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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud in Ankara, Turkey…reports Asian Lite News
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud on Wednesday arrived in Ankara to start his first visit to Turkey since the death of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud visited Ankara in his first visit to Turkey since the death of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018…reports Asian Lite News
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan greeted the crown prince on Wednesday with a grand welcoming ceremony, which was followed by a private meeting between the two leaders, Xinhua news agency reported.
Turkey is the third stop of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s regional tour, which also brought him to Egypt and Jordan.
Khashoggi, a Saudi columnist for The Washington Post, was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018, causing international backlash against the crown prince, and plunging the bilateral ties between Saudi Arabia and Turkey onto a rock bottom.
In addition, the two countries didn’t see eye to eye on a range of regional issues concerning Egypt, Libya, and Syria.
Ankara, which is in the grip of a deep economic downturn, has been recently seeking to restore ties with Riyadh and other Gulf Arab countries.
In April, a Turkish court decided to halt the trial of Saudi Arabian suspects over the death of Khashoggi and transfer the proceedings to the Saudi authorities. Weeks after the court’s decision, the Turkish President visited Saudi Arabia and held a meeting with the Crown Prince.
Meanwhile, during Wednesday’s talks, bilateral relations between the two countries were reviewed from various aspects, including in the political, economic, military, security and cultural fields.
The two sides discussed ways of developing and diversifying intra-trade, facilitating trade exchange between the two countries.
They have also expressed aspiration to cooperate in the fields of energy, including petroleum, refining and petrochemicals, energy efficiency, electricity, renewable energy, innovation and clean technologies for hydrocarbon resources, low-carbon fuels and hydrogen, and to work on localizing energy sector products and associated supply chains, and developing projects related to these fields, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
In the field of environment and climate change, the Turkey welcomed the Saudi’s launch of the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) and Middle East Green Initiative (MGI).
ALSO READ:UAE, Turkey review developing defence cooperation
The two sides reiterated the importance of adhering to the principles of the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, and the need to develop and implement the climate agreement by focusing on emissions without sources.
The two parties agreed to develop productive and investment partnerships in the fields of artificial intelligence, digital technologies and smart cities, as well as to encourage private sector actors working in these areas to cooperate.
The Turkish side also called on investment funds operating in the Saudi entrepreneurship environment to invest in emerging companies in Turkey, and to establish partnerships with them.
After two years of low-profile celebrations due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Yoga day was celebrated with befitting enthusiasm this year in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Gulf countries…writes Irfan Mohammed
Yoga Day coincides with the celebrations of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, which is commemorating 75 years of India’s Independence.
In Saudi Arabia, besides NRIs, expatriates from various nationalities and also foreign diplomats participated at the event held at Indian Embassy premises in Riyadh on Tuesday.
Charge d’affaires of India, N Ram Prasad said that Yoga is an important factor in growing partnership between India and Saudi Arabia in the Health sector. He said that yoga has become a popular activity in the Kingdom.
In the port city Jeddah, Yoga-day was celebrated in unique style with a Yoga Carwan where young enthusiastic Saudi women travelled from the seashore to downtown. The participants took part in several mesmerising yoga sessions on the shores of the Red Sea.
ALSO READ:Britain Celebrates Intl. Yoga Day
In Dubai, Hundreds of women took centre stage at a massive celebration of International Day of Yoga at Dubai World Trade Centre on Sunday evening which was inaugurated by Indian Ambassador Sanjay Sudhir.
Apart from Indians, several Arab women and also some Europeans participated in the event where UAE acclaimed yoga teachers Haifa Mohammed, Bashayer Alobedidli and Sumaya Almarzooq highlighted the benefits of different asanas and breathing techniques, according to reports. Bashayer and Sumaya , two Emarati friends are certified yoga teachers and founders of Barakah – Sharjah’s first boutique yoga and pilates studio.
(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
First batch of Haj pilgrims from Telangana left for the pilgrimage from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here on Monday.,,reports Asian Lite News
A total of 373 pilgrims left for Jeddah by a special flight of Saudi Airlines at 5.55 a.m., an official of Telangana State Haj Committee said.
Earlier, around midnight the buses carrying the pilgrims were flagged off by state home minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali and State Haj Committee chairman Mohammed Saleem at Haj House in the city.
The pilgrims began their journey with enthusiasm amid chanting of ‘Talbiyah’, a special prayer invoked during the Haj. Emotional scenes were witnessed at Haj House as scores of relatives, friends and well-wishers bid adieu to the pilgrims.
