Saudi Arabia joins 80 countries in historic deal on e-commerce

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The deal is expected to make trade faster, cheaper, fairer and more secure, once it is in place. (AN file photo)
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Updated 26 July 2024
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Saudi Arabia joins 80 countries in historic deal on e-commerce

  • First digital global rules include recognition of e-signatures and protection against online fraud
  • The agreement also includes a component providing preferential treatment to developing countries

JEDDAH: About 80 countries including Saudi Arabia reached a historic agreement on Friday on rules governing global digital commerce, including recognition of e-signatures and protection against online fraud.

“We negotiated the first global rules on digital trade,” EU trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis said after the deal in Geneva following five years of negotiations.“This will facilitate e-transactions, boost innovation, and integrate developing countries into the digital economy,” he said.

Britain said the agreement would commit all participants to making customs documents and processes digital and recognizing e-documents and e-signatures, and put in place legal safeguards against online fraudsters and misleading claims about products.

Once in place, the deal “will make trade faster, cheaper, fairer and more secure,” Britain said in a statement.

The text of the agreement says the parties will seek to limit spam and protect personal data, as well as offer support to least-developed countries.
Ninety-one of the World Trade Organization’s 166 members took part in the negotiations, including Saudi Arabia, China, Canada, Argentina and Nigeria.
Digital commerce is growing far faster than its traditional counterpart.
The OECD group of economically developed nations says it estimated that in 2020, e-commerce already made up a quarter of global trade, making it worth just under $5 trillion.
Despite its growing importance, “no common set of global rules exist,” said British Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds.
Finalizing the negotiations “is a huge step forward in correcting that and ensuring British businesses feel the benefit.”

The talks were launched in 2019, with around 90 negotiating countries — representing 90 percent of the WTO membership — including heavy-hitters like the United States, the European Union and China.
Australia, Japan and Singapore, which have jointly been leading the Initiative on Electronic Commerce talks, presented a joint statement during a closed-door meeting at the WTO confirming that “after five years of negotiations, participants had achieved a stabilized text.”
But actual implementation of a deal could still be years off.
A small number of negotiating countries have yet to sign on, including the United States, Brazil, Indonesia and Turkiye, the declaration said.
“The text released today ... represents an important step forward for the WTO in a sector of growing importance to the global economy,” US ambassador and Deputy US Trade Representative Maria Pagan said in a statement.
But the United States considers that “the current text falls short and more work is needed,” she said, pointing in particular to an “essential security exception.”
The co-conveners of the talks have in recent months stressed the importance of landing a deal, stressing it could facilitate electronic transactions, promote digital trade and foster an open and trusted digital economy.
“This would be the first-ever set of baseline digital trade rules,” Singapore’s ambassador to the WTO Tan Hung Seng said in April.
“It would contribute to the growing e-commerce in our countries by providing greater legal predictability and certainty, against the backdrop of increasing regulatory fragmentation,” he said.
In Friday’s statement, UK Science Secretary Peter Kyle said the agreement aimed “to help people use technology safely by protecting them from fraud, while driving economic growth through the digitalization of trade so it’s faster and more secure.”

Preferential treatment

The agreement also includes a component providing preferential treatment to developing countries.
In addition to paving the way for digitalising customs documents and processes, the text also seeks to make permanent a long-held moratorium exempting electronic transactions from customs duties.
The moratorium has been in place since 1998, and has been extended at each WTO ministerial meeting since. It is currently set to expire in 2026.
“Once in force the agreement will permanently ban customs duties on digital content,” the British statement said.
The aim is to incorporate the digital trade rules into the WTO legal framework, but that would require consensus backing from all members, including those not part of the deal.
That could be tricky at a time when countries like India and South Africa are balking at what they see as a proliferation of plurilateral agreements within the WTO rather than the all-but-impossible multilateral deals backed by all members.
One solution, observers say, could be for the signatories to move the agreement to another international body. But if they do that, they would not be able to rely on the WTO’s mechanism for resolving trade disputes.

(With Agencies)


RCRC warns public against intermediaries offering assistance in applying for land use in Riyadh

Updated 07 April 2025
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RCRC warns public against intermediaries offering assistance in applying for land use in Riyadh

  • Any claims or messages published regarding the existence of entities that allow or facilitate applications are baseless, RCRC warns
  • The Commission said it is developing an electronic platform dedicated to receiving land use applications directly from citizens

RIYADH: Beware of unauthorized individuals or groups offering assistance in applying for land use in the national capital, the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) advised the public on Sunday.

