Category: Uncategorized

Riyadh– President of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi expressed his thanks and appreciation to His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), for his generous patronage of the 2nd Global AI Summit, which was concluded here yesterday.

In a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA), he also thanked HRH the Crown Prince for his unlimited interest in the data and artificial intelligence sector in the Kingdom within the framework of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, in pursuit of the Kingdom’s access to global leadership in the field of data and artificial intelligence.

The SDAIA’s President also thanked all participants at the summit for their distinguished presence and interaction with this global event.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh– The Head of Technology and Artificial Intelligence Unit for Education at UNESCO Fengchun Miao, has praised the development of education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the support of the government, and its high potential by providing modern technologies, artificial intelligence, and taking care of education access through the “My School Platform” and “Ain Educational Channels” for all regions and villages in the kingdom.

He noted the government’s support in the continuous development of education, which makes the Kingdom have many examples that can be shared with the world, and a pioneer in the uses of technology and artificial intelligence in education, stressing the importance of sharing its experience in distance education with the world and other countries, as indicated by the UNESCO report on The performance of countries in distance education during the Corona pandemic, expressing his admiration for the rapid transformation being witnessed by the Kingdom, and the right path taking in developing education.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Baghdad – Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi announced that 5 rounds of dialogue took place between Iran and Saudi Arabia, stressing: “Tehran will continue to do so.

“If external forces do not intervene, the region’s problems can be resolved,” Raisi said in press statements, parts of which were reported by the official Iranian news agency.

On the Iraqi issue, the Iranian president said: “We will be happy to see a strong government in Iraq, and that the Iraqis should not allow any American presence anymore.”

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

Nur Sultan– Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, Dr. Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al Al-Sheikh, met today at his residence in the Kazakh capital, Nur Sultan, Chairman of General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments in the United Arab Emirates, Dr. Mohammed Matar Al-Kaabi on the sidelines of his heading the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s delegation participating in the seventh session of the Conference of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions concluded yesterday.

The meeting discussed a number of issues of common interest relating to Islamic fields.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Yvon Chouinard, the 83-year-old founder of the outdoor clothing and equipment company Patagonia, announced that he has placed 100% of the shares of his $3 billion company in a trust, which will direct future profits of the company to efforts to protect the environment and combat climate change.

“Earth is now our only shareholder,” Chouinard wrote in an open letter describing the decision, which places all of the voting stock in the company under the control of the Patagonia Purpose Trust, and all of the non-voting stock under the control of the Holdfast Collective, a nonprofit “dedicated to fighting the environmental crisis and defending nature.”

Under the plan, the Chouinard family will control the Patagonia Purpose Trust, and through it will exercise control over the company’s operations. The family will also “guide the philanthropic work performed by the Holdfast Collective,” according to a release issued by Patagonia.

Under the new structure, the company will continue to function and to invest in its operations, but all profits not reinvested in the company will be distributed as dividends to the Holdfast Collective, which will direct them to environmental causes.

Avoiding ‘disaster’

The move adds Chouinard to the list of billionaires, including Berkshire Hathaway founder Warren Buffett, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and former Wipro Limited chairman Azim Premji, who have promised to give large shares of their personal wealth to charity.

Chouinard said that he made the decision after considering other options, including selling the company and donating the profits. “But we couldn’t be sure a new owner would maintain our values or keep our team of people around the world employed,” he said.

Likewise, he dismissed the idea of taking the company public, writing, “What a disaster that would have been. Even public companies with good intentions are under too much pressure to create short-term gain at the expense of long-term vitality and responsibility.”

Former mountaineer

Chouinard was born in Lewiston, Maine, in 1938, but moved with his family to Southern California in 1947. It was in California that he became deeply involved in rock climbing and eventually, alpine climbing.

As a young man, Chouinard taught himself blacksmithing in order to make some of his own climbing equipment, and the sales of his handmade pitons — spikes driven between rocks in order to create points of stability — were the beginning of the business that would eventually become Patagonia.

The company has long been environmentally active. In the early 1970s, when it became clear that the widespread use of its pitons was damaging mountain faces, Patagonia invented a hexagonal aluminum “chock” that could be used as a non-damaging alternative. Since the 1980s, it has dedicated 10% of profits to environmental causes.

