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Jeddah– The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has sent a cable of congratulation to President Paul Biya of the Republic of Cameroon on the anniversary of his country’s National Day.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques wished the President constant good health and happiness and the government and people of the Republic of Cameroon steady progress and prosperity.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
California– Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Eng. Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha, currently on a visit to the USA, had met the day before yesterday (Tuesday), May 17, 2022, in California, United States of America with Artur Bergman, the Founder and Executive Chairperson of “Fastly” company that is specialized in delivering cloud computing services.
The meeting discussed enhancing the Flexibility of Digital Infrastructure, cooperating to develop the capabilities of local platforms, websites, and applications.
Also, they talked about the role of edge computing and CDNs in the future of the Internet and discussed the future collaboration areas for enhancing the digital infrastructure within the region and maintain a better internet ecosystem.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
Cannes, The Saudi Film Commission (SFC), is participating in the 75th edition of the Cannes International Film Festival which runs from 17-28 May, to build awareness of the country’s rapidly developing film industry, showcase its unique cinematic and pristine locations, and champion new and exciting talent in a drive to become a world-class hub for film and TV production.
Located in the International Village, the Saudi Pavilion will be the epicenter of information, events, panel discussions, and networking, bringing together country partners who are making great strides in building the industry and enhancing the ecosystem in the Kingdom.
The Saudi Film Commission will be joined by partners from across the Saudi film sector including the Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF), Film AlUla (the Royal Commission for AlUla’s film agency), the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA), the media hub of Neom, and Ithra (King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture). MBC GROUP, the largest media company in the Middle East & North Africa region will be also present at the pavilion this year.
They are joined by other entities covering several sectors of the media and entertainment industry including production, distribution, content creation and talent development.
A delegation of promising Saudi film talent shaping the filmmaking culture of Saudi Arabia will also head to Cannes showcasing the best of the rapidly flourishing filmmaking scene. They will present their work at the Short Film Corner, a successful sidebar to the Festival organized by the Marché du Film and designed to give a new generation of filmmakers a platform on the global stage.
Abdullah Al Eyaf, CEO of the Saudi Film Commission said: “We are thrilled to return to the Cannes Film Festival to connect with the international film industry to build awareness around what is happening in our flourishing creative sector and to showcase the country as a truly unique and exciting film destination. The Festival is the perfect platform to champion emerging talent who will showcase their work on the big screen to the global film industry. This is an exciting time for Saudi Arabia, and Cannes provides a crucial opportunity for us to maximize opportunities as we drive the rapid growth of the industry.”
The Saudi Film Commission also presents the ‘State of Arabia’ Conference at the Marché du Film featuring Saudi producer and director Aymen Khoja, Egyptian producer Mohammed Hefzy, and Tunisian director Lotfy Nathan who makes his feature debut with ‘Harka’ a recipient of the RSIFF’s Red Sea Souk Award and screening as part of the Festivals Certain Regard section. The panel will explore the future of Arab cinema and discuss the opportunities and challenges that need to be addressed in order to build a robust industry that will elevate Arab cinema and command the attention it deserves.
Film AlUla will also take to the stage to introduce the country as a global film hub at the American Pavilion joined by Stephen Strachan, Film AlUla, Abduljalil Alnasser, General Manager of Sector Development and Investment Attraction at the Saudi Film Commission, Wayne Borg, Managing Director Media Industries, Entertainment & Culture at NEOM, Zeinab Abu Alsamh, General Manager of MBC Studios, Matt Rhodes, Producer & President at The Hideaway Entertainment and Christian Mercuri, CEO of Capstone.
The group will discuss the international and regional ambitions to become a production powerhouse, huge internal investment combined with a strong financial incentive offering, and a film-friendly ecosystem to support productions in an exciting new destination for filmmakers.
Over the last 18 months Saudi Arabia has provided the backdrop for three major Hollywood films, Ric Roman Waugh’s action thriller ‘Kandahar’ filmed in the extraordinary landscape of AlUla, home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hegra, and Jeddah, Rupert Wyatt’s historical epic ‘Desert Warrior’ shot in the incredible new city state of Neom and the region of Tabuk, and the Russo Brothers’ crime drama ‘Cherry’ shot in AlUla and the capital Riyadh.
