one gold, six silver, and 23 bronze.
In a post on X, Mawhiba said: “The Saudi team secured three international awards at the International Junior Science Olympiad #IJSO2023, which took place in Thailand and attracted 304 students, representing 55 countries. Congratulations to our Kingdom, our students, and our strategic partner @moe_gov_sa.”
Each member of the Kingdom’s team underwent intensive training at Mawhiba, conducted by a group of expert Saudi and foreign trainers.
Praising the students’ efforts, Amal Al-Hazzaa, Mawhiba’s secretary-general, thanked the ministry, the families of the students, and their schools and teachers for their support.
She said: “Mawhiba strives in all its initiatives to inspire and motivate talented Saudi students with exceptional minds and abilities, enabling them to compete globally in scientific, technological, and applied fields.
“The organization aims to push them toward success in inspiring scientific and technological paths, prioritizing national interests.”
RIYADH: The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation has condemned what it describes as double standards in applying human rights norms globally in light of the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip.
The IPHRC voiced its concerns after joining worldwide events to mark Human Rights Day 2023 on Dec. 10, the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In a statement, the commission said that after more than two months of Israeli aggression in Gaza, and more than 17,000 civilian casualties, the international community is failing in its responsibility to act on credible accounts of war crimes being committed by Israeli forces.
The commission urged the international community to intervene for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in the enclave.
It also described Israeli orders for civilians in Gaza to evacuate without basic necessities as a violation of International humanitarian law.
The commission voiced concern about human rights violations affecting millions worldwide, and cited the deteriorating conditions for Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, persistent violence and discrimination against Muslims in India, and the continued plight of Palestinians and Kashmiris under oppressive regimes.
The IPHRC called for an end to double standards in applying human rights norms globally, and reaffirmed its commitment to promoting good governance, the rule of law, and safeguarding fundamental freedoms.
It also highlighted the need for technological equality and equitable development for OIC member states and other developing nations, and urged the international community to prioritize bridging the technological divide, saying that developing countries face disparities in accessing cutting-edge technologies.
The commission urged member states to adopt innovative, rights-based approaches to address economic, social, and cultural challenges.