JEDDAH: The second meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, which concluded in Marrakesh, called for the adoption of benchmarks for sustainable Arab cities and economic measures that will attract investment and create employment opportunities.
The event emphasized the importance of developing expertise in the field of smart cities, as well as strengthening infrastructure in terms of digital management.
Participants also stressed the need to address emerging issues related to the environment, energy management, education and heritage, along with improving the capacity of cities to deal with the effects of climate change and adopt efficient energy-management practices.
The forum also highlighted the importance of strengthening Chinese-Arab relations, considering the creation of a network for historical Chinese and Arab cities, and finding the best methods to attract more Chinese investment in Arab cities.
Other topics that were discussed included smart cities, heritage preservation, and the role of infrastructure in urban development.
China-Arab forum calls to develop sustainable cities
China-Arab forum calls to develop sustainable cities
- The forum highlighted the importance of strengthening Chinese-Arab relations, considering the creation of a network for historical Chinese and Arab cities
Mideast, global water sustainability under spotlight at Riyadh forum
- 10 workshops held to discuss the region’s water challenges
- Kingdom’s major projects outlined by Saudi Arabia minister
Riyadh: The third Saudi Water Forum, being held in Riyadh until May 1, has featured 10 workshops focusing on the future of the water sector, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
The forum was inaugurated on Monday by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli under the theme “Water Sustainability ... Our Responsibility.”
The forum began with a workshop titled “Getting Started with MODFLOW for Groundwater Modeling” presented by a US Geological Survey speaker, alongside Saudi Aramco sessions titled “Water Conservation” and “Water Safety Plan.”
The National Water Co. presented its future projects and investment opportunities, showcasing its capital projects portfolio, long-term operation and maintenance contracts, and efforts to localize industries in the water sector.
The Saudi Irrigation Organization held a workshop titled “Innovative Techniques to Enhance Irrigation Efficiency and Agricultural Sustainability,” while the Saline Water Conversion Corp. hosted discussions on innovation and challenges in relation to emerging technologies.
The Saudi Water Partnership Co. outlined its services and future projects, while several UN organizations hosted a discussion titled “The Role of International Organizations in Developing the Water Sector.”
Additional workshops included “Water Treatment and Digital Solutions” by K-Water Corp. and “Non-Revenue Water Management” by the Turkish Society for Infrastructure and Trenchless Technologies.
Al-Fadhli opened the forum by stating that Saudi Arabia has launched several regional and global initiatives to address water challenges and explore sustainable solutions, aligning with Vision 2030.
He emphasized the government’s support and commitment to overcoming obstacles in the water sector, to enable the implementation of various strategic projects throughout the Kingdom.
Al-Fadhli highlighted the significance of Saudi Arabia’s water sector initiatives, noting their role in advancing national goals. He said the Kingdom is the world’s largest producer of desalinated water, underscoring the pivotal role of these initiatives.
Saudi Arabia’s projects include the establishment of the Global Water Organization, headquartered in Riyadh. This initiative showcases the Kingdom’s role in supporting global efforts to address water challenges and achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Saudi Arabia features in new series of anime show ‘Grendizer U’
- The anime project developed by Manga Productions will launch in July
RIYADH: A second promotional video for “Grendizer U”, which returns 40 years after the original anime series, reveals various regions of Saudi Arabia appear in the show.
New designs for characters have also been unveiled and the broadcast date is planned for July.
The video was launched on Riyadh-based Manga Productions’ YouTube channel in Arabic, English, French and Italian. It can also be viewed on the official “Grendizer U” social media accounts via @GrendizerAnime.
Manga Productions’ CEO, Dr. Essam Bukhary, said: “We at Manga Productions, in collaboration with our partners in Japan, are pleased to introduce the character of Grendizer to future generations in a new and exciting way through the distribution and marketing of this work to global audiences. We hope for ‘Grendizer U’ in its new version to inspire the heroes of tomorrow worldwide.”
A strategic partnership between Dynamic Planning, which owns the rights to Grendizer, and Manga Productions was announced in 2022. This led to the unveiling of the character’s statue in Riyadh. Standing more than 33 meters high, it was recorded by Guinness World Records as the largest metal statue of a fictional character in the world.
The first teaser for the new series was launched at the Akiba Daisuki Festival in Tokyo in August 2023, with the initial promotional video following in December.
Last year, Manga Productions also released the game “UFO Robot Grendizer: The Feast of the Wolves” in the Middle East and North Africa, in cooperation with French company Microids.
The official English trailer on Manga Productions’ YouTube channel says the new series is based on Go Nagai’s “UFO Robo Grendizer.”
The second video features the staff of “Grendizer U,” including General Director Mitsuo Fukuda.
King Salman academy launches AI Arabic language processing center
RIYADH: The first center for automated Arabic language processing, called the Arabic Intelligence Center, has opened in Riyadh, operated by the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language.
The center aims to enhance Arabic content in the fields of data and artificial intelligence and support scientific research and applications to help achieve the goals of the National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence and Saudi Vision 2030, which seek to position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in this field.
Abdullah Al-Washmi, secretary-general of the academy, said the center’s success relies on its strategic goal of advancing Arabic language innovation, integrating AI technology for local and international use.