In addition, 8 local feature films have reached completion in the last 12 months and ready to hit the festival circuit along with a slate of documentaries, commercials and local productions including ‘Norah’ written and directed by Tawfik Alzaidi and ‘Within Sand’ directed by Moe Alatawi. Both films were recipients of a fund award at the Saudi Film Commission’s Daw’ Film Competition, an initiative launched by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture in September 2019 to support Saudi film production and champion the next generation of filmmakers by establishing a sustainable funding program to bring Saudi content to the screen and wider global audiences.
The country hosts two film festivals annually, the Saudi Film Festival, now in its 8th edition, has grown to become a crucial springboard for exciting new voices and the Red Sea International Film Festival which enjoyed a successful first edition in 2021 showcasing 136 films representing 68 countries in 35 languages including 28 World Premieres with 38% of the program made up of female filmmakers and 27 homegrown features and shorts from exciting new Saudi voices.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
N’Djamena– King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) distributed Tuesday 800 food baskets to women, literacy, and Holy Quraan education centers, in N’Djamena, the Republic of Chad, benefiting 4,800 people.
This aid comes as part of the relief and humanitarian efforts provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by KSrelief, to the affected countries and peoples around the world.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
Riyadh– The Ministerial Conference for Global Food Security affirmed its commitment to act with urgency, at scale, and in concert to respond to the urgent food security and nutrition needs of millions of people in vulnerable situations the world.
The statement is issued by the US Department of State, as the United States of America’s Chair of a Global Food Security Ministerial Meeting held at United Nations Headquarters, and endorsed by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Albania, Australia, Brazil, Canada, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Guyana, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mauritania, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Qatar, Romania, Senegal, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ukraine, and Yemen.
It committed to provide immediate humanitarian assistance, build resilience of those in vulnerable situations, support social protection and safety nets, and strengthen sustainable, resilient, and inclusive food systems in line with the objectives of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals, and the objectives of the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit.
The participants note with grave concern that the newly-released 2022 Global Report on Food Crises indicates that the number of people facing acute food insecurity greatly increased from 135 million in 2019 to 193 million in 2021 in the 53 countries most in need of assistance, and that nearly 40 million people across 36 countries experienced emergency levels of acute food insecurity, just one step away from famine. Driven by conflicts, extreme climate-related events, such as historic multi-season droughts and floods; economic shocks, including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on livelihoods, incomes, and food prices; and a multitude of other threats to human, animal and crop health.
They reaffirmed the vital role of the UN system, its implementing partners, and non-government organizations in responding to the global food security crisis, in particular through the work of the World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, International Fund for Agricultural Development, United Nations Children’s Fund, and the Global Network against Food Crises. We strongly support the swift initiative of the UN Secretary-General in ensuring a coordinated and comprehensive response through the UN Secretariat’s Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance (GCRG).
They welcome the G7’s efforts under the German Presidency’s leadership to prioritize and respond to the escalating global food security crisis, most prominently the shaping of a Global Alliance for Food Security, looking forward to addressing food security as a core component of social, economic, and environmental development under Indonesia’s G20 Presidency, recalling also the G20 Matera Declaration on Food Security, Nutrition and Food Systems promoted under the Italian G20 Presidency.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
Riyadh– The Ministry of Interior has extended the grace period for allowing citizens to license illegal weapons and ammunition and suspends the legal accountability measures and penalties stipulated in the arms and ammunition system, which impose financial fines, imprisonment, and denial of licensing for violators, for one year starting from 17/10/ 1443 AH.
The Ministry called on all citizens to take the initiative to disclose their unlicensed weapons and ammunition, per the Weapons and Ammunition System issued by Royal Decree No. (M/45) dated 07/25/1426 AH and its executive regulations and instructions issued in this regard, as well as weapons that have been transferred to them by inheritance or will, and to hand them over voluntarily or legalize their status by reporting to the nearest police station before the end of the deadline on 16/10/1444 AH.
The ministry noted that the forms and instructions for this initiative can be obtained through the ministry’s website www.moi.gov.sa, and booking an appointment for attendance through the appointment service on the Absher platform.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
Riyadh– Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef has inaugurated a workshop to shed light on services and incentives offered by the industrial and mineral resources system and its partners, in the presence of Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Eng. Osamah Al-Zamel and several Korean and local investors.
The workshop discussed several steps, enablers and promising opportunities that are provided by the industrial sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the roles of institutions of the industrial system and government institutions participating in serving investors, in addition to explaining several advantages and incentives that various institutions of the system offer to empower industrial investors and enrich their experiences.
