Saudi Arabia to donate $40m to UN Palestinian refugee agency
The funds would support UNRWA’s humanitarian relief efforts in the Gaza Strip
The funding will provide food for more than 250,000 people and tents for 20,000 families
Updated 21 March 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief announced on Wednesday it will donate $40 million to UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, to support its emergency appeal in the Gaza Strip.
The financial support memorandum was signed by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, general supervisor of the center, and Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA commissioner-general, via video call.
The agreement will help support food security for Palestinians in the besieged territory, where the Israel-Hamas war has raged for more than five months, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
“It is crucial to address the desperate needs of the people in Gaza,” said Al-Rabeeah.
Lazzarini said the donation “reflects the solidarity that the Kingdom has always shown Palestinians.”
It aims to benefit 250,638 individuals most in need of aid, in addition to providing shelter and non-food materials, including tents, to 20,019 families, representing 200,190 individuals.
“This comes within the framework of the persistent efforts made by the Kingdom through the center to provide relief to the affected Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip in order to alleviate their suffering as a result of the current humanitarian crisis they are experiencing,” SPA said citing KSrelief.
Established in 1949, UNRWA provides education, social services and emergency relief to Palestinian refugees and is mostly funded by government donors, but it has come under heavy scrutiny after Israel accused some employees of being involved in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel.
Several nations have suspended their funding to the relief organization even though the UN said that Israel has not provided any evidence of the accusations.
UNRWA employs around 30,000 people in the occupied Palestinian territories — including 13,000 in Gaza — as well as neighboring Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
Humanitarian aid efforts have intensified in recent weeks, including airdrops and the launching of a maritime humanitarian corridor from Cyprus, but the UN and other aid agencies warn that these are insufficient to meet the desperate needs in Gaza.
Kazakhstan envoy on strengthening Saudi ties in politics, trade, food security
The envoy reflected on his arrival in the Kingdom as an ambassador in May 2024 and how impressed he had been with both the country and its Vision 2030 initiatives
Updated 03 February 2025
Lama Alhamawi
RIYADH: Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Madiyar Menilbekov, has said his mission will be dedicated to furthering Saudi-Kazakh ties in politics, trade, culture, tourism and agriculture.
“As ambassador extraordinaire of the country of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, I received instructions from our president to develop bilateral relations, first on the political side,” Menilbekov told Arab News.
“Thanks to our very strong relations in the political field, we had organized a working visit of our president to Riyadh in December of last year,” he added. The trip was President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s official visit to Riyadh, during which he participated in the One Water Summit.
The ambassador said around 7,000 Saudis visited Kazakhstan each year, with more than 20,000 Kazakhs making the opposite journey. (AN photo by Laoi ElKellawy)
The ambassador said his secondary focus would be trade.
“I’m focusing on the development and the strengthening of trade and economic relations and, of course, the implementation of investment projects,” he said, adding he was working closely with the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce. This year, two missions will be organized with entities from both countries paying a visit.
Menilbekov explained the Saudi delegation would make the trip in the first quarter of 2025, with the Kazakhstan delegation visiting the Kingdom at a later stage.
Saudi Arabia is fast-growing and implementing all tasks in Saudi Vision 2030, and (it is a) big achievement to host Expo 2030 and (the 2034) World Cup.
Madiyar Menilbekov, Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia
Speaking about tourism, the envy said he hoped to enhance relations in this sector, pointing out the number of Saudi and Kazakh tourists was increasing annually.
“Before, it was a visit for pilgrims to Jeddah and Madinah, but last year and in 2023, I found a number of Kazakh tourists who are visiting Riyadh in big numbers, as well as AlUla and Madinah,” said Menilbekov.
The ambassador said around 7,000 Saudis visited Kazakhstan each year, with more than 20,000 Kazakhs making the opposite journey.
“Kazakh people love sports and events in Riyadh during Riyadh Season and other activities also,” he said, extending an invitation to all Saudis to visit Kazakhstan, whose key features include nature, mountains and historic cities.
Asked where immediate results of cooperation between the two countries could be seen, the ambassador pointed to renewable energy and food security/agriculture.
He cited cooperation with ACWA Power Co. to implement a common investment project in Kazakhstan with a 1 gigawatt wind power capacity.
On the topic of agriculture, the ambassador said Kazakhstan had plans to start investment projects with Saudi companies: “Taking into account the importance of food security in the near future, I think we can implement and start joint investment projects in agriculture. We want the situation to be win-win — one project in Kazakhstan and one project in Saudi Arabia.”
During the interview, the ambassador applauded the Kingdom for holding high-caliber summits and forums such as the Future Minerals Forum, the FII and LEAP Forum that brought world leaders and influential figures together in one hub.