The first flight had 211 pilgrims from Hyderabad and the remaining were from seven other districts.
This is after a gap of two years that pilgrims from India are performing Haj. Saudi Arabia had not allowed pilgrims from other countries in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19 pandemic.
About 80,000 Indian pilgrims will be performing Haj this year. The Haj quota this year has been reduced in view of Covid protocol.
Telangana has been allocated a quota of 1,822. About 5,000 pilgrims from Telangana had performed Haj in 2019.
Officials said this year a total of 3,016 pilgrims including pilgrims from some districts of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra would depart from Hyderabad through Saudi Airline flights.
Like in the previous years, Haj House was turned into embarkation point for the pilgrims. The Haj Committee made all the arrangements including food and accommodation for the pilgrims who had reached there from various districts of Telangana.
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Various departments provided services like customs clearance, checking of baggage and provision of currency exchange under one roof.
One of the five pillars of Islam, Haj is annual pilgrimage to holiest city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Haj is mandatory for at least once in lifetime for all Muslims who are financially and physically capable of undertaking the journey.
Haj pilgrimage this year will commence on July 7 and continue through July 12, corresponding to the 10th of Dhulhijjah, the last month of Islamic calendar. The final date will be decided upon sighting of the new moon of Dhulhijjah,
Saudi Arabian crown prince meets regional powerheads to address global issues and security threats
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and visiting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud on Tuesday discussed the security threats and challenges faced by the region and agreed to continue intensive security coordination between the two Arab countries.
The crown prince later met Jordan King Abdullah in Amman.
The talks reflected a mutual understanding to continue joint efforts to address the risks threatening the security and stability of the countries and peoples of the region, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.
The Egyptian president “reiterated Egypt’s unwavering position with regard to the Gulf’s security, stressing that it is integral to Egypt’s national security, rejecting any practices that seek to destabilize it.”
For his part, the Saudi crown prince underscored the importance of continuing intensive coordination and consultations between Egypt and Saudi Arabia to counter the challenges and crises faced by the Arab world.
The crown prince also highlighted Egypt’s “pivotal and firm role as a fundamental pillar for security and stability in the region.”
Earlier in the day, the Egyptian government announced that Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed 14 investment deals in Cairo valued at 7.7 billion U.S. dollars during the state visit of the Saudi crown prince, covering the fields of food and pharmaceutical industries, infrastructure, renewable energy, green hydrogen, e-commerce, digital finance, and information services.
Almost half of the agreements were signed with Ajlan and Bros, a Saudi conglomerate, one of which focuses on building a petrochemical storage facility in Egypt valued at 3.36 billion dollars.
ALSO READ:Saudi lifts travel curbs to 4 countries including India
In addition, Saudi ACWA Power will invest 1.5 billion dollars in a wind power plant in Egypt according to one of the signed deals.
Some other deals involve building a multi-purpose terminal at Egypt’s Damietta port and establishing a “pharmaceutical city” worth 150 million dollars by Egypt in the Gulf kingdom. The Saudi crown prince landed in the Egyptian capital on Monday as the first stop of his Middle East diplomatic tour.
MBS in Amman
King Abdullah II of Jordan held talks Tuesday with visiting Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud on ways to foster ties and economic cooperation.
The king and the Saudi crown prince stressed the historic ties between the two countries and voiced keenness to strengthen them at all levels. They also talked about ways to enhance economic cooperation and Saudi Arabia’s possible investment in Jordan.
The Jordanian king stressed Saudi Arabia’s key role in supporting Arab and Islamic causes, highlighted its efforts for achieving peace, and affirmed Jordan’s full support for Saudi Arabia. The Saudi crown prince said that Saudi Arabia is keen to boost coordination with Jordan, adding that there will be increased cooperation between the two countries.
The two sides also talked about regional issues including the Palestinian issue and the right of the Palestinians in having an independent state. Also on Tuesday, companies from the two countries signed a series of agreements to boost cooperation in several sectors.
The White House earlier announced that U.S. President Joe Biden will visit Saudi Arabia during his upcoming trip to the Middle East in mid-July.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement that Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, now the chair of Gulf Cooperation Council, will be the president’s last stop during the trip scheduled for July 13 to 16, which also brings him to Israel and the West Bank.
The president “looks forward to this important visit to Saudi Arabia, which has been a strategic partner of the United States for nearly eight decades,” Jean-Pierre said, adding that “ensuring global energy and food security” is among the issues to be discussed.