The workshop also reviewed the targets of the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP) that aims at changing the Kingdom into an industrial power and a logistic hub through increasing the added value for the mining and energy sectors and empowering the local content and fourth industrial revolution.
The workshop also included a proposal to establish the Saudi-Korean industrial village project in Yanbu Industrial City so as to support the ”Made in Saudi Program” and realize its strategic goals according to the plans of the Saudi Vision 2030.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
Dubai– The pavilion of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has concluded its remarkable participation in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which was held in Dubai, UAE for 4 days of May, during which the Saudi Tourism Authority was distinguished by a record number of partners of the Saudi tourism system, amounting to 29 partners who succeeded in highlighting the treasures of Saudi tourism, and its diversity, depth and tremendous opportunities, in addition to the success in re-communicating and confirming the commitment with the tourism industry and major international companies, by holding more than 4,000 meetings and concluding more than 90 partnership agreements and memoranda of understanding, paving the way for a renewed stage of cooperation and integration to contribute to the stability, growth and sustainability of the tourism sector in the Kingdom.
On this occasion, Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and board member of the Saudi Tourism Authority confirmed that the Kingdom enjoys the confidence of the tourism industry and major international companies, which translates the volume and quality of agreements and memoranda of understanding that were concluded in Dubai ATM 2022.
It is worth mentioning that the Saudi pavilion in Dubai ATM 2022 has announced a number of new programs, agreements and partnerships for 2022.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
Cairo– The General Assembly’s meetings of the Arab Administrative Development Organization (ARADO) kicked off today its 57th ordinary session in Cairo, chaired by the Palestinian National Authority General Personnel Council Minister Mousa Abu Zaid.
The Kingdom’s delegation to the meeting was headed by Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Eng. Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, in the presence of Director of the Institute of Public Administration Dr. Bandar Al-Sajjan.
The meeting will discuss several topics, including the election of a new Executive Board for the next two years (May 2022 – May 2024), and will review the Financial and Administrative Control Authority’s report on the organization’s performance during the past four years.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
Manila– Upon directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) handed over today humanitarian assistance to the Philippines worth USD 3.2 million, including in-kind assistance of medical and preventive equipment and devices with a value of USD 1.7 million to address the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and delivering a financial support to the Philippine Ministry of Health worth USD 1.5 million to alleviate the impacts of the Typhoon Rai that recently hit the country, and to help health relief and emergency works in Marawi City.
In a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Director of the Department of Health and Environment Assistance at KSrelief Dr. Abdullah Al-Muallem handed over the financial and in-kind support to the Philippine side in the presence of Saudi Ambassador to the Philippines Hisham Al-Qahtani and several Philippine officials at the headquarters of the Filipino Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Manila.
The Philippine side praised the Saudi support through KSrelief, extending sincere appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its generous support and solidarity with the Philippines in addressing its health and natural crises.
This is part of KSrelief’s keenness for its programs to include all humanitarian and relief sectors for the needy and afflicted countries around the world according to their actual needs in coordination with government partners and UN, international and local organizations to reach beneficiaries and limit the ramifications of humanitarian crises.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
Muscat– Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Dr. Nayef Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf reiterated that the GCC is a pillar of security and stability in the region and a pioneer of comprehensive development, safeguarding achievements and gains and moving towards the future with confidence and ambition.
Al-Hajraf stressed that the Gulf Cooperation Council is a well-established entity based on a solid foundation and works for the future to preserve the gains of its countries and nations, highlighting the achievements of the GCC during the past four decades and the most important stations that formed a milestone in its march.
This came during the GCC Secretary General’s visit today to the headquarters of the Omani National Defense College, Bait Al-Falaj Camp, in Muscat, where he was received by Head of the Academy for Strategic and Defense Studies, Major General Engineer Saleh bin Yahya Al Maskari, and senior officials of the college.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
Algiers– Minister of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad in the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, Ramtane Lamamra received here Wednesday evening Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, currently on an official visit to Algeria.
During the meeting, they reviewed the solid historical relations linking the two fraternal countries and peoples and ways of developing them in all fields.
The two sides also discussed enhancing joint cooperation in many aspects, in addition to discussing the latest regional and international events, and issues of common interest.
The Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs hosted a dinner banquet in honor of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the delegation accompanying him.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, the Saudi Foreign Minister had arrived in the Algerian capital earlier on Wednesday evening.
Source: Saudi Press Agency