Saudi Arabia has signed more than 30 agreements and initiatives valued over $4.2 billion on the first day of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in Riyadh, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA)…reports Asian Lite News
The GEC 2022, entitled “Reboot, Rethink, Regenerate”, attracts entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers from around the world to meet in person for the first time in over two years, reports Xinhua news agency citing the SPA as saying.
Saudi Aramco signed ten memoranda of cooperation and two agreements with local and international companies in digital transformation, information technology, and national development, it reported.
The event which opened on Sunday, will run through Wednesday.
Saudi blacklists 25 individuals entities over financing Houthis
Yemen’s Houthi militia has announced that they are ready to swap 823 prisoners of the Saudi-led coalition forces for 1,400 Houthi militants…reports Asian Lite News
The prisoner exchange agreement was reached on March 21 under the auspices of the United Nations (UN), Abdulkadir al-Murtada, Head of the Houthi prisoner committee, was quoted by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV as saying.
The 823 prisoners are composed of 804 Yemeni soldiers and political detainees, 16 Saudi soldiers, and three Sudanese soldiers. The release of Nasser Mansour Hadi, the brother of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, and Mahmoud al-Subaihi, the former Defense Minister of Hadi’s government, was part of the deal, according to Abdulkadir al-Murtada.
The Houthis have informed the UN of their willingness to exchange prisoners and are waiting for the publication of a name list from the other side, which is scheduled on March 29 as agreed upon by both sides, according to the Houthi official.
The UN, the Saudi-led coalition, and the Yemeni government have yet to confirm the prisoner swap deal, Xinhua news agency reported.
Around 15,000 people were reportedly held in the Yemeni government and Houthi jails.
Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government of Hadi out of Sanaa.
The Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 in the Yemeni civil war in an attempt to reinstate the Hadi government.
On Sunday, the Houthis announced the start of a three-day unilateral ceasefire with the Saudi-led coalition, voicing their commitment to a permanent truce if the coalition stops airstrikes and withdraws its forces.
The Global Entrepreneurship Congress, hosted in Riyadh under the patronage of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense aimed at supporting entrepreneurship in various fields and enhancing the Kingdom’s status as an attractive environment for pioneers, innovators and creators in the Middle East and North Africa
Saudi Arabia signed more than 30 agreements and initiatives valued over $4.2 billion on the first day of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in Riyadh, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The GEC 2022, entitled “Reboot, Rethink, Regenerate,” attracts entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers from around the world to meet in person for the first time in over two years.
Saudi Aramco signed ten memoranda of cooperation and two agreements with local and international companies in digital transformation, information technology, and national development, it reported.
The Global Entrepreneurship Congress, hosted in Riyadh under the patronage of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense aimed at supporting entrepreneurship in various fields and enhancing the Kingdom’s status as an attractive environment for pioneers, innovators and creators in the Middle East and North Africa. Saudi Aramco signed ten memoranda of cooperation and two agreements with local and international companies in digital transformation, information technology, and national development, while the Social Development Bank signed agreements with several entities including the Royal Commission in Yanbu and the National Entrepreneurship Institute (Riyadah), and announced the launch of several initiatives to support Empowering entrepreneurs valued at more than SR11 billion (around $3 billion).
ALSO READ: Saudi Arabia launches visa app for Hajj, Umrah pilgrims in UK The Saudi Venture Investment Company (SVC) signed agreements with several investment funds at a total of SR2.4 billion (more than $656 million), while SABIC launched the “Nusaned Fund 2″ with Al-Ahly Capital Holding worth SR750 million ($200 million) to support start-up companies and develop the industrial sector. Cars24, an automotive e-commerce platform, Lenskart, the largest Asian optical eyewear retail chain, and Kitopi, a cloud-kitchen platform, signed memorandums of understanding (MOU) with the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at) to support entrepreneurs in specialized fields.
