RIYADH: France has deep and longstanding economic ties with Saudi Arabia, and Vision 2030 is one more incentive to strengthen a win-win relation that serves the Kingdom’s best interests.
France is the third-biggest investor in the Kingdom, with more than $15 billion of investments, while Saudi Arabia is France’s leading commercial partner in the Gulf, with commercial flows amounting to more than $8 billion.
More than 80 French companies, some of them global leaders in their fields, have an active presence in Saudi Arabia and employ more than 27,000 people, with a Saudization rate of 36 percent. The average Saudization rate for the overall economy is 16 percent
French companies are involved in many strategic projects throughout the Kingdom, serving the Saudi ambition to develop a world-class railway and urban transportation infrastructure, energy network, tourism industry, financial services, telecommunications and health care.
While France’s involvement in the Kingdom already spans most of the strategic sectors, room remains for even broader and deeper cooperation in the new strategic sectors the Kingdom wants to develop, such as education, health care, financial services and renewable energy. There is momentum for such renewed bilateral cooperation.
For example, the Paris accord on climate change offers a wide range of cooperation opportunities on matters such as energy efficiency and transitioning to renewable energy.
In May, France and Saudi Arabia reaffirmed their commitment to the agreement, and could be leaders in developing carbon-efficient technologies.
French companies are already involved in solar and nuclear projects that will help the Kingdom diversify its energy mix.
But there could be greater Saudi business involvement in France. Total investment caps are at less than $1 billion, and are mostly directed toward real estate. The 24 Saudi companies operating in France employ 3,200 people and achieved a combined turnover of some €350 million ($399.5 million).
Given the priorities outlined in Vision 2030, France is a vital destination for Saudi businesses, especially for the technologies of tomorrow. In 2016, France was the fastest-growing hub for start-ups in Europe, and on the verge of becoming the continent’s No. 1 in terms of market capitalization for start-ups.
As an example of the dynamism of the start-up ecosystem, the giant Station F incubator, created by French entrepreneur Xavier Niel to enhance the growth of more than 1,000 start-ups, opened its doors less than a month ago.
France is also a leading player in fields such as financial services, health care and education, sectors the Saudi economy is willing to develop and invest in.
New governments in France and Saudi Arabia pave the way for new opportunities.
Upcoming bilateral events will be occasions to show how close our business relations can be. Efforts will be made to bring together businessmen and let them discuss opportunities. France and Saudi Arabia are ready to work together on a long-term basis. We undoubtedly have the capacity to strengthen our strategic partnership.
Vision 2030 another incentive to strengthen French-Saudi partnership
Vision 2030 another incentive to strengthen French-Saudi partnership
Luxury jewelry brands dazzle at Riyadh showcase
- Larsen said that House of GOL specializes in high-end jewelry and many people buy it to reflect their heritage and to pass it down to future generations
RIYADH: Saudi International Luxury Week, which is taking place in Riyadh until May 9, showcases a selection of fine jewelry from around the world.
The event offers a unique opportunity for Saudi clients to acquire exclusive and sophisticated pieces.
House of GOL, a New York-based brand known for its colorful diamonds, has shown a rare pink diamond at the event.
Anna Larsen, head of business development at House of GOL, has been visiting Saudi Arabia for the past three years to meet clients.
Larsen said that House of GOL specializes in high-end jewelry and many people buy it to reflect their heritage and to pass it down to future generations.
The brand had previously visited the ZAH creative hub in Riyadh and continued its tours across the Kingdom. House of GOL's participation in the luxury week was in collaboration with Clea Nasr, ZAH's head of marketing.
"We're here today with House of GOL to support them at a luxury jewelry event, following our earlier private event at ZAH. We support local and international designers through all PR and marketing activities, creating targeted strategies to drive exposure and growth, especially in Saudi Arabia," Nasr said.
The brand stands out by involving its clients in the jewelry creation process, hand drawing and painting the designs and then allowing clients to keep the drawings, adding a personal touch to the design experience.
Another standout brand at the event is Maitraya, an Indian company specializing in pure Gulf pearls, including khaleeji and Saudi pearls.
The brand is led by Sanghvi Maitarya, a seventh-generation representative of his family’s pearl business.
“My great-grandfather used to travel by boat,” said Maitarya. “This was before the Second World War and the discovery of oil. The oyster industry had declined and no longer produced these kinds of pearls. These are Saudi natural lulu pearls.”