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The visit to the oil-rich country comes as the Biden administration is facing mounting domestic pressure to lower sky-high gasoline prices. The price of U.S. gasoline averaged more than 5 dollars a gallon for the first time on Saturday.
OPEC+, the group of oil-producing nations led by Saudi Arabia, recently agreed to raise oil production to help bring down the surging prices.
Saudi Arabia has lifted Covid-19 travel restrictions on its citizens, the Ministry of Interior announced on Monday…reports Asian Lite News
Travel curbs were lifted on the following destinations: Turkey, Ethiopia, Vietnam, and India, Al Arabiya reported.
The move comes a week after the Kingdom dropped some precautionary Covid-19 measures, including wearing face masks indoors and providing proof of vaccination in order to enter most public places.
Despite the relaxation of Covid-19 measures, the Ministry of Interior said last week that people will still be required to wear masks in the Grand Mosque in Mecca, places regulated by the Saudi Public Health Authority Weqaya, and places and events that impose their own mask mandates.
The vaccination time frame for Saudi Arabian citizens who want to travel abroad has also been extended, Al Arabiya reported.
Travelers were previously required to have received their third Covid booster dose within three months of the second, but that time frame has now been extended to eight months.
Coronavirus restrictions in the Kingdom were loosened earlier this year in March when outdoor mask mandates, social distancing measures, PCR tests for inbound travelers, and quarantine-on-arrival rules were dropped.
Meanwhile, first batch of Haj pilgrims from Indian state of Telangana left for the pilgrimage from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad on Monday.
A total of 373 pilgrims left for Jeddah by a special flight of Saudi Airlines at 5.55 a.m., an official of Telangana State Haj Committee said.
Earlier, around midnight the buses carrying the pilgrims were flagged off by state home minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali and State Haj Committee chairman Mohammed Saleem at Haj House in the city.
The pilgrims began their journey with enthusiasm amid chanting of ‘Talbiyah’, a special prayer invoked during the Haj. Emotional scenes were witnessed at Haj House as scores of relatives, friends and well-wishers bid adieu to the pilgrims.
ALSO READ:DP World, Saudi Ports Authority announce partnership
The first flight had 211 pilgrims from Hyderabad and the remaining were from seven other districts.
This is after a gap of two years that pilgrims from India are performing Haj. Saudi Arabia had not allowed pilgrims from other countries in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19 pandemic.
About 80,000 Indian pilgrims will be performing Haj this year. The Haj quota this year has been reduced in view of Covid protocol.
The agreement was signed under the patronage of Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Chairman of Mawani…reports Asian Lite News
In a move that highlights the deep bonds and strengthening ties between the UAE and Saudi Arabia and underscores Dubai’s keenness to share its expertise and experience to boost regional development, DP World and the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) today signed a 30-year agreement to build a state-of-the-art, port-centric Logistics Park at the Jeddah Islamic Port.
The agreement, with an investment value of more than AED490 million ($133.4 million), aims to establish a 415,000 square-metre logistics park with an in-land container depot capacity of 250,000 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) and a warehousing storage space of 100,000 square metres. Future expansions could increase the storage space to 200,000 square metres.
The agreement was signed under the patronage of Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Chairman of Mawani.
The signing ceremony was attended by Omar Bin Talal Hariri, President of Mawani; Sheikh Nahyan bin Saif Al Nahyan, UAE Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World; Mohammad Alshaikh, CEO DP World Saudi Arabia; and a delegation of senior Saudi government officials as well as representatives from DP World’s leadership team.
The purpose-built logistics park will expand DP World’s regional footprint and bring pioneering multi-modal logistics solutions to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The port-centric park will boost Jeddah Islamic Port’s re-export activities and reduce the time and cost of logistics for importers and exporters. It will provide an integrated service platform that links port operations with last-mile activities. It will also offer processing, labelling, fulfilment, consolidation, de-consolidation, and temperature-controlled storage for cargo.
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, said: “We are proud and honoured to contribute effectively towards the achievement of Saudi Vision 2030. The strategic Vision 2030 framework includes the development of a prosperous and sustainable maritime transportation ecosystem that supports the Kingdom’s socio-economic ambitions and consolidates its status as a global logistics hub. On this occasion, we reiterate our commitment to investing in the modernisation of this facility by providing the highest standards of logistics services and technology-enabled trade solutions. We are confident that today’s milestone will contribute to increasing efficiency and productivity levels and creating new jobs.”