“Monsha’at” also signed a MOU with Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence to launch the “Ruwad” initiative, and another MOU with the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology to cooperate in the fields of data, artificial intelligence, and SABIC, to boost cooperation in various initiatives for entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises. Moreover, an agreement was also signed with Aljabr Finance Company to finance products for entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises, valued at SR20 million riyals ($5.33 million).
Yemen accuses Houthi of attacking oil-rich province despite truce
A three-day unilateral ceasefire announced by the Houthis in Yemen with the Saudi-led coalition has come into force, the militia group’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement…reports Asian Lite News
According to the Ministry, the ceasefire was implemented at 6 p.m. on Sunday, reports Xinhua news agency.
A day earlier, the Houthis voiced their commitment to a permanent truce if the coalition ends airstrikes and withdraws forces.
“We will suspend cross-border missile and drone attacks and all military actions against Saudi Arabia for a period of three days. If Saudi Arabia would agree to end its airstrikes and blockade against Yemen, we are ready to turn this declaration into a final and permanent commitment,” said Mahdi al-Mashat, president of the Houthi militia’s Supreme Political Council.
“The initiative includes the suspension of all ground battles on all frontlines including the province of Marib,” al-Mashat added, on the occasion marking the entering of the Yemeni civil war into its eighth year.
The Houthi political leader also proposed a deal to swap all prisoners, including the brother of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, with the Saudi-led coalition forces.
“We call on the UN envoy to facilitate the exchange of all prisoners,” al-Mashat said.
The Houthi initiative came hours after the coalition forces launched heavy airstrikes on Houthis’ vital military and economic sites in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah and the capital Sanaa in retaliation for Houthis’ cross-border missile and drone attacks against oil facilities in Saudi Arabia this week.
The Houthi militia recently intensified attacks against Saudi Arabia after it lost several strategic districts in the oil-rich provinces of Marib and Shabwa during its fighting against the Yemeni government army in the past two months.
Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government of Hadi out of Sanaa.
The Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened on March 26, 2015 in the Yemeni civil war in an attempt to reinstate the government of President Hadi.
Saudi Arabia is the first country in the world to allow registration of biometrics via smartphones for the issuance of electronic visas…reports Asian Lite News
A new smartphone app that makes it easy for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims to apply for visas to enter Saudi Arabia is now available in the UK.
The Saudi Visa Bio app allows applicants to register their biometric data prior to travel and saves them having to visit visa issuance centers. On arrival in the Kingdom, they will only have to match their data with the information stored on the app, which speeds up the border control process.
The app was launched last year by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and is in line with the directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to offer the best possible services and facilities for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.
Saudi Arabia is the first country in the world to allow registration of biometrics via smartphones for the issuance of electronic visas.
The service was developed in cooperation with several government agencies, including the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Presidency of State Security, the National Cybersecurity Authority, and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.
Learn about the Saudi Visa Bio app. It contributes to accelerating the procedures for issuing Hajj and Umrah visas. #MoHUpic.twitter.com/9hYdMjzp6B
A launch ceremony was held in the presence of Saudi Deputy Ambassador to the UK Hassan Al-Jamee’ and the Head of the Consular Department at the Saudi Embassy Ammar Al-Ammar.
UN Chief condemns attacks on civilian facilities in Saudi, Yemen
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned attacks that targeted civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia and Yemen…reports Asian Lite News
“The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about reports of ongoing airstrikes in Hodeidah city and the targeting of Hodeidah’s ports, which provide a critical humanitarian lifeline for the Yemeni population,” the UN chief’s spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said in a statement.
Over 23 million Yemenis face hunger, disease, and other life-threatening risks as the country’s basic services and economy are collapsing, the UN Office for Humanitarian Coordination (OCHA) had said.
Houthi forces in Yemen, also known as Ansar Allah, attacked Saudi Arabian civil and energy facilities on Friday, including an oil facility in Jeddah, sparking a massive fire that sent a column of black smoke into the sky, reports Xinhua news agency.