Billionaires and charity

In turning over the profits of his company to a charitable organization, Chouinard is far from the only extremely wealthy person in the world to surrender the bulk of their wealth to philanthropic pursuits, but doing so isn’t the norm, either.

In 2010, Gates and Buffett announced the launch of the Giving Pledge campaign, an effort to persuade the world’s wealthiest people to commit to giving away at least 50% of their net worth at or before their deaths.

To date, 236 individuals, the vast majority of them billionaires, have signed the pledge. However, they represent a small fraction of what Forbes magazine estimates to be the approximately 2,700 billionaires in the world.

Around the world

Some of the world’s wealthiest people have, with or without signing a formal pledge, donated considerable sums to charity.

Premji, the Indian billionaire who built Wipro, has reportedly donated well over 25% of his net worth, including $7.6 billion worth of shares in his company, to charitable causes, including education initiatives in his native country.

Sheik Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Rajhi, a native of Saudi Arabia who earned his fortune in Islamic banking, announced a decade ago that he would give away most of his $7.7 billion fortune, and has spent large sums endowing a university, among other efforts.

Huang Zheng, founder of Chinese online shopping giant Pinduoduo and one of the wealthiest people in China, has given away billions of dollars, including a recent donation of $1.85 billion to a charitable foundation.

Strive Masiyiwa, the Zimbabwean telecommunications billionaire, has funded many large philanthropic efforts in his home country and around the world, and is also a signatory of the Giving Pledge.

Some giving deferred

Forbes, which has long tracked the wealth of the richest citizens in the United States, has developed a philanthropy score, which tracks, on a scale of one to five, how much the country’s wealthiest have given away.

Those who score a five are among the most charitable, having given away 20% or more of their net worth. Those who score a one, meaning they are among the least charitable, have given away less than 1% of their net worth.

In 2021, the magazine found that 156 of the 400 richest Americans scored in the lowest quintile, while just 19 were in the top two quintiles, meaning they had given away at least 10% of their net worth.

Notable names among those scoring in the lowest quintile include America’s two wealthiest men, Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos and Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk. Also listed as having donated less than 1% of their net worth were Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and Oracle founder Larry Ellison.

Bezos stepped up his philanthropic activities in 2022, and others, including Musk and Ellison, have signed the Giving Pledge, indicating that at some point, they plan to make substantial philanthropic donations.

Source: Voice of America

Nur Sultan– The Speaker of the Senate of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Dr. Maulen Ashimbayev, received here today Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, Dr. Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al Al-Sheikh, on the sidelines of his official participation in the Conference of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, as the head of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s delegation .

The Speaker praised the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and HRH Crown Prince in spreading peace, tolerance, harmony, and serving the Two Holy Mosques being visited by millions of pilgrims and Umrah performers annually, stressing that the Kingdom’s participation in the Conference of Religious Leaders Contribute to the success of its works and recommendations.

He commended the historical relations between the two countries, which are witnessing a new phase of strength, thanks to the keenness and interest of the leaderships of the two countries, stressing that this visit will enhance the distinguished relations between the two countries and joint cooperation in areas serving the interests of both countries.

The Speaker indicated that the Senate of Kazakhstan appreciates the role being played by the Kingdom in supporting the process of cooperation and construction, and providing assistance for the Kazakh government and people, including the construction of the Senate in the capital, Nur-Sultan, expressing his admiration for the tremendous development being witnessed by the Kingdom and its implementation of major projects.

For his part, the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the invitation to participate in the works of the conference, commending the progress and development being witnessed by the relations between the two countries in all fields, as a result of the keenness of the leaderships of the two countries.

He praised the great success achieved in organizing the Conference of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan, stressing the importance of the conference in promoting dialogue and spreading a culture of tolerance and coexistence.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking returned to Washington on September 14 from travel to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.  In his meetings, he found unanimous agreement that the Yemen truce – which is set to expire on October 2 – continues to represent the best opportunity for peace in years and has brought a period of unprecedented calm and hope for Yemenis who have faced years of war and suffering.  Further, all counterparts expressed their support for an expanded truce agreement that includes paying civil servants, improving freedom of movement through road openings, moving fuel quickly through the ports, and expanding commercial flights from Sana’a airport.

