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MWL Condemns Terrorist Bombing of a Mosque in Pakistan

Makkah, Saudi Arabia, Makkah-based Muslim World League (MWL) has condemned the terrorist bombing that targeted a mosque in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, resulting in a number of deaths and injuries, it was reported today.

MWL Secretary-General Sheikh Dr. Mohammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, who is also Chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars, expressed MWL’s pain for this tragic incident, which claimed lives of a number of worshipers, praying to Allah Almighty to bestow His abundant mercy and forgiveness upon the deceased, wishing the injuries a speedy recovery.

On behalf of the Muslim World League and its affiliate councils, assemblies and international bodies, Secretary General Dr. Al-Issa affirmed the full stand with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in confronting all forms of terrorism and its crimes.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

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Saudi Arabia’s World Defense Show kicks off first edition with nearly 600 exhibitors from over 40 countries

Riyadh, Biennial show to accelerate future industry trends, showcasing latest tech developments

Expected 30,000 visitors visiting stands and pavilions featuring hundreds of local and global firms

Riyadh, Under the patronage of Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabia’s World Defense Show will open its first-ever edition tomorrow with an expected 30,000 visitors throughout the four-day show, from 6th to 9th March 2022.

Founded by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), World Defense Show, set to be held every two years, will accelerate the future of the industry by showcasing the latest technological developments from around the globe, demonstrating defense interoperability across all major domains: air, land, sea, space and security systems.

Across the four trade days, high-level delegations from dozens of countries will visit stands and pavilions featuring products and demonstrations from hundreds of global and local exhibitors.

His Excellency Ahmad Al-Ohali, Governor of GAMI, said: “The 6th of March will mark an important milestone in the Kingdom’s journey towards localizing 50% of its military expenditure by 2030. We have seen overwhelming global interest for participating at World Defense Show’s first edition and we look forward to providing a conducive environment for networking and cross-border partnerships to drive innovation in the industry. There has never been a better time to partner with Saudi Arabia’s defense and security ecosystem as we continue to transform a nascent industry with immense potential. Our doors are open to international manufacturers and service providers who share our vision for technology transfer, talent development and defense industrialization.”

For his part, Andrew Pearcey, CEO, World Defense Show, said: “World Defense Show is envisioned to be one of the world’s best defense and security events, providing a world-class meeting environment with unprecedented networking programs. The level of international demand is unlike anything we have seen before in the industry and that is testament to Saudi Arabia’s position as a key market for the industry and its vision to support economic growth through developing the defense sector. We look forward to inspiring conversations about the future of defense among visitors, delegations and exhibitors from over 80 countries.”

World Defense Show is tailored to provide a unique platform for networking, collaboration, knowledge-sharing and the discovery of new innovations. A tailored Meet the Buyer program will host up to 600 meetings, connecting buyers and suppliers, from companies that cover all major areas of the global defense industry, through pre-arranged, face-to-face meetings. Another flagship networking program is World Defense Show’s Meet the KSA Government Program, highlighting opportunities in Saudi Arabia for investors to meet with key local defense players and learn more about the industry’s strategy, objectives, tendering and procurement guidelines as well as partnership requirements.

Spanning across an 800,000 sqm site World Defense Show features three large exhibition halls, outdoor exhibit spaces, a dedicated interoperability demonstration area, a purpose-built 3KM-long runway and space for static aircraft.

Running up to six times per day, an interactive and immersive Command & Control Center will feature a 20-minute show simulating the future of interoperability at the highest levels. World Defense Show’s dedicated Start-Up Zone will host the latest technologies driven by small and medium companies from around the world – playing host to an exclusive networking environment to introduce SME products to industry decision-makers, investors and venture capital firms.

Daily themed panel discussions and keynote presentations will introduce the audience to insights giving rise to the technologies exhibited at World Defense Show. Key Saudi entities that are developing the Kingdom’s industry and economy will deliver sessions that offer insights into Saudi Arabia’s defense industry transformation.

On International Women’s Day, March 8th, 2022, leading women in defense will gather at a special event to celebrate, promote, and accelerate participation in the defense industry.

The full-day event will feature keynote presentations and interactive panel discussions, to advocate for, and connect with the diverse voices of today’s defense community.

The final day of the show will open its doors to 5,000 talented Saudi students from the Kingdom’s best STEM institutions for the Future Talent Program. The program will connect participants to career opportunities and apprenticeship programs in the defense and security sectors, offering young professionals valuable advice to kickstart and progress their careers.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

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Ghana Supports Saudi Arabia’s Bid to Host World Expo 2030

Accra, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the Republic of Ghana has received the Advisor at the Saudi Royal Court Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Qattan and the accompanying delegation.

During the meeting, Qattan conveyed the greetings of the 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, to the President, and their best wishes of steady progress and prosperity for the government and people of the Republic of Ghana.

