Haifa Al-Jedea was recently named ambassador and head of the Saudi mission to the EU and the European Atomic Energy Community, following a royal decree.
Al-Jedea was among 11 Saudi ambassadors who took their oaths of office at Al-Yamamah Palace, in the presence of King Salman, on Jan. 3.
Prior to her latest appointment, Al-Jedea worked as managing director at SRMG Think, one of SRMG’s verticals which focuses on providing perspectives, analysis and insights from and about the Middle East and North Africa region.
Al-Jedea was instrumental in the establishment, diversification, and growth of SRMG Think. Under her leadership, SRMG's Raff Publishing company launched its first set of publications, including Arabic adaptations of top international authors; revealed agreements with some of the world's largest publishers; and embraced advanced digital products and publishing technologies.
Al-Jedea, born in Riyadh and raised in New York, is an international relations professional. Throughout her career, her work has revolved around creating strategic and effective international cooperation, by leveraging the strengths and capabilities of global stakeholders.
She also worked at the UN Counter-Terrorism Center in New York, which focuses on international capacity building with the aim of addressing and preventing violent extremism and terrorism. She worked on political and security issues at the permanent mission of Saudi Arabia to the UN, where she represented Saudi Arabia in the Security Council and at the General Assembly.
After 17 years in New York, she returned to Riyadh where she contributed to initiatives under the Vision 2030 national development and diversification program.
She has a master’s degree in conflict resolution and negotiation from Columbia University, a master’s in international relations from Syracuse University, and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University.
Who’s Who: Haifa Al-Jedea, ambassador and head of Saudi mission to the EU and Euratom
https://arab.news/p4swd
Who’s Who: Haifa Al-Jedea, ambassador and head of Saudi mission to the EU and Euratom
Riyadh emerges as Gulf evacuation hub for wealthy amid regional escalation
- Saudi capital’s King Khalid International Airport is among the few major airports in the region still operating normally after Iranian missile and drone strikes
RIYADH: Riyadh has become a principal evacuation hub for wealthy residents and senior executives seeking to leave the Gulf amid escalating regional tensions, according to a report by Semafor.
The Saudi capital’s King Khalid International Airport is among the few major airports in the region still operating normally after Iranian missile and drone strikes targeted cities including Dubai and Abu Dhabi over the weekend, as well as locations in Qatar and Bahrain.
With airspace closures elsewhere, stranded executives and high-net-worth individuals have been travelling overland to Riyadh, in some cases undertaking a roughly 10-hour journey from Dubai, in order to board private or commercial flights out of the region.
Citing people familiar with the arrangements, Semafor reported that private security firms have been hiring fleets of SUVs to transport clients to the Saudi capital before arranging chartered aircraft departures.
Those being evacuated include senior figures at global financial institutions as well as affluent individuals who had been in the Gulf for business or leisure.
The surge in demand has sharply increased costs.
Ameerh Naran, chief executive of private jet brokerage Vimana Private, told Semafor that Riyadh is currently “the only real option” for those seeking to exit the region, with private jet charters from the Saudi capital to Europe reaching as much as $350,000.
Alternative routes have narrowed. Security providers initially explored using Oman as an exit corridor, but that option became unviable after reported Iranian strikes on the country’s port infrastructure and a tanker, leaving Riyadh as the most accessible transit point, the report said.
Riyadh’s role marks a notable shift in regional risk perception. In previous years, security concerns — including cross-border Houthi attacks during the Yemen conflict and earlier periods of regional instability — had led many expatriates and business leaders to favour other Gulf cities as transit hubs.
However, Saudi Arabia’s more flexible visa regime, which now allows many nationalities to obtain visas on arrival, combined with the kingdom’s ability so far to keep its airspace open, has reinforced its position as a temporary gateway out of the region.
While some schools have moved to remote learning and certain companies have advised staff to work from home, Semafor reported that daily life in Riyadh has largely continued uninterrupted compared with other Gulf cities that have faced direct attacks.
