Category: Politics

Madinah– A total of 330,451 pilgrims from several nationalities have arrived in Madinah, through air and land crossings to perform this year’s Hajj.

Statistics on arriving and departing pilgrims in Madinah, issued by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, showed that 266,064 pilgrims have arrived through the Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah since receiving the first Hajj flights, while the land immigration center received 49,038 pilgrims and the center of receiving pilgrims via land received 15,222.

The statistics also revealed the nationalities of pilgrims staying in Madinah, showing that Bangladeshi pilgrims are top residents of Madinah with 12,625, followed by Nigerians with 9,673, Pakistanis with 8,369, Indians with 7,575 and Iranians with 6,425 pilgrims.

Statistics showed that 239,547 pilgrims left Madinah over the past few days on their way to the Holy Sites in Makkah, where the number of pilgrims staying in Madinah until yesterday totaled 90,877 pilgrims from various nationalities.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh, June 8, 2022, SPA — Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha met here today with Cypriot Deputy Minister for Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Kyriacos Kokkinos and Cyprus Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Stavros Avgoustides.

During the meeting, the two sides went over Saudi-Cypriot relations and means to enhance them in the technological, research and innovation fields, in addition to discussing ways necessary to develop cooperation aspects through improving the growth of digital economy.

Al-Swaha reviewed the capabilities of the digital infrastructure for the communications and information technology sector that enhanced the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s digital status as the biggest and fastest and highest digital economy in the Middle East and North Africa, where both sides also discussed means to attract leading technological companies and the important transition that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is witnessing at all levels, which reflects the growth and prosperity of the digital economy.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Jeddah– Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, Governor of Jeddah Province, received here today Belgian ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Dominic Menor on the occasion of the end of her tenure as her country’s ambassador to the Kingdom.

During the meeting, they exchanged cordial talks.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh– Acting Secretary General of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) Maj. Gen. Pilot Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghidi received here today Ambassador of Bahrain to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Sheikh Ali bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa and the accompanying delegation.

Al Khalifa listened to the IMCTC’s efforts and its role in combating extremist ideology and coordinating all efforts to confront terrorist tendencies through intellectual and media initiatives and combating terrorist financing and the military, in addition to its efforts in coordinating and intensifying the actions of member states of the coalition.

The delegation was also briefed on the latest developments related to terrorist groups and events around the world, and the monitoring and follow-up mechanisms.

The Bahraini ambassador praised the initiative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to establish this Islamic coalition to be, with other organizations, a bulwark against extremist terrorist groups in the whole world, hailing the efforts made by the coalition with regard to the various areas of combating terrorism.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Tabuk– Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Tabuk Region, received here today Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Bandar bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah.

At the outset of the meeting, Prince Fahd welcomed Ambassador Al-Attiyah, affirming the fraternal relations that bind the two brotherly countries. They exchanged cordial talks.

For his part, the Qatari Ambassador expressed his thanks to the Governor of Tabuk Region on the good reception and warm hospitality, hailing the development renaissance in Tabuk in various fields.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Rabat– Minister of Foreign Affairs of Morocco Nasser Bourita met here today with Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration of Togo Robert Dussey.

During the meeting, they tackled ways to develop relations between the two countries, intensify and diversify the bilateral cooperation as well as a number of issues of common interest.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh– CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) Sultan bin Abdul Rahman Al-Murshed received here today the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Regional Vice President for the Middle East and Central Asia at the World Bank Group, Hela Cheikhrouhou.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed issues of common interest and highlighted the development activities and programs financed by the Fund in developing countries.

For her part, Cheikhrouhou expressed her appreciation to the Kingdom’s government for the development efforts provided to developing countries through the SFD, noting that the projects and programs supported by the Kingdom through the fund contribute to the development of infrastructure and basic services for beneficiary communities, and have a tangible positive impact on the lives of beneficiaries.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Khartoum– Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the Republic of The Sudan Ali bin Hasan Jaafar received here today visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee who was accompanied by the Charge d’Affaires at the US embassy in Khartoum Luci Tamlyn.

