Category: General

Riyadh– The number of Saudi universities in the QS World University Ranking Index jumped to 16 universities for the year 2023, an increase by seven universities compared to the 2019 ranking.

The QS World University Ranking Index has seen a growth in the number of Saudi universities included in the classification system, over five consecutive years, starting from 2019 with 9 universities, and 2020 with 10 universities, while in 2021, 11 universities were included in the QS classification, constant increase for the first three years at the rate of one university for each year, up to 14 universities in 2022, and 16 universities in the 2023 ranking, with five universities entering the classification in the last two versions of the ranking.

With this new progress, the Kingdom is 6 places away to be included in the top 100 international universities list. According to the QS World University Ranking Index, King Abdulaziz University tops the Saudi universities, followed by King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, and King Saud University. Al-Faisal and Northern Border Universities also entered the rankings for the first time in the new ranking.

The QS classification evaluates universities per several criteria, mainly the university’s reputation, which is calculated in the largest survey of academic opinions around the world, by sending it to more than 130,000 experts.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh– The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced offering a grant worth USD 30 million to support the Afghanistan Humanitarian Trust Fund (AHTF), which operates under the umbrella of the Islamic Development Fund (IsDB), in coordination with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The grant comes in continuation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian and relief efforts and its effective and leading role in offering all types of assistance to brotherly and friendly countries through King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) and the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) with the aim of contributing to alleviating the suffering of the Afghan people and limiting the risks of deteriorating the critical humanitarian conditions and possible economic collapse in Afghanistan, which might affect the regional and international peace and stability.

The signing ceremony of the grant agreement was attended by Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of KSrelief Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah, IsDB Chairman Dr. Mohammad Al-Jasser, SFD CEO Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshad, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to OIC Dr. Saleh bin Hamad Al-Suhaibani, OIC Special Envoy for Afghanistan Tariq Ali Al-Bakheet, and Head of the Afghanistan Humanitarian Trust Fund Muhammad Al-Saati.

This grant is a continuation of what the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has recently offered to the Afghan brotherly people of air and land aid bridges and its support over the past decades to several projects in Afghanistan, including at the humanitarian, health, educational, water and food security levels with a cost exceeding SAR 1billion, out of its responsibility and role in realizing security and prosperity to Afghanistan and its people.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh– The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) revealed today that in April 2022, the Industrial Production Index (IPI) increased by 26.7% compared to the same month of the previous year (April 2021). The IPI continued to show positive growth rates due to the high production in mining, quarrying, and manufacturing activity.

According to the GASTAT’s monthly report, mining and quarrying grew in April 2022 by 28.3% compared to (April 2021). The manufacturing activity also increased by 25.1% compared to the same month of the previous year. The electricity and gas supplies decreased by 2.0%.

Compared to March 2022, the overall IPI increased by 0.5%. Mining and quarrying showed a month-on-month growth rate of 1.3%. The manufacturing sector decreased by 2.0%, electricity and gas supplies increased by 2.1%.

The IPI is an economic indicator that reflects the relative changes of the volume of industrial output. It is calculated based on the industrial production survey. The IPI data is based on the International Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities (ISIC 4). This index is published on a monthly basis.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Paris– France, Germany, Britain and the United States of America stressed that Iran must comply with its legal obligations and cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), after the Agency adopted a resolution criticizing Tehran’s lack of cooperation with it.

In a joint statement on Wednesday evening, the foreign ministries of the four countries welcomed the IAEA’s resolution, which came “in response to Iran’s lack of sufficient cooperation” with it regarding “serious and pending safeguards” relating to its nuclear activities.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Kuwait– Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hussein Ibrahim Taha held here today talks with Kuwaiti Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah.

During the meeting, the two sides valued the distinguished level of cooperation between the OIC and Kuwait in various fields and stressed their keenness to further support cooperation in service of the Muslim world affairs.

They also reviewed several issues on the agenda of OIC, including the Palestinian cause, and affirmed the need to support the Palestinian people to obtain their legitimate rights, including the establishment of their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and to support peace efforts to achieve a two-state solution per international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

The two sides also discussed the latest developments in Afghanistan and Yemen and reviewed the political, security, economic and social challenges facing the countries of the Sahel & Lake Chad, stressing the importance of supporting efforts to enable these countries to achieve the aspirations of their people in security, stability, and development.

The meeting also touched on the situation of Muslim communities and minorities in non-member countries, the growing phenomenon of Islamophobia, and the fight against terrorism and extremism.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh– Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Dr Nayef Falah M. Al Hajraf received yesterday senior officials of the GCC Economic and Development Affairs Authority.

The meeting was held in the presence of Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy in the United Arab Emirates, Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh; Undersecretary for Financial Affairs of the Ministry of Finance and National Economy for Financial Affairs in the Kingdom of Bahrain, Yousef Abdullah Hammoud; Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy and Planning for International Economic Affairs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bandar bin Abdul Mohsen Al Khamis; Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy in the Sultanate of Oman, Dr. Nasser bin Rashid Al Maawali; Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance for Economic Affairs in the State of Qatar, Saud bin Abdullah Al Attiyah; and Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance for Economic Affairs in the State of Kuwait Talal Namesh Al Namesh, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat in Riyadh.