At least 8 people killed in Saudi-led coalition airstrikes
The Saudi-backed coalition of nine countries assisting the Yemeni official government in fighting the Houthis, responded by striking three militia seaports — Hodeidah, Salif and Sanaa — killing eight civilians, including five children and two women, on Saturday.
“These airstrikes also resulted in damage to the UN staff residential compound in Sanaa,” Dujarric added.
The UN chief is calling for “a swift and transparent investigation into these incidents to ensure accountability”, the spokesman continued.
As the conflict enters its eighth year, the UN chief reiterated his calls on all parties to “exercise maximum restraint, immediately de-escalate, cease hostilities and abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution”.
He also urged the parties to “engage constructively, and without preconditions, with his special envoy to reduce violence and urgently reach a negotiated settlement to end the conflict in Yemen”.
Meanwhile, news media reported that Ansar Allah said it would suspend for three days missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia, saying the unilateral peace initiative could be a lasting commitment if the Saudi-led coalition stopped airstrikes and lifted port restrictions.
The Saudi-backed coalition has been fighting the Houthis for seven years in support of the internationally recognised Yemeni government.
The coalition has carried out thousands of air strikes, killing tens of thousands of people, according to the UN.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have announced a three-day unilateral ceasefire with the Saudi-led coalition, voicing their commitment to a permanent truce if the coalition ends airstrikes and withdraws forces…reports Asian Lite News
“We will suspend cross-border missile and drone attacks and all military actions against Saudi Arabia for a period of three days. If Saudi Arabia would agree to end its airstrikes and blockade against Yemen, we are ready to turn this declaration into a final and permanent commitment,” said Mahdi al-Mashat, President of the Houthi militia’s Supreme Political Council, in a televised speech on Saturday.
“The initiative includes the suspension of all ground battles on all frontlines, including the province of Marib,” al-Mashat added, on the occasion marking the entering of the Yemeni civil war into its eighth year, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Houthi political leader also proposed a deal to swap all prisoners, including the brother of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, with the Saudi-led coalition forces.
“We call on the UN envoy to facilitate the exchange of all prisoners,” al-Mashat said.
The Houthi initiative came hours after the coalition forces launched heavy airstrikes on Houthis’ vital military and economic sites in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah and the capital Sanaa in retaliation for Houthis’ cross-border missile and drone attacks against oil facilities in Saudi Arabia this week.
The Houthi militia has recently intensified attacks against Saudi Arabia after it lost several strategic districts in the oil-rich provinces of Marib and Shabwa during its fighting against the Yemeni government army in the past two months.
Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of Sanaa.
The Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened on March 26, 2015, in the Yemeni civil war in an attempt to reinstate the Hadi government.
At least 8 people killed in Saudi-led coalition airstrikes
At least eight people were killed and three others injured after airstrikes launched by the Saudi-led coalition attacked a building of Houthi-controlled insurance authority in Yemen’s capital Sanaa, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV has reported…reports Asian Lite News
The coalition airstrikes conducted early Saturday morning, which came a day after the Houthi militia launched drone and missile attacks on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, damaged guards’ quarters in the building courtyard, Xinhua news agency reported.
The coalition also launched airstrikes against the al-Hafa military camp in eastern Sanaa and fuel tanks of the Yemeni national oil company in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah in western Yemen, according to al-Masirah TV.
The coalition “carried out airstrikes against the sources of Houthi threats in Sanaa and Hodeidah,” Al-Arabiya TV, which is owned by Saudi Arabia, quoted a coalition statement as saying, without specifying names of the targets.
On Friday, the Houthi militia claimed responsibility for cross-border attacks on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the third such attack against Saudi oil facilities in less than a week.
According to Al-Arabiya TV, the Houthi attack caused fires in the Aramco oil facility in the Saudi Red Sea port city of Jeddah, as well as some damage in facilities in other Saudi cities. No casualties were reported.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Houthi militia vowed to launch more attacks against important targets in Saudi Arabia to break the Saudi-led coalition’s blockade on the Yemeni ports controlled by the Houthi militia.