“We are committed to enhancing the role and the status of the Jeddah Islamic Port, which is strategically located on the Red Sea and has historically played a pivotal role in facilitating the movement of trade between the East and the West. As an end-to-end supply chain solutions provider, a key part of our strategy is to package logistical services for our customers and bridge existing market gaps. Facilities like this logistics park will enable us to make deeper inroads into the Kingdom by extending our collaboration with leading logistics service providers,” Bin Sulayem added.
Commenting on the announcement, Omar Hariri, President of Mawani, said: “The park will provide advanced and eco-friendly e-services by integrating the operations of the South Container Terminal with the new logistics park. The Authority’s move to develop a holistic logistics park will enhance the competitiveness of the Jeddah Islamic Port. It will also contribute to raising the quantity of trans-shipped goods in line with the national strategy for transport and logistics services.”
ALSO READ:Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan welcome regional summit in Saudi
“This partnership will connect the port’s operations to the new logistics park to offer end-to-end logistics services with high efficiency. It will also help us further expand our collaboration with major logistics service providers, enhance the re-export operations and cut costs of the logistics services to provide best-in-class services to stakeholders and investors,” Hariri added.
DP World signed a new concession agreement with Mawani in April 2020 to continue operating and managing the South Container Terminal at the Jeddah Islamic Port for 30 years, committing to invest more than AED2.94 billion ($800 million) to expand and modernise the terminal. The overhaul project will take place over four phases and be completed by 2024.
The project will see infrastructural upgrades, including the broadening of draft depth and quay, the installation of advanced equipment and technologies, automation and digitalisation programmes, and decarbonisation initiatives. Once complete, the revamped terminal will increase Jeddah Islamic Port’s container handling capacity from the current 2.5 million TEUs to 4 million TEUs and enhance Jeddah Islamic Port’s status as a major trade and logistics centre on the Red Sea coast.
Amazon will take an active role in its partnership with each entrepreneur, helping to minimise start-up costs by securing the most favourable terms for resources needed to operate a delivery business…reports Asian Lite News
Amazon today announced the launch of the latest iteration of its global Delivery Service Partner program that empowers local entrepreneurs to set up and manage their own logistics businesses delivering Amazon packages. Saudi Arabia is the first country in the region to host the flagship program, which will be expanded to cover the MENA region at a later stage. Launched in collaboration with Monsha’at – the General Authority for SMEs, it aims to establish more than 30 new local start-ups and create hundreds of job opportunities within the local logistics sector during the program’s first three years.
The Delivery Service Partner program was announced during a ceremony held at Monsha’at’s headquarters in Riyadh and attended by the Authority’s Governor Eng. Saleh Al-Rasheed and Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President of Amazon MENA.
Saudi entrepreneurs who join the Delivery Service Partner program can take advantage of various benefits, including a specific delivery volume from Amazon, access to the company’s sophisticated delivery technology, hands-on training, and discounts on a suite of assets and services such as Amazon-branded vehicles, branded uniforms, and comprehensive insurance.
Last March, Amazon signed an MoU with Monsha’at to empower local seller SMEs. Amazon’s new initiative to nurture logistics start-ups further aligns with Monsha’at’s vision to incentivise and invest in SMEs. As the program grows, it will create hundreds of jobs in the logistics sector across the country, supporting Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning eCommerce sector and upskilling local talent with future-ready skills.
Speaking about Amazon’s new initiative, Monsha’at Governor Eng. Saleh Al-Rasheed, said, “Small and medium enterprises are a key contributor to the national economy, and we at Monsha’at are keen to support and enable this vital sector through several programs, agreements and public-private sector partnerships. This initiative from Amazon clearly reflects this spirit of cooperation and represents a key outcome of the agreements signed during the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC), which was organized by Monsha’at in cooperation with the Global Entrepreneurship Network. We look forward to this ambitious program achieving its goal of supporting the entrepreneurial environment in the Kingdom and emerging as a leading model for partnerships between the public and private sectors.”
Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President of Amazon MENA, said, “Saudi Arabia’s entrepreneurs inspire us with their vision, grit, and ingenuity as they set new benchmarks in customer-centric thinking every day. At Amazon, we reiterate our commitment to championing SMEs across the region. With our new Delivery Service Partner program, we provide the tools, technology, and know-how for any interested Saudi entrepreneur to set up and run their own logistics company. Through this initiative, we aim to empower enterprising innovators, enable start-ups and emerging brands across the Kingdom to realise their full potential, and contribute to Saudi Arabia’s strong, fast-growing digital economy.”