Lenderking welcomed efforts by the Republic of Yemen Government to ensure that benefits of the truce reach all Yemenis, including through recent extraordinary measures to avert a fuel crisis following a Houthi order that led to a backlog of ships. Now is the time for the Houthis to cease actions that jeopardize the truce, cooperate with the UN, and support an expanded truce agreement that will bring new benefits to millions of Yemenis, including getting money into the hands of tens of thousands of teachers, nurses, and other civil servants who have worked for too long without pay.

In order to put Yemen on the path to peace and recovery, all parties must be willing to make compromises and prioritize a brighter future for Yemen. The United States remains committed to advancing efforts to secure a durable and inclusive peace agreement for all Yemenis that includes their calls for justice and accountability.

Source: US State Department

Riyadh— King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has signed a project with the Jordanian Hashemite Charitable Organization, Kanaf 2022, to distribute winter clothing to Syrian and Palestinian refugees and needy families in the host community in Jordan.

The agreement was signed by Ahmed Al Baiz, KSrelief’s Assistant Supervisor General of Operations and Programs, at the center’s headquarters in Riyadh.

Through the project, 23,529 vouchers will be distributed to 23.529 beneficiaries, enabling them to purchase winter clothing through approved stores in proportion to their needs, with a total value of SR3.75 million.

This comes within the framework of humanitarian and relief projects provided by the Kingdom, represented by the Center, to support the neediest groups in various countries to contribute to improving their living conditions.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Gathered to pay tribute to the memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, General Assembly delegates and senior officials today recognized the seven decades of leadership and service the Queen gave her country, the Commonwealth of Nations and the world, as well as her steadfast belief in multilateralism and the enduring values that inspired the Charter of the United Nations.

Opening the meeting, Csaba Kőrösi (Hungary), President of the General Assembly, reflected on Queen Elizabeth II’s leadership — a quality always needed, particularly in times of crisis.  During her 2010 visit to the United Nations, the Queen told the Assembly that “some attributes of leadership are universal, and often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm and their inspiration, to work together”.

She devoted her life to public service and to improving the lives of people within the Commonwealth, he noted, offering his sincere condolences to the Royal Family, the people of the United Kingdom and the member States of the Commonwealth of Nations.  At his request, delegates then stood and observed a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said the sun has set on a most extraordinary reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  A pillar on the world stage for more than 70 years, she acceded to the throne during the era of Churchill, Truman, Stalin, Mao and De Gaulle.  She was an anchor of stability across decades of often turbulent history.  During the first part of her reign, many nations gained independence from Britain.  The Commonwealth, a diverse multilateral group, was formed.

“Queen Elizabeth defied geopolitical gravity,” he said.  A consummate diplomat, she often wielded her skills as the only woman in the room.  Understanding that formal bonds and agreements are only half the story, she spoke at thousands of public appearances about friendship and strong ties between nations.  In her last address to the Assembly 12 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II called for tomorrow’s world to work together as hard as ever “if we are truly to be United Nations”.  Queen Elizabeth II worked as hard as ever until her final hours, the Secretary-General said.  “Let’s honour her by working as hard as ever to be truly United Nations.”

Barbara Woodward (United Kingdom), thanking Member States for their expressions of sympathy and condolences, said this is a time of deep sadness, but also of reflection and gratitude for a life of service that touched so many people across the world.  Quoting the late Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjöld, she said:  “We’re not permitted to choose the frame of our destiny, but what we put in it is ours.”  Queen Elizabeth II’s broadcast from South Africa in 1947 made clear what she planned to put into that frame, saying:  “My whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service.”  Queen Elizabeth II was simply the United Kingdom’s greatest diplomat, dedicating her life to fostering peace and friendship through the Commonwealth and the world.