In turn, the President extended his greetings and appreciation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, HRH the Crown Prince and the government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their support for good relations with Ghana.

During the meeting, they reviewed the bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to enhance them in various fields to serve the aspirations of the two countries, in addition to discussing the latest regional and international developments and issues of common interest.

Also during the meeting, President Addo affirmed Ghana’s support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the Expo 2030 in Riyadh, while Adviser Qattan expressed thanks to and appreciation of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this support, which reflects the strong relations between the two countries.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

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SAMI accelerates vision to become top 25 defense and security company by 2030

Riyadh, As the global defense industry prepares to meet at the inaugural edition of the World Defense Show (WDS) in Riyadh, the event organized by the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), SAMI, the strategic partner of the event and Saudi Arabia’s national champion for the defense industries sector, has set its sights on accelerating its transformation to become one of the top 25 defense and security companies in the world by 2030. Apart from showcasing its innovative and comprehensive defense products and systems, SAMI aims to expand its partnerships with globally renowned OEMs, establish new joint ventures and subsidiaries, create more employment opportunities, and boost its exports through its participation in WDS 2022.

H.E. Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Chairman of SAMI, said: “We are grateful for the visionary leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and for the supervision and guidance of the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) and strategic partners in the sector for our achievements over the past five years. Among these achievements is the localization of defense and security industries, which enhance, diversify, and enrich our national economy for sustainable prosperity.”

Founded by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) in 2017, under the direction of H.R.H. Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, today, SAMI stands tall as a defense and security group of companies with several accomplishments that have helped the Kingdom’s defense sector boost its indigenous capabilities. In line with its mandate to support the goals of Vision 2030 by contributing to localizing 50% of Saudi Arabia’s defense spending by 2030, SAMI has made remarkable strides in transferring production, knowledge, and technology to the Kingdom, attracted foreign direct investments, and supported the growth of the SME sector through its affiliates. It has also been strengthening the local defense supply chain to ensure the sustainability and self-sufficiency of the Kingdom’s defense ecosystem.

Eng. Walid Abu Khaled, CEO of SAMI, explained: “With our sights firmly set on our strategic vision to become one of the top 25 defense companies in the world by 2030, we have been building up our capabilities across our five business divisions of Aerospace, Land, Sea, Advanced Electronics, and Defense Systems. Simultaneously, our efforts to support localization and strategic partnerships continue to accelerate our journey towards this goal through the transfer of technology, knowledge, and production to the Kingdom.”

Since its inception, SAMI has demonstrated its commitment to participate in supporting the strategic objectives of localizing the defense and security industries and building technical and human capabilities. In the past five years, SAMI partnered with five global OEMs to establish operational joint ventures focused on localizing manufacturing and technology, resulting in an exponential growth in Saudi Arabia’s local defense capabilities. This has also developed the Kingdom’s local talent by familiarizing them with the latest technologies and equipment in the world of defense. The group has also made strategic acquisitions and established subsidiaries to develop its capabilities across key defense segments.

Inspiring young Saudi male and female professionals to join defense and security careers is yet another achievement of SAMI. The on-the-job training (OJT) launched by its joint venture company SAMINavantia has been instrumental in attracting young Saudi engineers and technicians to the sector, providing them with key training and upskilling programs and the opportunity to contribute to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals and future aspirations. More than 30 Saudi engineers have completed their OJT to date.

The past year was one of significant growth for SAMI, helping the company achieve key milestones in terms of growth and expansion. The successful completion of the Al-Sarawat project involving five new Avante 2200 corvettes for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces was among the exceptional achievements of 2021. The annual revenue registered a whopping 2,407% increase to reach SAR 2.6 billion, and the contracts and backlog exceeded SAR 10 billion with a localization commitment of 57.7% approved by GAMI.

In other major developments signifying SAMI’s unprecedented growth last year, it secured SAR 7 billion in debt and gained SAR 130 million in income from liquidity management, intragroup lending, and project trade finance, and grew its employee base by 633% to reach 2,500 from 341 in 2020. Eyeing further growth, SAMI acquired Advanced Electronics Company (AEC) to establish SAMI Advanced Electronics and launched SAMI Composites.

As Saudi Arabia strengthens the foundations of its defense sector, SAMI aims to further strengthen its excellence in defense and security innovation and facilitate the transfer of expertise and production to the Kingdom. It will continue to build up its capabilities, strengthen its partnerships, and train and attract young professionals. Most importantly, SAMI’s role as the strategic partner of WDS 2022 once again underlines its potential to support Saudi Arabia’s transformation as a global defense industry hub in line with Vision 2030.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

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Minister Al-Fadhli Meets with the Executive Director of UN Environment Program

Nairobi–Eng. Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhli, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture,

met here today with Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program Inger Andersen.

This came on the sidelines of the special meeting of the special session to celebrate the 50th anniversary

of the establishment of the United Nations Environment Program, which was held in Nairobi, Kenya.