Amazon will take an active role in its partnership with each entrepreneur, helping to minimise start-up costs by securing the most favourable terms for resources needed to operate a delivery business.
The first entrepreneur to join the Delivery Service Partner program, Sahal Shuaib, said, “With eCommerce on the rise over the past few years, I had been dreaming about getting into the logistics industry for some time, but did not have the experience or the know-how. When Amazon launched the Delivery Service Partner program, I realized that my dream became a reality, as the program provided me access to Amazon’s global logistics experience and technology. This is an excellent opportunity to learn while I earn and grow my own business. I am proud to say we rolled out our first deliveries to Saudi customers last week. With a specific delivery volume from Amazon and access to its sophisticated tools and assets, the Delivery Service Partner program represents an outstanding way for budding entrepreneurs to build a thriving business.”
Any motivated individual with no prior background in delivery services can aspire to join the Delivery Service Partner program. Self-starter Saudi nationals with 5-10 years of professional experience delivering results in operations roles such as managing events, operations, construction, and teams, as well as workers who are interested in starting their own delivery business in Saudi Arabia may apply for the program through the following link www.amazon.sa/DSP.
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US President Joe Biden will travel to Saudi Arabia and Israel around mid-July, media reported citing sources…reports Asian Lite News
The White House is planning to make the announcement later this week, it was reported. The trip could include a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to sources.
The is will be a symbolically important move as the Biden administration works to expand on the Trump administration’s progress in nurturing fledgling ties between Israel and Arab Gulf states.
During the Saudi Arabia trip, Biden is likely to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, US officials and others familiar with his travel plans said. Widely known by his initials, MBS, the crown prince is Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler and is in line to be its next king.
The visit would be aimed at bolstering relations with Saudi Arabia at a time when Biden is trying to find ways to lower gasoline prices in the United States.
“The president will look for opportunities to engage with leaders from the Middle East region,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said few days ago.
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Meanwhile, Biden is travelling to a NATO summit in Spain and Group of Seven summit in Germany.
Major oil producers led by Saudi Arabia had earlier also agreed to a bigger than expected output boost, a relief for Biden whose poll numbers have sagged in part over skyrocketing gas prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the United States is not involved in OPEC+ decisions to boost oil production, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said.
Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday a 10-million US dollar contribution to addressing the existing threats from the Safe oil tanker anchored off the coast of Yemen…reports Asian Lite News
The oil tanker, which is near Yemen’s Red Sea port of Hodeidah, contains more than 1 million barrels of oil and has not been maintained since 2015.
The kingdom’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center said the potential oil spill resulting from further deterioration of the tanker could turn into a major environmental and navigational disaster that would cause widespread damage to the Red Sea coast, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
It said fishing communities, international navigation and the delivery by ship of food, fuel and lifesaving supplies to Yemen would all be impacted, exacerbating the humanitarian situation in the region and threatening all Red Sea countries.
Saudi contribution aims to support the efforts of UN organizations to develop an effective plan to identify and address the potential threats posed by the tanker.
Saudi Arabia also calls on the international community to contribute urgently to support this initiative in order to prevent a serious environmental disaster from occurring.
The ‘Safer’ tanker contains more than one million barrels of oil, and has not been maintained since 2015, and any leakage would threaten regional marine life, fisheries, and biodiversity.
As a floating storage and offloading facility, the tanker has been anchored off Yemen’s Red Sea coast for more than 30 years, but began to be left neglected when a civil war broke out between the Yemeni government and Houthi militia about seven years ago.
The United Nations has tried to send inspectors to assess the tanker’s condition or study ways to offload it, but the Houthis have denied the UN personnel access to the tanker, citing security reasons
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KSrelief added that on 8th June, 2022, which marked the UN’s “World Ocean Day”, concerned parties highlighted the need for urgent collective action to protect the world’s oceans, which are a major global food source as well as a key factor in facing the challenges resulting from climate change. The Kingdom is following international developments in this regard within the framework of its broader focus upon the preservation of the most important global marine resources and ecosystems.
In order to maintain stability in Yemen and in support of UN efforts to reach solutions to all threats to international peace and security, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by KSrelief, has held several meetings and discussions with the international community to stress the need to support the operational plan to address the ‘Safer’ tanker situation, and to expand upon support Saudi Arabia has previously provided for maintenance of the vessel.
The Kingdom has called upon the UN to immediately take the necessary actions to prevent oil leakage from the tanker, and to either transfer the oil to a safe place or use it to benefit the Yemeni people.