Ms. Woodward also recalled the Queen’s commitment to the United Nations from its very beginning, where, in 1946 as a young princess, she welcomed delegates to the first meetings of the United Nations in London as the world recovered from the horrors of the Second World War.  Queen Elizabeth II travelled to over 100 countries, forging bonds in every country she visited.  During one visit, she said:  “With the benefit of historical hindsight, we can all see the things which we would wish had been done differently or not at all.”  Faced with the complexity of history, Queen Elizabeth II demonstrated the importance of forbearance and conciliation, of being able to bow to the past, but not be bound by it.  It is that sentiment that brought the world together to found the United Nations and work for peace, human rights and development.

Speaking for the African Group, Dharamchand Koonjul (Mauritius) spoke of Queen Elizabeth II’s lasting and strong connection with Africa, noting she undertook numerous visits to its countries and forged friendships as independence swept through the continent.  Although colonialism in Africa was accompanied by violence and atrocities, the Queen not only built bridges throughout the continent, but also strengthened relations.  During her reign, the Commonwealth grew from 8 to 56 countries, representing one third of humanity.  She was able to win over hearts and befriended the continent’s leaders with whom she had lasting and strong bonds of friendship.  Her legacy and spirit will endure the test of time, he said.

Antonio Manuel R. Lagdameo (Philippines), speaking for the Asia-Pacific Group, recalled the many visits of Queen Elizabeth II to the Asia-Pacific region.  She worked for causes aimed at improving the lives of the poor and the marginalized around the world and demonstrated that it is possible to improve human relationships and elevate the human condition.  “With her passing, we are thoroughly inspired by her enduring legacy and life dedicated to service,” he said, adding that today the region renews its commitment to building a better, more peaceful and inclusive world for all.

The Chair of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States, Sunil A. Sitaldin (Suriname), said that, as the longest-serving monarch in British history and the longest recorded female Head of State in history, she successfully adapted the monarchy to a changing world.  At the same time, she maintained traditions associated with the Crown.  She also steered the institution as it evolved into a forum for effective multilateral engagement with tremendous potential for socioeconomic progress.

Maria Theofili (Greece), speaking for the Western European and other States, highlighted Queen Elizabeth II’s tremendous wisdom, charisma and a rare and remarkable dedication to her duty and responsibilities.  She was also a true friend and staunch supporter of the United Nations.  A staunch advocate and supporter of multilateralism, international cooperation and bridge-building among nations, she had a deep understanding of world affairs.  “Her example and lifetime achievements will forever hold a prominent place in our collective history,” she said.

Speaking for the European Union, Jakub Kulhánek (Czech Republic) pointed out that the Queen, having witnessed war in Europe, was a source of strength and inspiration, contributing to the reconciliation of Europe after the devastation of the Second World War.  She was a true believer of cooperation among nations and multilateralism and always remembered the enduring values that inspired the Charter of the United Nations.  “Grief is the price we pay for love,” Queen Elizabeth II once said.  The world, he noted, is now experiencing that grief.

Speaking for the Commonwealth member States, Claver Gatete (Rwanda) said his country and the “Commonwealth family” viewed Queen Elizabeth II as an extraordinary leader who “championed our diversity and unity [and] our development and our cause”.  Today the Commonwealth family of 56 countries spans Asia, Africa, the Pacific, Europe and the Americas with a combined population of 2.5 billion people.  Queen Elizabeth II led and guided its member States as they continue to reimagine the Commonwealth for a changing world.

Brian Wallace (Jamaica), also speaking on behalf of Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas and Belize, said the Queen remained a constant amidst key moments in history, including the end of the cold war, the evolution of the Commonwealth, and most recently, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The most travelled of her British predecessors, she visited more than 100 countries during her reign, including many in the Caribbean, and supported countless charities and programmes.  She was “a symbol of stability and dignity for the people of the United Kingdom, manifesting quiet and confident strength, accompanied by a calm walk and a gracious demeanour”, he said.