It presented “a big opportunity to gather all decision-makers and all shareholders of this industry in one place,” he said.
During the recent Future Minerals Forum, he said, the Kazakhstan minister of industry met a lot of Western and US companies in Riyadh and said he could find other gatherings to meet such people.
“That’s why Riyadh is providing a good platform and good opportunity to meet other people,” Menilbekov added.
The envoy reflected on his arrival in the Kingdom as an ambassador in May 2024 and how impressed he had been with both the country and its Vision 2030 initiatives.
“My first impression was very positive; it was very nice. I have known Saudi Arabia for a long time; it is a very rich country in culture, heritage, and religion, and also the biggest economy in the Arab world,” he said.
Menilbekov first visited the Kingdom in 2003, during a trip to Umrah. He returned in 2012, accompanying Kazakhstan Minister of Foreign Affairs Yerzhan Kazykhanov to Riyadh, and in 2017 when he was consul general in Dubai and attended the first Arab, Islamic and US summit. He has also visited various provinces and cities, including Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, Dammam and Tabuk.
“There are huge reforms and big changes in Saudi Vision 2030, big changes in economic social life, in tourism, in sport,” he said.
“Saudi is fast-growing and implementing all tasks in Saudi Vision 2030, and (it is a) big achievement to host Expo 2030 and (the 2034) World Cup.”
Riyadh to host second Human Capability Initiative Conference in April
Conference will bring together over 12,000 experts, officials, and decision-makers
Education Global Exhibition will showcase leading local and international universities and institutions
Updated 03 February 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Riyadh will host the second Human Capability Initiative Conference on April 13–14 under the theme “Beyond Readiness.”
In collaboration with the conference, the Ministry of Education will hold the Education Global Exhibition from April 13–16.
The themes of the event focus on learning, belonging, and action, addressing the critical need to develop human potential in an era of unprecedented global change.
Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan said: “The convening of the second edition of Human Capability Initiative is an affirmation of the importance of harnessing efforts and enriching global dialogue in a way that contributes to the development of the future of human capabilities.”
Expanding on the Education Global Exhibition, Al-Benyan added: “The exhibition will provide opportunities for local and international universities and leading companies to explore cutting-edge technologies, practices, and innovative educational programs, including advancements in artificial intelligence, thereby creating new investment opportunities to achieve the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.”
The conference will bring together over 12,000 experts, officials, and decision-makers and feature more than 300 speakers from governmental, private, and nonprofit sectors, global think tanks, and international organizations. They will share insights, best practices, and inspiring success stories from around the world.
Meanwhile, the Education Global Exhibition will showcase leading local and international universities and institutions, highlighting the latest technological advances and innovative programs shaping national and global education systems.
It will also feature workshops aimed at fostering knowledge exchange, sharing success stories among participants, and facilitating the signing of strategic agreements with prominent global educational institutions.
Deputy minister meets ambassador of India to Saudi Arabia
They discussed bilateral relations and other issues of common interest
Updated 03 February 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister of Finance for International Relations Khalid Bawazier recently met with Ambassador of India to the Kingdom Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan in Riyadh.
During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations and other issues of common interest, the Indian Embassy wrote in a post on X on Monday.
Meanwhile, Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, the governor of Jeddah, held cordial discussions with Consul General of India in Jeddah Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri on Monday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Makkah trials hydrogen-powered buses to promote clean energy, sustainability
Scheme is part of a MoU between the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites and the Ministry of Energy to implement a pilot project for hydrogen fuel cell buses on designated routes
Aims to explore hydrogen applications in transportation, gain commercial and technical expertise, and gather insights for potential future expansion
Updated 03 February 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: The second trial of a hydrogen fuel cell-powered bus has been launched in Makkah.
It is overseen by the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites, in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, the Transport General Authority, the General Directorate of Civil Defense and the General Department of Traffic.
The scheme is part of a memorandum of understanding between the commission and the ministry to implement a pilot project for hydrogen fuel cell buses on designated routes, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
It aims to explore hydrogen applications in transportation, gain commercial and technical expertise, and gather insights for potential future expansion. It also seeks to raise public awareness of hydrogen technology.
Through the initiative, the commission aims to introduce clean energy-based transportation solutions, enhancing quality of life in alignment with Vision 2030’s goals to reduce emissions and protect the environment.
The project also seeks to improve services for pilgrims and Umrah performers, enhancing their experience at the holy sites, the SPA reported.
The hydrogen bus trial is integrated into the Makkah Bus Project, with an operational plan ensuring security and safety. This includes running buses along the designated route and deploying a mobile hydrogen fueling station.
An evaluation of the trial will focus on efficiency, performance, operational sustainability, cost-effectiveness and passenger comfort, ensuring Makkah’s public transportation system evolves into a more sustainable service.