He said that the pearls were no longer found in the Gulf, adding: “We collected them from grandmothers, maharajas, royal families, and other sources around the world.”
FerriFirenze, an Italian brand, is also impressing Saudi clients at the event.
Giulia Lina Callegari, owner of FerriFirenze, said: “We came to Saudi for the first time five years ago. We’ve seen the changes, the enthusiasm, the projects, and we’re always excited to meet local ladies who know jewelry, appreciate style, and often become our guests in Florence.”
FerriFirenze is a family business that began 10 years ago, and Callegari added: “We create jewelry that moves, physically moves when touched, is flexible, and so on. This style of jewelry can only be made by hand in Italy.”
Riyadh forum tackles challenges in judicial training
- Workshops focus on digital transformation, cultural awareness, and effective methodologies
RIYADH: Confidence comes from competence, and competence comes from experience, Martin Camp told a panel discussion at the International Conference on Judicial Training held in Riyadh on Tuesday.
The mantra is central to Camp’s teaching approach as a professor of practice and assistant dean for graduate and international programs at Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in Dallas, Texas, where he teaches property and business law.
In the conference’s sixth session, titled “Understanding Culture and Social Context in Judicial and Legal Training,” Camp, with other legal experts, discussed the significance of incorporating cultural awareness into the judicial system.
The panel included Rodrigo Alves, professor of law at the Federal University of Uberlandia, Mark Sweet, a partner at the Finnegan law firm, Jamal Haroun, secretary-general of the permanent secretariat of the Euro-Arab Judicial Training Network, and Henry Gao, professor of law at Singapore Management University.
Camp said that despite each nation’s cultural identity, we all, as a collective society, desire the same things.
“Then I realized that under this veneer difference, we are the same. People want the same things. They want work, family, security, peace, everything they want depends on the rule of law.
“It does not matter what label we put on what systems people choose or what is chosen for them, in the final analysis, whatever system, people still want justice. They want the general application of the principle of rule of law and those are the rules that people are expected to follow.”
To have a flowing judicial system, training needs to be a regular part of the life of the judiciary and sometimes specialization is preferred to provide competence, Camp said.
“The role of the judiciary is ensuring that the rule of law, that the courts, are preachers of our constitution and our legislature … by understanding the law, practicing the law, and having the confidence that comes from that,” Camp added.
Fabricio Da Cruz, a federal judge in Brazil, told Arab News that he is attending the conference because he is fascinated by its theme, which explores the future of judicial training.
“Everybody here has something to tell and something to teach, but there is a lot to learn ... sharing knowledge is the main benefit from a conference like this.”
With 20 years of legal experience, Da Cruz has served as a professor of social sciences and law for undergraduate, master’s, and Ph.D. students.
“I give this advice to my students and children: stay hungry for knowledge and focus on developing (your) skills ... knowledge and skills, together, make a huge difference in the future for the person, community, and country.”
The conference, which began on May 6, focused on the many aspects of judicial and legal training. Gathering law professionals from more than 40 countries, it explored how modern technologies and artificial intelligence can be integrated to enhance judicial and legal training methodologies.
Workshops and panel discussions covered challenges in developing training content during digital transformation, the impact of cultural and social contexts on the judicial training process, and key methodologies for evaluating training outcomes.
Saudi Arabia says anyone violating Hajj regulations between June 2-20 will be punished
- Citizens, residents, and visitors to the Kingdom caught violating Hajj regulations and instructions without a permit in specified areas will be fined SR 10,000
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday that violators of Hajj regulations and instructions without a permit during the period June 2- 20 will be punished.
Citizens, residents, and visitors to the Kingdom caught violating Hajj regulations and instructions without a permit in Makkah, the area around the Grand Mosque, Hajj sites, the Haramain station in Al-Rusayfah, security control centers, sorting centers, and temporary security control centers during the specified period will be fined SR 10,000 ($2,666).
Residents violating the rules will be deported to their countries and banned from reentering the Kingdom, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Ministry of Interior said violators will be fined a further SR 10,000 each time they broke the rules, stressing the importance of adhering to Hajj regulations and instructions so that pilgrims can carry out their rituals in safety, security, and comfort.
Anyone who is caught transporting violators of Hajj regulations and instructions without a permit will be imprisoned for a period of up to six months and fined up to SR 50,000 riyals.