During the meeting, they tackled aspects of joint cooperation between the Kingdom and the UN

Environment Program at the local and international levels. Anderson praised the efforts made by the

Kingdom and its unlimited support for environmental fields at the national, regional and international

levels, from which the Green Middle East Initiative, and a number of other initiatives, according to the

goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

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Jordanian Delegation Discusses Investment Opportunities with Makkah Chamber of Commerce

Makkah– The Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Makkah Chamber of Commerce, Marwan

Abbas Shaban, received a Jordanian industrial delegation during a visit to the Makkah Chamber, headed

by Jordan's Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply Youssef Mahmoud Al-Shamali, and the President of

the Jordan and Amman Chambers of Industry, Eng. Fathi Al-Jaghbir.

During the meeting, the two sides stressed the strength of the historical and well-established relations

between Saudi Arabia and Jordan, which have witnessed continuous development throughout history.

On the sidelines of the meeting, an exhibition was held with the participation of 44 Jordanian companies

highlighting several investment opportunities.

The Makkah Chamber also signed an agreement of understanding with the Amman Chamber of

Industry, aimed at developing and activating bilateral and economic ties, and strategic partnerships

between business owners in Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

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Minister of Human Resources Meets with Candidate for Post of ILO Director General

Riyadh– The Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Eng. Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi,

received here today the former South Korean Foreign Minister and candidate for the post of Director-

General of the International Labor Organization (ILO), Dr. Kang Kyung-wha.

During the meeting, they tackled a number of topics of common interest, the most prominent

achievements, and initiatives of the ministry to develop the labor market.

The South Korean candidate also touched upon her vision and special program for her assumption of the

post of Director General of the ILO.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

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Russian and Belarusian athletes are banned from all competitions by world athletics due to invasion of Ukraine

Published by
TDPel Media

Russian athletes have been barred from all competitions by governing body of World Athletics due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In a statement, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: ‘The world is horrified by what Russia has done, aided and abetted by Belarus. ‘World leaders sought to avoid this invasion through diplomatic means but to no avail given Russia’s unswerving intention to invade Ukraine.’ The athletes will have their accreditation withdrawn and entries denied, as will any support personnel and officials. Upcoming events include the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, t… Continue reading “Russian and Belarusian athletes are banned from all competitions by world athletics due to invasion of Ukraine”

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King of Bahrain Leaves Riyadh, HRH Crown Prince Bids Farewell Him

Riyadh– King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain left Riyadh today.

At King Khalid International Airport, he was seen off by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.

The Bahraini Monarch was also seen off by Prince Mohammad bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of the Riyadh Region; Prince Sultan bin Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, the Saudi Ambassador to Bahrain; the Ambassador of Bahrain to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Sheikh Ali bin Abdulrahman bin Ali Al Khalifa, and the Minister of Commerce and Acting Minister of Media, Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

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Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud Receives Interior Ministers of Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt, Palestine and Algeria, and UNCCT Director

Tunis– Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Interior, who is also the honorary president of the Arab Interior Ministers Council, received here today Minister of Interior of the Kingdom of Bahrain Lt- General Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa; Minister of Interior of the Republic of Yemen Major General Ibrahim Ali Haidan; Minister of Interior of the Arab Republic of Egypt Major General Mahmoud Tawfik; Minister of Interior of the State of Palestine Major General Ziad Hab Al-Reeh; Minister of Interior, Local Authorities and National Planning of the Republic of Algeria Kamal Beldjoud; and Director of the UN Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) and the Office of Counter-Terrorism Dr. Jehangir Khan.

During the meeting, a number of topics of common interest were discussed.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

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OIC Secretary-General Visits Sahel and Lake Chad Countries

Jeddah– Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha, headed to Africa on official visits to the Republic of Chad and the Republic of Niger in the Sahel and Lake Chad regions.

The official visit to Lake Chad region begins in the Republic of Chad. The OIC Secretary General will then head to the neighboring Republic of Niger. He will meet Senior Government officials in both countries and brief them on important issues on the OIC agenda, including the next Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers to be held in Islamabad, Pakistan and the 15th Islamic Summit conference to be held in the Gambia.

The OIC Secretary General will also hold consultations with regional organizations based in Chad and visit the OIC Regional Mission for the Sahel and Lake Chad regions and the Islamic University in Niger.

He will discuss the security and humanitarian situation in the Sahel and Lake Chad regions and highlight the efforts of the OIC and its institutions in this regard.

The Talks will include the recent signing of the Headquarters Agreement of the OIC Regional Mission in Niger to help address the challenges faced by the countries of the Sahel and Lake Chad regions.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

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Emir of Qatar Receives Phone Call from Ukrainian President

Doha– Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, received today a phone call from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Republic of Ukraine.

During the conversation, they discussed the latest developments in Ukraine, and the need to end the Russian-Ukrainian crisis through dialogue and diplomatic means.

Source: Saudi Press Agency