During the meeting, issues of mutual interest and ways of achieving peace and stability in Sudan as well as the efforts of the tripartite mechanism in facilitating dialogue among the Sudanese parties were discussed.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh– Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef met here today with Spanish Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism Marya Reyes Maroto.

During the meeting, they reviewed investment opportunities and ways of strengthening economic relations between the two countries in the industrial fields within the framework of the Saudi-Spanish Joint Committee.

The meeting highlighted the industrial movement witnessed by the Kingdom, and the attractiveness of the market for investments in various fields, in addition to the incentives, legislation and initiatives launched by the Kingdom in order to improve the investment environment.

The two sides also reviewed fields and opportunities for developing cooperation in a number of industries between the two countries.

It is worth mentioning that the Spanish market receives a number of Saudi non-oil exports, including petrochemical manufacturing activities and metals.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Athens– Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has participated in the meetings of the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH), held recently in the Greek capital, Athens, with the participation of more than 30 ICH members representing global regulators and pharmaceutical industry institutions.

The SFDA was represented in the meetings by the Executive Vice President of the Pharmaceutical Sector, Dr. Adel bin Abdullah Al-Harf, the Executive Director of Regulatory Affairs in the Pharmaceutical Sector, Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Hatareshah, and the Director of the Standards Department, Yahya bin Ibrahim Al-Nujaim.

The meetings discussed regulatory aspects in the global pharmaceutical industries, including accreditation and global regulatory convergence, broadening regulatory horizons about medicine, and looking towards regulatory innovation and guidelines, in addition to other topics proposed and submitted by member states and cast them for a vote.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Sharm El-Sheikh– President of Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser and Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Chair of IsDB Board of Governors Dr. Hala El-Said discussed today the launch of the annual meetings in Sharm El-Sheikh.

This came on the sidelines of IsDB Group’s annual meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh.

During the meeting, they discussed the latest arrangements for the annual meetings which kicked off today in Sharm El-Sheikh and are scheduled to continue until 04 June 2022, under the patronage of the Egyptian President Abdelfattah El-Sisi.

They also tackled the most important procedural steps for the annual meetings of the Group, along with the issues addressed during the meeting of the Board of Executive Directors, and what will be discussed at the meeting of the Board of Governors.

In addition, they discussed the arrangements for the official opening ceremony of the meetings scheduled for tomorrow, in the presence of Prime Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt Dr. Mostafa Madbouly.

Dr. Hala El-Said emphasized Egypt’s keenness on the success of the annual meetings, and the interest of all Egyptian state agencies in providing all aspects of support to the meeting participants.

“These meetings would be an opportunity to deepen relations between member states and expand areas of joint cooperation” El-Said added.

Furthermore, Dr. Hala El-Said also expressed Egypt’s interest in the success of the private sector business forum, which will be conducted during the IsDB Annual Conference, and will include representatives from significant corporations and the business community at the local, regional, and worldwide levels.

This is consistent with the Egyptian government’s goal of strengthening ties with the business sector, according to El-Said.

In this light, Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, thanked Egypt for hosting the IsDB Annual meeting and praised the organization for its excellent performance and facilities provided to attendees.

The Chairman of IsDB affirmed the Bank Group’s desire to expand cooperation with Egypt in all fields, explaining that the bank’s regional office in Cairo, which will be inaugurated today, reflects the bank’s desire to deepen cooperation with Egypt and to be the focal point of the bank’s activities in its regional environment.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh– On behalf of Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh region, Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, Mayor of Riyadh region attended here today the reception party held by the Italian Embassy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Italy.

Upon his arrival at the venue, Mayor of Riyadh region was received by the Italian Ambassador to the Kingdom Roberto Cantone.

The event was attended by a number of diplomatic corps accredited to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Source: Saudi Press Agency