Satyendra Prasad (Fiji), speaking for the Pacific Islands Forum, said Queen Elizabeth II’s frequent visits to the Blue Pacific Continent demonstrated a life‑long interest in the region’s development and a deep respect for its diverse cultures and traditions.  Her visits energized community action and development interventions that lasted many years after her departure — a mark of true leadership.  Her insights reflected a keen understanding of the Pacific and a profound sense of empathy for the region’s concerns.  He wished King Charles III a long, peaceful and rewarding reign, noting, among other things, the King is a keen supporter of many environmental and climate adaptation works across the region.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield (United States) said Queen Elizabeth II was a true diplomat, meeting with 14 United States Presidents and participating in four State visits, five State dinners and two unofficial visits.  “This is a lot of diplomacy, and the United States is truly grateful for every minute of it,” she said.  Queen Elizabeth II, a staunch supporter of multilateral institutions, stressed the importance of nations working together to safeguard the hard-won peace of the Second World War, she added.

Robert Rae (Canada) said:  “In saying farewell to Her Majesty, we are thanking a person, an individual who showed her commitment to the public good of our countries and to the world on a daily basis, but we are also expressing our deep respect for our institutions, for the rule of law, the celebrations of diversity and artistic expression, the infinite variety of lives well lived that are the hallmark of democracies.”

Also speaking today were representatives of Australia, Papua New Guinea, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, New Zealand, Samoa (on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States), Saudi Arabia (on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council,), and Tunisia (on behalf of the Arab Group).

The General Assembly will meet again at 11 a.m. on Friday, 16 September, to continue its work.

Source: United Nations

Riyadh– A group of AI graduate students in several prestigious international universities concluded their participation in the second edition of the Global Summit on Artificial Intelligence, which concluded yesterday in Riyadh and visited Masmak Palace in the center of Riyadh to be briefed on the history of the capital.

The students represented six countries joined by several Saudi scholarship students in the same specialization. Their participation came within the knowledge exchange initiative launched by “SDAIA” and hosted 19 male and female students of different nationalities including the US, the UK, India, Jordan, Algeria, South Korea, and Nigeria, who study at prestigious international universities and institutes, including the Sorbonne University in Paris, Oxford University, University College London, Durham University, Nottingham University, Sussex University in the UK, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the USA, and King’s College London.

Through this initiative, SDAIA aimed to attract global capabilities in artificial intelligence and to enhance the role of distinguished youth based on the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, and its aspirations to enable them to lead the future of artificial intelligence in the Kingdom, the region, and the world.

Over the three days of the summit, the students attended and participated in various activities of the summit agenda, including sessions, workshops, and dialogue meetings, and reviewed the experiences of the exhibition accompanying the summit, such as the artificial intelligence beacon. They also visited Princess Noura University and learned about the holdings of the Central Academic Library, and witnessed the experience of the “robot arm” that processes book borrowing requests in the university library. The delegation also visited the heritage manuscripts hall in the library.

Within the framework of the open dialogues adopted by the initiative, a friendly meeting was held between the students of artificial intelligence, in which they discussed work in the field of data, artificial intelligence, and future opportunities and attended a medical surgery simulation.

The students also met with SDAIA President, Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi and had an interactive dialogue where they discussed their work in artificial intelligence. The meeting was followed by a visit to the pavilion of King Saud University and a meeting with the head of the university’s Artificial Intelligence Center, Dr. Heba Al-Jibreen, where they were briefed on the university students’ projects in artificial intelligence. The students also visited the SDAIA’s National Center for Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) and had a dialogue with the center’s researchers about their work and future areas of cooperation.

On the third day of the summit, the delegation attended various sessions and learned about the experiences of the artificial intelligence laboratory at Al-Faisal University and the students’ projects in this field. Their visit program was concluded with a visit to Al-Masmak Palace, during which they learned about the historical value of the palace as an archaeological and historical Saudi landmark located in the heart of the capital, Riyadh.

On this occasion, Al-Ghamdi explained that the knowledge exchange initiative was designed to achieve several benefits, including engaging visiting students in knowledge exchange dialogues to explore opportunities for future cooperation, and introducing them to the Kingdom’s efforts in pioneering the data and artificial intelligence and the future of the sector during a journey that Saudi students will lead with their peers from international universities.