The escalation came after the Houthi militia lost several strategic districts in the oil-rich provinces of Marib and Shabwa in central Yemen in the past two months, after deadly battles against the coalition-backed Yemeni government forces.
Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa.
Iran’s Foreign Minister has said Tehran welcomes normalisation of relations with Riyadh and hopes the Saudi side will play a more constructive role to this end, official news agency IRNA reported…reports Asian Lite News
“If we aim to reach a new stage in the talks with Saudi Arabia, all dimensions and aspects must be taken into consideration,” Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Saturday during a televised interview following his visits to Syria and Lebanon.
Regarding the situation in Yemen, Amir-Abdollahian added that Saudi Arabia has received a number of requests from Iran to cease the war in Yemen, Xinhua news agency reported.
Iran is opposed to war and its spread over Yemen, as it is in no one’s interest to continue the conflict, he said.
Over the past months, Iran and Saudi Arabia held several rounds of talks brokered by Iraq, following which Iran sent three diplomats to Saudi Arabia in January as a delegation to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to resume activities in Jeddah after a six-year hiatus.
Earlier in March, however, Iran announced it had “temporarily” suspended normalisation talks with Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic ties with Iran in early 2016 in protest against the attacks on its diplomatic missions in Iran following the kingdom’s execution of a Shiite cleric.
US NSA said that the attacks were clearly enabled by Iran in violation of UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions prohibiting the import of weapons into Yemen, reports Asian Lite News
The United States condemns the Houthi attacks on civilian infrastructure and facilities in several Saudi Arabian cities, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement on Friday (Local Time).
“We condemn the Houthi attacks launched against Saudi Arabia’s civil infrastructure earlier today. Unprovoked Houthi attacks against Saudi Aramco’s oil storage facilities in Jeddah as well as attacks against civil facilities in Jizan, Najran, and Dhahran are acts of terrorism aimed to prolong the suffering of the Yemeni people,” the statement read.
The United States stands fully behind efforts to de-escalate the conflict through the UN and will continue to support partners in defence of their territory from Houthi attacks, he added.
Jake Sullivan (File Photo ANI)
US NSA said that the attacks were clearly enabled by Iran in violation of UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions prohibiting the import of weapons into Yemen.
Notably, a fire broke out at the Jeddah oil depot on Friday ahead of Saudi Arabia Grand Prix race.
Yemen’s Houthi militia on Friday claimed responsibility for fresh cross-border drone and missile attacks on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the third such attack in less than a week, reported Xinhua.
“A number of bomb-laden drones targeted the oil refineries in Ras Tanura and Rabigh, as well as the Aramco oil facilities in Jazan and Najran … A barrage of wing missiles targeted Aramco oil facilities in Jeddah and the Saudi capital Riyadh,” Houthi military spokesman Yehya Sarea said in a statement aired by the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.
“We also launched several ballistic missiles at other vital Saudi targets in Jazan, Dhahran Al-Janub, Abha, Khamis Mushait,” the Houthi spokesman said, vowing to launch more attacks to break the blockade imposed by the Saudi-led coalition forces on the Yemeni ports under the Houthi militia control.
Meanwhile, a statement from the Saudi-led coalition forces said that “a total of 16 hostile attacks by the Houthi militia hit energy facilities in Saudi Arabia and we exercise restraint in order to make the Yemeni consultations a success,” the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV reported.
The meeting is slated to be held in Riyadh next week, convening Yemen’s political parties to discuss a comprehensive political solution to end the country’s seven years of civil war, which the Houthi militia has refused to join.
Earlier this week, the Houthi militia launched two other attacks against the same energy facilities in Saudi Arabia, using barrages of drones and missiles, as per the news agency.
Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa. The Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened on March 26, 2015, to support the Yemeni government. (ANI)
