Category: General

Manama — The Kingdom of Bahrain has expressed its deep concern and regret over the armed clashes that took place yesterday in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, which threaten the security and safety of Libyan citizens and expose the country to great danger.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Kingdom of Bahrain called on the Libyan parties to stop armed clashes, prevent bloodshed and any further escalation, in addition to pursuing political dialogue to resolve the differences between the two parties to the conflict, preserve the higher interests of Libya, and achieve the aspirations of its people for peace, development and prosperity.

The ministry reiterated Bahrain’s position in support of Libya in a manner that preserves its sovereignty, security and stability.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh — Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for Arab States Dr. Nayef Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation in the field of communications and information technology.

This came during his meeting here today with Director of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Regional Office for the Arab States Adel Mohamed Darwish.

The meeting discussed a number of issues of common interest in the field of telecommunications sector, the importance of cybersecurity, the role of ITU Regional Office for the Arab States, the importance of integrating joint efforts in this framework, and exchanging experiences in the fields of information and communications technology, data management and digital transformation.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh — The Saudi Authority for Industrial and Technology Zones (MODON) has revealed the success of the evaluation of 58 factories on the global Smart Industry Readiness Index (SIRI) that measures the level of facilities in adopting applications of the fourth industrial revolution, as part of MODON’s qualitative initiative of the National Productivity Program to help factories realize the highest productive efficiency rates.

MODON had launched the National Productivity Program to help industrial institutions reach the highest levels of production efficiency through drawing transformation plans to apply operational excellence principles and adopt technologies of the fourth industrial revolution on 100 existing factories to become a model for other manufacturers via partnership with the Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF) and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.

MODON Director of Marketing and Corporate Communication Department and Spokesperson Qusay Al-Abdulkarim stressed that this success is a result of MODON’s efforts to keep pace with the latest developments in the global industrial sector and keenness to transfer the latest industrial technologies that enhance the competitiveness of Saudi products in local, regional and international markets, and boost the national export system according to the best accredited quality standards and as part of supporting initiatives of MODON within the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP) that is in harmony with the MODON’s main role in the Saudi Vision 2030.

He pointed out that MODON paid attention to train human personnel to implement the targets of the National Productivity Program, considering them the core of its strategy for digital transformation and creating national personnel that are capable of leading the industrial sector in the future, where it hosts three certified and specialized evaluators by SIRI out of six evaluators available in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

SIRI, owned by International Centre for Industrial Transformation (INCIT), is the only accredited index so far by the World Economic Forum to measure rates of adoption by industrial facilities to applications of the fourth industrial revolution and provide them with necessary tools to increase their technological preparedness to realize this purpose.

Al-Abdulkarim said that the National Productivity Program has trained more than 450 leaders from 76 factories on the concepts of the fourth industrial revolution according to the best training programs in cooperation with global technological partners: General Electric (GE) and McKinsey Company, which contributed to realizing the targets of the Human Capabilities Development Program as part of the Saudi Vision 2030.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Khartoum — Sudanese officials praised the directive of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, to deliver 250 tons of humanitarian, relief, and shelter aid through an air bridge, and under the supervision of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) to counter the impact of floods and torrents in Sudan, in light of the damage to several states and the collapse of thousands of homes and dozens of deaths.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), a member of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Taher Abu Bakr Hajar, expressed appreciation for the Kingdom’s great efforts under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, for Sudan in all fields.

In the same context, the Sudanese Minister of Social Development, Ahmed Adam Bakheet, praised the Kingdom’s efforts in support of Sudan in all fields, highlighting that the air bridge to support the affected Sudanese, reflects the depth of relations between the two countries.

Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid in Sudan, Engineer Adam Ibrahim Abdullah, said the Saudi relief air bridge will contribute to filling the large gaps that occurred due to the floods that hit several Sudanese states, and caused a difficult humanitarian situation that needs to be addressed through friendly support.

He stressed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been extending a helping hand, especially during the times of floods and torrents, through its charitable and humanitarian organizations spread in Sudan, citing the Kingdom’s contribution to building several houses for those affected by torrential rains in the Tokar region in eastern Sudan, which will be inaugurated soon, under the supervision of (KSRelief).

Meanwhile, former Sudanese Minister of Information, Dr. Ahmed Bilal Othman, described the Saudi relief bridge ordered by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques as a reflection of the strong ties between the two countries, indicating that Saudi support has been continuous for decades and has not been affected by the fluctuations of politics. He thanked the Saudi government and people for their noble stances toward the Sudanese people.

For his part, Al-Sharif Al-Hindi, a leader in the Democratic Unionist Party, valued the Kingdom’s stances and its strong support to the Sudanese people during the current crisis, stressing that the relief bridge will contribute to alleviating the suffering of the Sudanese, and gives the Sudanese a strong impetus to overcome this critical stage.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Kuwait — The Kuwaiti government called, in a decree published in official gazette Sunday, for holding parliamentary elections on September 29, state news agency “KUNA” reported.

Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior, as a procedure, would now open the door for people wishing to run for elections to register their nominations at the elections affairs department.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh — President of the General Court of Audit (GCA) Dr. Hussam Alangari is heading the GCA delegation participating in the Supreme Audit Institution 20 (SAI20) Summit, which will be held on 29 – 30 August 2022 in Bali, Indonesia.

The meeting comes as part of the G20 framework, which is headed by Indonesia, to address the joint efforts to recover better from the COVID19 crisis and address the contributions of the supreme audit institutions (SAIs) in improving and assuring the quality of the performance of the public sector.