During the meeting, several topics were discussed, including the importance of activating the role and tasks of the Economic and Development Affairs Authority, which would advance the joint GCC action in the economic and development fields, and achieve a qualitative leap in this field to continue the completion of the requirements of the GCC common market, the GCC Customs Union and the Economic Judicial Authority, leading to economic unity in 2025, in addition to governance of preparing, financing and following-up studies of joint GCC action in the economic and development fields.

The economic and development issues of interest to the GCC countries and the necessary decisions taken in this regard were also followed up, as well as the policies, recommendations, studies and projects that would develop cooperation, coordination and integration among the GCC countries in these areas.

In the meeting, the Secretary General stressed the importance of creating all the legal, structural, financial and human factors necessary to develop the economic aspect of the joint GCC action, in order to reach the advanced levels that have been achieved in many other fields.

The meeting was also attended by Director General of the Office of Economic and Development Affairs at the GCC General Secretariat Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sheikh.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh– Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s approval has been issued to hold an annual competition in Mauritania for the Holy Quran and Prophet’s sunnah at the level of west African States under the sponsorship of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the name of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

The competition, which is implemented and supervised by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, in cooperation with its counterpart in Mauritania, is an extension of the generous care and limitless support of the wise leadership to the Holy Quran and Prophet Mohammed’s – peace be upon him- sunnah.

Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance Sheikh Dr. Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al Al-Sheikh expressed gratitude and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, for their special care in the Holy Quran and the Prophet’s sunnah, which ia as an extension of the efforts of this blessed country in spreading the Holy Quran and the Prophet’s sunnah to Muslims around the world.

The minister noted that the competition is scheduled during the first quarter of 1444 Hijri in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania in a bid to further enhance cooperation in all fields that can serve Islam and Muslims.

The minister also prayed for Allah Almighty to protect the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and reward them for their continuous good deeds in serving Muslims of the world and to sustain peace, security, stability and progress in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the entire world.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Kuwait– The Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Hussein Ibrahim Taha, met today, on the sidelines of his official visit to Kuwait, the Deputy Director-General of Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), Waleed Al-Bahar.

OIC Secretary-General valued the role of KFAED in advancing development in several regions across the world, especially in the member states of OIC, by supporting the economic, development, and social projects financed by the Fund, expressing his aspiration to expand its activities in the targeted countries, especially those looking to attract investments to carry out their development projects.

For his part, Al-Bahar praised the role of OIC in various political, economic, social, and humanitarian fields, expressing the Fund’s interest in implementing development projects in the OIC member states.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Jeddah– Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha praised the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s announcement of offering a donation of around USD 30 million to contribute to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Trust Fund.

He also expressed thanks and gratitude for Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, for this generous donation and for the fixed support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (the host country of the OIC) to the organization since its establishment.

He also praised the relentless efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in light of the close cooperation between the ministry and OIC secretariat general, and commended OIC member states’ donations for the fund, calling on other member states to contribute to the fund with the aim of helping the Afghani people overcome the current humanitarian circumstances.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh– The special operations units from the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) and the French Land Forces began in the northwestern area of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia their mixed military exercise “Santol 2” as part of framework of cooperation, coordination and exchange of experiences between the Kingdom and the French Republic.

The exercise is part of the military exercises that the Saudi armed forces conduct throughout the year with the forces of fraternal and friendly countries, with the aim of raising combat readiness, gaining more field experience and working to unify military concepts and terminology between the parties participating in the exercise.

The Assistant Commander of the Northwest area for Operational Affairs, Major General Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Khashrami stated that “the exercise, which will last for several days aims to strengthen the bonds of cooperation and joint action, and exchange experiences in the military fields, which contribute to raising the military combat capability and increasing coordination between the Saudi armed forces and the friendly French armed forces.

He also said that the readiness, preparations and operational plans for this exercise were carried out with all professionalism between the two sides, according to the highest levels of safety followed in such exercises, using simulators and shooting with live ammunition by various ground units, stressing that the RSLF seek to achieve the general and tactical goals set for the exercise.

It is worth mentioning that several joint exercises were held between the Royal Saudi Land Forces and the French Land Forces, in which the two sides demonstrated a high level of professionalism, reflecting the state of military cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries, which was built decades ago on solid foundations based on the close ties between the two sides.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Marib, Yemen– King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) yesterday distributed 407 food baskets in Marib Governorate, Yemen, benefiting 2,322 individuals.

This aid comes within KSrelief’s 2022 project to support food security in Yemen.

The project aims to distribute more than 192,000 food baskets weighing more than 20,000 tons to needy and affected families in 15 Yemeni governorates.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Jeddah– King Abdullah Economic City today organized a virtual meeting that discussed investment opportunities in the educational sector at the economic city with the participation of several Irish universities, Enterprise Ireland, and Arab-Irish Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the Saudi cultural attaché in Ireland, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Investment, and the Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority (ECZA).

CEO of Emaar the Economic City noted that the meeting aimed at stimulating Irish universities to open branches at the economic city for its being the most important national destination that support the initiative of attracting global universities, noting that the leading experiment that the city lives, represented by the Prince Mohammed bin Salman College for Business and Entrepreneurship stresses the advanced infrastructure provided by the city and directly contributes to realizing the economic city’s strategy to develop the educational sector through attracting prestigious international educational institutions to establish schools, vocational institutes and universities in various specializations.

Source: Saudi Press Agency