He stressed that “SDAIA” aims through the initiative to build qualitative partnerships that support its efforts in data and artificial intelligence and help attract global capabilities that achieve qualitative addition to the Kingdom, adding that the initiative contributes to activating the distinguished role of Saudi youth and engaging them in a real dialogue that develops their leadership spirit and shows their knowledge capabilities. Al-Ghamdi said that this will enhance the Kingdom’s position in data and artificial intelligence, noting that the initiative provides the opportunity to exchange knowledge and explore opportunities for future cooperation through a constructive dialogue that brings together Saudi youth and foreign graduate students.

He underscored the fact that the knowledge exchange initiative plays an important role in highlighting the civilizational dimension of the Kingdom, enabling students to demonstrate the civilizational models and history of the Kingdom and the extent to which these aspects of civilization and the Kingdom’s development efforts are shown in various fields, including data and artificial intelligence.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Cairo– The Secretariat General of the Arab League today started hosting the first session of a team to review the ultimate implementation of the Arab anti-corruption committee, which is organized by the Arab League’s legal affairs administration in cooperation with the Saudi National Anti-corruption Commission (Nazaha) with the presidency of Nazaha Assistant President for International Cooperation Dr. Nasser Aba Al-Kheil and the presence of representatives of Arab member states to the committee.
Assistant Secretary General of the Arab League and Head of the Legal Affairs Sector Mohamed Al-Amin Ould Akik said that preventing and combating corruption is one of the essential pillars for the success of economic and social development projects, and for enhancing democratic construction for states, adding that combating corruption, uprooting it and prioritizing preventive measures are also considered a main pillar to avoid its risks and limit its devastating impacts on development.
He noted that there are multi-pillar comprehensive strategies that were adopted to face all aspects of corruption, enacting laws and preparing national mechanisms for this, including the establishment of independent higher commissions to combat corruption that are tasked with drawing policies, coordinating efforts of all concerned institutions, following up on the implementation of action plans, issuing periodic reports regarding anti-corruption efforts, and retrieving money collected through corruption.
He also referred to the support of the Arab League to national efforts exerted in stopping and combating corruption and subsequent impacts, supporting civil society institutions, and enhancing the respect of human rights, pointing out that holding this session is in implementation of what was endorsed in the fourth session of the Arab Anti-Corruption Convention, which was held in March in Riyadh.
For his part, Aba Al-Kheil stressed the importance of the joint Arab cooperation in anti-corruption efforts and steps to be made to implement the agreement as part of continuous cooperation among Arab countries to combat this cross-border scourge, in a bid to reduce its negative impact that undermine pillars of progress and development of societies, and realizing positive results in investing human and financial resources, realizing further growth, and boosting public performance levels to achieve economic and social progress for the Arab peoples.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Cairo– The 13th meeting of the Committee of Representatives of the Financial and Civil Aviation Authorities of Arab Countries kicked off here today, chaired by the Head of the International Affairs Department of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Osama Abdullah Al-Zuhaymil, to discuss the updated and additional amendments to the draft agreement on exchanging exemption from customs taxes and fees on the activities and equipment of the Arab air carrier.
The Kingdom’s delegation to the meeting was headed by Dr. Mohammed Saif Al-Qahtani, an economist at the Ministry of Finance.
Director of the Arab Economic Integration Department at the Arab League, Dr. Bahjat Abu Al-Nasr, said in a statement that the committee discussed, for two days, the observations and proposals received from Arab countries, especially Jordan, Morocco, Iraq, and Sudan, on the updated and additional amendments to the draft (11) agreement on exchanging exemption from customs taxes and fees on the activities and equipment of the Arab air carrier, which the participants reached in previous meetings, especially since some Arab countries still impose fees and taxes in this regard, which does not achieve the required objective.
He added that the committee’s discussions are limited to the comments already received by the General Secretariat of the Arab League regarding several articles related to taxes and fees, tax exemptions, and the implementation of the agreement, pointing out that the committee is scheduled to submit a comprehensive report to the next meeting of the Council of Arab Transport Ministers next October, on the course of matters in the research and study of the committee, to amend the agreement on exchanging exemption from customs taxes and fees on the activities and equipment of the Arab air carrier.

Source: Saudi Press Agency