The Summit will be discussing a number of issues on its agenda which are strengthening and empowering audit engagements through cooperation by sharing knowledge and identification of best practices to promote governance between SAI20. Moreover, the Summit will address the role of SAIs as reliable and strategic partners to the government to ensure business sustainability and improve resilient governance.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Islamabad — Torrential rains and flash floods continue to wreak havoc in Pakistan as the number of people killed in rain-related incidents passed 1,000 and the government appealed for international help, the dpa reported.

The National Disaster Management Authority said 1,033 people, including 348 children, have died since mid-June. More than 100 people have died in the past day alone, it said.

The water has damaged more than 94,000 houses and over 3,400 kilometres of roads, leaving tens of thousands homeless and stranded in remote villages, the agency said in an update on Sunday.

Rescuers are busy evacuating the stranded and it might take days to reach and reaccommodate them, while the death toll is feared to keep rising, a spokesperson for the disaster authority said.

Swollen rivers are destroying houses, bridges and roads. Social media is inundated with videos showing flash floods washing away multi-storey buildings and hotels in the Swat valley in the north.

Millions of people including children were at risk of waterborne diseases in flood-hit regions, officials said. The Pakistani government declared a national emergency and called for international help, saying weeks of erratic rains have affected more than 33 million people, mostly in the impoverished south and south-west of the country.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh — The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) seeks public consultation on the draft “Rules for Loss Adjusters and Loss Assessors”. In the interest of transparency and wider participation, SAMA invites stakeholders and public to provide suggestions and observations on the draft by visiting the Public Consultation Platform with the National Competitiveness Center.

The step comes in continuation with SAMA’s efforts for developing the Insurance sector, particularly insurance services providers, to support and develop the practice of the Loss Adjusters and Loss Assessors in the Kingdom.

The Rules aim at providing a comprehensive flexible legal framework for the Loss Adjusters and Loss Assessors practices and set the bare minimum requirements for their work, and regulate the relationship between them and their clients, for enhancing efficiency of the sector compatible with the insurance industry.

Finally, participants are expected to provide their input on the draft within (15) days from this publication, for assessing its relevance in finalizing the text. The draft is available on the Public Consultation Platform with the National Competitiveness Center link: https://istitlaa.ncc.gov.sa/ar/Finance/SAMA/LossAdjusters/Pages/default.aspx.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh — The second phase of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for Developing Historical Mosques included five mosques in the Makkah Region with the aim of protecting and renovating their historical fabric, in addition to prolonging their age and maintaining their architecture that was affected by the changing climate over the past centuries.

Al-Baiah Mosque that was built by the Abbasid Caliph Abu Jafar Al-Mansour near Jamrat Al-Aqaba at Mina is the first targeted mosques to be developed in Makkah during the second phase of the project, especially that this mosque enjoys a rich history that represents the best way to understand its characteristics and proper methods for its renovation and development.

The area of the mosque after renovation will remain the same at 457.56 square meters with a capacity of 68 worshippers.

The project also targeted developing two mosques in Jeddah Governorate, the first is Abu Inbeh Mosque at Harat Al-Sham, which was built more than 900 years ago, where its pre-renovation area stood at 339.98 square meters and post-renovation area will reach 335.31 square meters with a capacity of 357 worshippers, down from a capacity of 360 worshippers.

As for Al-Khadr Mosque on Al-Thahab Street in Al-Balad neighborhood, which is around 66 kilometers from the Grand Holy Mosque in Makkah, was built some 700 years ago, and its post-renovation area will stand at 355.09 square meters with a capacity of around 355 worshippers.

Al-Fath Mosque in Al-Jamoum Governorate is also part of the projected mosques during the project, and it is expected that Prophet Mohammed – peace be upon him – has prayed at in Al-Fath (conquest) year. The mosque was neglected, destroyed and damaged over the past centuries until it was renovated in 1419 Hijri, and its area is expected to increase from 455.77 square meters to 553.50 square meters and its capacity will also increase from 218 to 333 worshippers.

At Thaqif center in Al-Taif, Al-Jubail Mosque, which was built more than 300 years ago, is also part of the project and its post-renovation area will reach 310 square meters with its capacity remaining the same at 45 worshippers.

A total of 30 mosques will be included in the second phase of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for Developing Historical Mosques that covers all regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where these mosques will be developed according to modern mechanism that guarantee the quality of good material and architectural designs after conducting an accurate assessment of the history, characteristics and features of every mosque.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh– Minister of Justice Dr. Walid bin Mohammed Al-Samaani met in his office in Riyadh today with Secretary General of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) Dr. Christophe Bernasconi.

During the meeting, they discussed enhancing cooperation in the judicial field between the two sides, in addition to reviewing the Conference’s activities and seminars related to its conventions and private international law in general.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh — Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for Arab States Dr. Nayef Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf stressed the importance of strengthening the GCC relations with South Korea to serve the common interests.

This came during his meeting here today with Ambassador of the Republic of South Korea to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Park Joon-yong.

During the meeting, the GCC Secretary General reviewed the areas of bilateral relations and opportunities for joint cooperation in various vital sectors. They also discussed the developments on the regional and international arenas.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Beirut — Financed by King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), the Ambulance Service of Subul Al-Salam Social Society in Al-Minyah, northern Lebanon, carried out 52 ambulance missions during the past week.

This comes within the framework of a project to support ambulance services and transport in refugee areas.

Source: Saudi Press Agency