An order will be made to confiscate the vehicle used and the violator will be deported after serving a prison sentence if an expat. The fine will increase in line with the number of people illegally transported.
Experts discuss revitalization of industrial heritage sites at Diriyah workshop
- Workshop will cover topics such as industrial heritage on a global scale, industrial heritage within the Kingdom, and case studies of the revitalization and restoration of industrial heritage sites
- Workshop features Tosh Warwick from the UK, Mitsuko Nishikawa from Japan, and Mirhan Damin, who will discuss her expertise in industrial heritage in Egypt
RIYADH: The Heritage Commission kicked off day one of the International Workshop on Industrial Heritage in the JAX district to promote awareness of industrial heritage, its preservation, and diversification.
The workshop, which runs from May 7 to May 8 in Diriyah, will cover topics such as industrial heritage on a global scale, industrial heritage within the Kingdom, and case studies of the revitalization and restoration of industrial heritage sites.
The workshop features global experts who will lecture and share their case studies, including Tosh Warwick from the UK, Mitsuko Nishikawa from Japan, and Mirhan Damin, who will discuss her expertise in industrial heritage in Egypt.
The opening remarks for the workshop were delivered by Jasser Al-Harbash, CEO of the Heritage Commission, who highlighted some of the Kingdom’s notable industrial heritage sites, particularly in the mining sector.
Following the opening remarks, several participants and speakers at the workshop were honored with plaques for their contributions to the field, including Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Khalifa from the Arab Regional Center for World Heritage in Bahrain, Amal Al-Harbi from the JAX district, and Dr. Massimo Preite from the International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial Heritage, among others.
The first session of the workshop provided a broader overview of international industrial heritage, with panel members sharing insights from Germany, Latin America, and the UK.
Marion Steiner, secretary-general of the TICCIH, gave a lecture on the interpretation and global perspective of industrial heritage.
She stressed that a global understanding of industrial heritage leads to a better understanding of each other and sparks peace-building in the minds of men and women.
Steiner told Arab News that gatherings like the workshop hosted by the Saudi Heritage Commission serve “as an element in a process which could lead to a better understanding of what connects us across places and people through history and time.”
Miles Oglethorpe, president of the TICCIH, discussed the broad definition of industrial heritage and the extensive list of sectors that fall within this category, such as agriculture, mining, oil and gas, heavy industries, and water desalination.
He explained that industrial heritage comprises sites, structures, and complexes, as well as their associated documentation and history.
“It includes both material assets and immovable and movable and intangible dimensions such as know-how, the organization of work and workers, and the complex social and cultural legacy that has shaped the life of communities and brought major organizational changes to entire societies and the world in general,” said Oglethorpe.
As part of the workshop, the commission set up multiple VR stations that allow users to explore the Kingdom's industrial heritage sites, including oil and gas projects. These stations provided information on engineering feats such as the Tapline, dating back to the oil boom in the 1950s.
By hosting this international workshop, the Kingdom aims to take a proactive approach to documenting its industrial heritage. The workshop invited participants to share international expertise, exchange insights, and engage in debates on strategies for industrial heritage preservation.
Ensan launches dual initiatives to empower orphaned girls, single mothers
- First of the schemes, titled Enayah (care), would benefit 30 primary school age children
- Second initiative, titled Qanadil (lanterns), is designed to provide single mothers with a range of emotional and practical support
RIYADH: The Charity Society for Orphans Care in Riyadh has launched two initiatives to improve the lives of orphaned girls and single mothers.
Mohammed bin Saad Al-Muharib, general manager of the society, also known as Ensan, said the first of the schemes, titled Enayah (care), would benefit 30 primary school age children, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The program will run for a full academic year and include a range of activities with psychological, spiritual, linguistic, social, health and economic dimensions.
Al-Muharib said the program would feature regular meetings, visits and excursions with the ultimate goal of providing the youngsters with the tools they needed to navigate a successful future.
The second initiative, titled Qanadil (lanterns), is designed to provide single mothers with a range of emotional and practical support to help them achieve personal and professional success.
The scheme will comprise 90 hours of practical training designed to raise awareness of their educational responsibilities, addressing the spiritual and psychological needs of their children and teaching them critical life skills.
Both programs will be overseen by the Specialized Council for Orphan Associations in the Kingdom and supported by the Abdul Latif Al-Essa Charitable Foundation. The King Salman Social Center will provide logistical support in the form of venues for holding the training courses.