He told Arab News that the center brings together Arabic language specialists and technology experts. “Their shared interest in the Arabic language unites them,” he said.
To achieve its strategic goals, the center will enable AI-based innovations, support the development of applications, and certify qualified individuals with international standards to advance automated Arabic language processing knowledge, Al-Washmi said.
The center comprises five main laboratories: the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, which focuses on developing technical research for the Arabic language and its processing; the Data Formatting Laboratory, which collects, tags, processes, and ensures the quality of Arabic data, whether written, audio, or visual; the Audio and Visual Laboratory, which records, processes, stores, and classifies audio and visual data; the Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Laboratory, which creates Arabic software using virtual and augmented reality; and the Researchers’ Laboratory, which provides office space for researchers working in these fields to conduct their studies on Arabic computing.
Al-Washmi said: “The center ensures its strategic role through initiatives that support the Arabic language, aligning with the objectives of the Human Capacity Development Program, one of the programs under Saudi Vision 2030.”
He added that these initiatives focus on supporting computer applications that aim to stimulate automated Arabic language processing in both understanding and production, placing it in a uniquely competitive position among other languages.
The center’s services also include providing technical and linguistic consultations in the field of processing the Arabic language with AI, organizing meetings and training sessions, offering paid licenses to researchers, supporting studies with similar objectives, and contributing to data tagging for collaborative research.
New incubator will promote sustainable mining in Saudi Arabia
- ‘Nuthree’ aims to boost mining entrepreneurship in the Kingdom
MAKKAH: Nuthree, an exploration incubator initiative for entrepreneurship in geology and mining, has been launched at the Saudi Geological Survey’s headquarters in Jeddah.
The project seeks to create a sustainable exploration environment to develop the Kingdom’s resource sites, positioning mining as its third pillar of income after petroleum and petrochemicals.
Saudi Geological Survey CEO Abdullah Al-Shamrani said the Kingdom was experiencing a new phase of growth and prosperity under King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, driven by the Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program.
He told Arab News: “We aim for cooperation and integration with our partners in the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority to serve and empower emerging investors in the mining exploration sector from individuals to local companies, and to establish a local, sustainable exploration environment through the Kingdom’s resources sites, making it an entry point for promising industries.”
He added Nuthree enhanced geological knowledge due to the variety of metals in the Kingdom and would serve as an incubator for small-scale investors and explorers.
“We support the localization of exploration for Saudi companies and foreign firms operating in Saudi Arabia because of its strategic importance,” Al-Shamrani said.
The Saudi Geological Survey is gathering information quickly to attract investors. This includes a comprehensive survey of the Kingdom’s sedimentary cover and the Arabian Shield.
Al-Shamrani said the incubator’s primary goal was to support and localize exploration in the Kingdom, helping investors engage in the process in a professional and practical way. It supplies information across various geological fields and the range of metals it is planned to explore is extensive.
“We expect investors to form complementary partnerships and alliances to achieve the best outcomes. This is a significant step that we support,” he said. “We will not only offer information but also support drilling, coordination and advisory visits to key locations.”
Abdulrahman Al-Balushi, undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, told Arab News that exploration was the start of the mining process which was why it was so important.
He said the Kingdom was focused on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises through partnerships with the private and public sectors, as well as academic institutions, to help them obtain licenses and uncover new mining opportunities.
Al-Balushi said: “The ministry granted 500 licenses to private sector companies, allowing them to explore ores in base metals and precious metals.” Some of these companies were Saudi-based, he added, while others were either joint ventures or foreign-owned but registered with the Saudi Ministry of Commerce.
The exploration process receives particular support if “it targets locations with ores that are very important for the Kingdom’s industry, such as nickel, lithium, zinc, and copper, or certain materials that are part of simple and transformative industries and have a significant impact on the Kingdom’s economy,” he said.
Al-Balushi said the Nuthree incubator aimed to support small and medium-sized enterprises in the Kingdom by providing expertise in geology and mining. It offers technical courses, organizes trips to mining sites, and facilitates knowledge sharing with geological experts.
Saudi Space Agency to launch space futures center with WEF
RIYADH: An agreement between the Saudi Space Agency and the World Economic Forum will see the Center for Space Futures open this autumn, the Saudi Press Agency has reported.
The center will aim to facilitate discussions on space collaboration, incorporating best practices from the forum and its communities into the global space sector, and generating forward-looking contributions to accelerate space technologies.
“The center is committed to fostering a vibrant, prosperous and sustainable space economy globally. By developing principles, expanding knowledge, refining models and cultivating partnerships, we aim to responsibly harness the vast opportunities of space,” said Saudi Space Agency CEO Mohammed Al-Tamimi.
“From monitoring the effects of climate change to increasing human connectivity via satellites, the impact of the global space sector on Earth cannot be overstated,” said Jeremy Jurgens, the WEF’s managing director.
He added the center would be integrated into the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution network due to the importance of topics such as space technological innovation, policies and regulations, as well as sustainability.
The Center for Space Futures will be the first in C4IR to focus exclusively on space.
It will work alongside the Kingdom’s existing center, C4IR Saudi Arabia, to advance Saudi Vision 2030, the country’s roadmap for economic diversification, global engagement and improved quality of life.
