https://arab.news/vn78m
RIYADH: Kuwait has named Noura Soliman and Khalifa Abdullah as its new finance and trade ministers respectively as part of a cabinet reshuffle, Kuwait News Agency said on Sunday.
RIYADH: Riyadh Expo 2030 will propel the Saudi capital onto the global stage through its innovative transformation “while being deeply rooted in its cultural essence,” said an international expert on mega events.
During an interview with Arab News, Philippe Blanchard, former director of the International Olympic Committee and a senior adviser to Dubai Expo 2020, emphasized the significance of the event for both Saudi Arabia as a whole and for Riyadh in particular. Drawing from his extensive experience in organizing major events, Blanchard also discussed the potential challenges and shared strategies for overcoming obstacles to ensure the event’s success.
Following are excerpts from the interview:
Based on your past experience, how can Riyadh benefit from the event on the global stage?
We need to bear in mind that a mega event is not merely an “event,” it is a narrative unfolding before our eyes. I witnessed this over the last 33 years, since my very first Games in 1992.
The Saudi Vision 2030 is about holistic transformation — economic, cultural, and social. Riyadh Expo was designed to be a canvas where each stroke of innovation, sustainability, and cultural exchange will paint Riyadh not just as a participant but as a protagonist in the global theatre.
It is about forging a new identity for the city, one that resonates with a global audience while being deeply rooted in its cultural essence. But all this needs to be extremely fine-tuned on the organization side. Very precise (and shared) objectives, clear deliverables are required to ensure the narrative reaches the global audience and creates the necessary impact. Riyadh and Saudi Arabia have gone through a tremendous transformation. Expo is a fantastic opportunity to take it to the world.
What are the key challenges in managing the event and in coordinating with the Bureau International des Expositions and its member states?
Whether it is about an Olympics or a World Expo, the challenge for the host territory is like navigating a vast, complex ecosystem, with many different stakeholders.
On the one hand, coordinating with the BIE, the governing body in charge of overseeing and regulating World Expos, involves adhering to strict guidelines and protocols, ensuring the event’s integrity and international standards.
On the other hand, there’s also the intricate diplomacy with the BIE member states, each with their unique expectations and contributions. It’s like conducting an orchestra where every instrument is from a different part of the world, each with its own melody. The synchronization required is immense — balancing the Kingdom’s vision with the practicalities of dozens of countries investing resources, time, and cultural narratives into the event.
In my career, I witnessed several situations in which countries got this part wrong and could not catch up after this. It was dramatic as a lot of energy and money had been invested in the preparation and the infrastructure. But missing the steps results in low attendance and buy-in from the member states. It also leads to disengagement from national stakeholders.
How can Riyadh ensure that this event retains its “human touch” and heritage amid logistical and temporal pressures, especially given the diverse set of international stakeholders?
Here’s where the art of complexity management becomes crucial. Listening is paramount — to the expectations and aspirations of the local communities as well as the ambitions of international participants.
The human touch is preserved through empathy and negotiation, ensuring every voice is heard and every culture is respected. Shanghai 2010, Milan 2015, and Dubai 2020 have taught us that when participants feel like co-authors of the event’s story, the event transcends from mere spectacle to a profound human experience. It’s about ensuring that amidst the steel and concrete, the heart of the event — the human story — continues to beat strongly.
Over the years and experience, specific frameworks and guidelines have been developed to ensure the right results.
How can Riyadh balance the high expectation following the BIE vote with the practicalities of execution?
This balancing act is where the vision must meet the ground. The initial bid was a dream, a promise to the world. Now, it’s about translating that promise into tangible reality. This involves a continuous dialogue — not just between the vision of the bid and the feedback from stakeholders, but also between the Kingdom’s expectations, the BIE’s requirements, and the capabilities of member states.
Resource allocation must be strategic, ensuring infrastructure supports but does not overshadow the cultural and human exchange. Like a desert blooming, it’s about fostering growth where every participant’s contribution, from the smallest cultural exhibit to the grandest architectural marvel, is vital.
How does the interaction with the BIE and its member states complicate or enhance the legacy planning for the Riyadh Expo 2030?
Interaction with the BIE and member states is a double-edged sword in legacy planning. On the one hand, the BIE provides a framework for excellence and accountability, guiding the event towards lasting impacts.
On the other hand, the diverse interests of member states lead simultaneously to a rich tapestry of legacies — economic, cultural, and educational — and also to potential conflicts in vision and resource allocation.
The key is in harmonizing these interests into a cohesive strategy where the legacy is not just about the physical remnants but about the societal transformations that continue long after the event. Success will be when these legacies resonate like the echo of a well-played symphony, long after the last note has faded.
RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) continues its global humanitarian works with recent initiatives ranging from the provision of shelter kits to the delivery of dates in some countries.
At the Samoun Camp in the Al-Shihr District of Yemen’s Hadhramaut governorate, the aid agency distributed emergency shelter kits to displaced people amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
In Bangladesh, KSrelief 500 food boxes as part of a larger initiative to provide food to those affected by floods and cyclones in the country.
In Pakistan, 4,450 winter kits were distributed in several districts in the Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces as part of KSrelief’s efforts to support countries and communities around the world.
KSrelief also delivered 25 tonnes of dates Sierra Leone and 25 tonnes of dates to Cambodia as a gift from Saudi Arabia.
DHAKA: Bangladesh’s Air Force chief began a multi-day visit to Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Sunday, a trip expected to strengthen Dhaka’s defense ties with the Gulf states.
Air Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan arrived in Riyadh on Sunday, where he is due to hold talks with top officials at the Royal Saudi Air Force, including his counterpart, Lt. Gen. Turki bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz.
Khan will also visit RSAF’s bases and establishments as part of his trip to the Kingdom, according to the public relations division of the Bangladesh Armed Forces, ISPR.
“The visit of our air chief marshal will strengthen defense cooperation between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia,” ISPR Director Lt. Col. Sami Ud Dowla Chowdhury told Arab News.
“Khan will discuss opportunities for increasing collaboration in the area of joint exercise and training. The visit will definitely pave the way for closer cooperation between the two air forces in the coming days.”
Dhaka and Riyadh signed in 2019 an agreement to further their military cooperation, which has served as a basis for their collaborations in the field.
From Saudi Arabia, Khan will continue his Gulf trip to the UAE on Feb. 14 to meet his Emirati counterpart, Maj. Gen. Staff Pilot Ibrahim Nasser Mohamed Al-Alawi, and discuss “various bilateral issues of mutual interest.”
Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE are “very important countries” in the Gulf region, Chowdhury said.
“We have been enjoying excellent relationships with both countries. With this visit, we can say our defense cooperation will be further enhanced.”
New Delhi: At least 31 Maoist rebels and two Indian commandos were killed in a gunfight in the dense jungles of central India Sunday, as security forces ramp up efforts to crush the long-running insurgency.
More than 10,000 people have been killed in the decades-long insurgency waged by the rebels, who say they are fighting for the rights of marginalized Indigenous people.
“31 rebels and two security personnel are dead and two other security personnel are injured,” senior police officer Sundarraj P. told AFP.
The official said the toll could be even higher as the police continue to carry out search operations in the area.
“Additional forces have been rushed to the encounter site,” he said.
Police have recovered automatic weapons and grenade launchers from the scene, a police statement said.
The gunfight broke in the forested areas of Bijapur district in the state of Chhattisgarh, considered the heartland of the insurgency.
“This is a big success in the direction of achieving a Naxal-free India,” said Amit Shah, India’s home minister, who last year said the government expected to crush the rebellion by 2026.
A crackdown by security forces has killed some 287 rebels in the past year, an overwhelming majority in Chhattisgarh, according to government data.
The Maoists demand land, jobs and a share of the region’s immense natural resources for local residents.
They made inroads in a number of remote communities across India’s east and south, and the movement gained in strength and numbers until the early 2000s.
New Delhi then deployed tens of thousands of troops in a stretch of territory known as the “Red Corridor.”
The conflict has also seen a number of deadly attacks on government forces. A roadside bomb killed at least nine Indian troops last month.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has dispatched a 23rd relief consignment for the people of Palestine, Lebanon and Syria, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office said on Sunday.
This consignment, comprising 50 tons of essential supplies, was sent by the NDMA in collaboration with Pakistani charity, Al-Khidmat Foundation, to provide humanitarian aid to people affected by Israeli military actions in the region.
Israel’s war in Gaza, which began after Oct. 2023 attacks by Hamas, has killed over 48,000 people, injured thousands more and displaced millions of people in the territory, whereas thousands of others have been affected by Israeli strikes on Lebanon and Syria.
The relief consignment was dispatched through a chartered flight from the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi to Jordan, according to PM Sharif’s office.
“The relief consignment included tin meat, powdered milk, hygiene kits, clothing, blankets, tents, and sleeping bags,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.
Pakistan does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters.”
The South Asian country has also called on Israel to withdraw from Lebanese and Syrian territories, including Golan Heights, and allow United Nations (UN) peacekeepers to freely operate in the region to ensure compliance with international agreements.
“The Government of Pakistan continues to send relief supplies based on the needs of the war-affected populations of Lebanon, Syria and Palestine,” Sharif’s office said.
“In total, up till now, 1,803 tons of relief items have been dispatched.”