The Commission issued the warning as it announced that it has begun implementing the royal directive issued by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on taking practical measures to achieve balance in the real estate sector in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The RCRC noted that it is currently working on developing an electronic platform dedicated to receiving land use applications directly from citizens without the need for any intermediaries or external parties. 

Any claims or messages published regarding the existence of entities that allow or facilitate applications are baseless, the RCRC said. 

The Commission also called on everyone to obtain information from official sources only, and to beware of any fraudulent attempts claiming to grant land outside the regulatory framework. 

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman earlier directed a series of measures aimed at achieving stability in the sector.

Among these measures was the lifting of restrictions on land transactions and development in northern Riyadh, as recommended in a study by the RCRC and the Council of Economic and Development Affairs.


‘At the Edge’: Art Week Riyadh signals bold new chapter in Saudi cultural renaissance, say organizers

Updated 06 April 2025
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‘At the Edge’: Art Week Riyadh signals bold new chapter in Saudi cultural renaissance, say organizers

  • Event organized by Visual Arts Commission and hosted at JAX District from April 6 to 13

RIYADH: Art Week Riyadh is making waves in the Saudi capital this week, with curators and creatives hailing the event as a pivotal moment in the Kingdom’s fast-evolving cultural landscape, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Organized by the Visual Arts Commission and hosted at the JAX District from April 6 to 13, the event is bringing together local and international artists, curators, and institutions in a celebration of contemporary creativity and cross-cultural dialogue.

The initiative reflects the growing momentum of Saudi Arabia’s cultural transformation, part of the broader Vision 2030 reform agenda that is reshaping the Kingdom’s social and artistic fabric, according to organizers.

Vittoria Matarrese, Director and Art Curator of Art Week Riyadh, described the event as a significant turning point.

“We chose the title ‘At the Edge’ because it reflects the nature of the phase Riyadh is undergoing,” Matarrese said. “It is a city positioned between the desert and urbanization, between heritage and renewal. This balance is evident in the diversity of participation and the dialogues presented by the exhibition.”

She added that Riyadh is increasingly defining itself as a space where modernity and tradition intersect, enabling a unique creative evolution.

Shumon Basar, curator of the Public Cultural Program at Art Week Riyadh, underscored the importance of the conversations taking place as part of the programme, titled “How to Create an Art World: Lessons in Value.”

He explained: “Our goal is not only to share experiences, but also to raise essential questions about the types of value that art creates in the contemporary world—whether economic, symbolic, or social—and how art can serve as a tool to understand cultural transformations, rather than merely reflect them.”

Art Week Riyadh serves as a key cultural platform that embraces diversity and encourages artistic experimentation, offering a space for critical reflection on the evolving role of art in society, SPA added. 


A look at NEOM’s prehistoric masterpieces etched in stone

Updated 06 April 2025
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A look at NEOM’s prehistoric masterpieces etched in stone

  • Open-air museum of ancient artworks is key to decoding past civilizations
  • Drawings reveal how human beings interacted with now-extinct animals in the area

MAKKAH: In the heart of NEOM’s Hisma Desert, where sandstone mountains and plateaus rise from the arid landscape, is an extraordinary collection of ancient rock art and archaeological inscriptions. These priceless treasures illuminate the cultural and economic vitality of long-lost civilizations.

Once a vital corridor for caravans travelling the ancient trade routes of the Arabian Peninsula, this region preserves an invaluable legacy etched into its geological formations.

The drawings show how people interacted with now-extinct animals in the area, as well as with livestock and camels. (Supplied)

Abdulelah Al-Fares, a photographer and expert in ancient artifacts and a member of the Saudi Heritage Preservation Society, told Arab News that the rock art is in the mountains and plateaus in NEOM, part of a mountain range in the northwestern part of Tabuk.

Hisma Desert is bordered by the Sharah Mountains to the north, by Wadi Araba to the northwest, by the Hijaz Mountains to the west, and by Harrat Al-Raha to the south.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Studying rock art in the region matters deeply because it reveals economic and cultural changes that shaped the northern Arabian Peninsula.

• The drawings show how people interacted with now-extinct animals in the area, as well as with livestock and camels.

• Among the standout examples are life-sized camels crafted with remarkable precision and aesthetic detail.

“The plateaus, part of the Hisma Desert and its geological formations, represent an open-air museum of nature, ancient rock art, and diverse historical inscriptions,” he said.

The artworks illuminate the journey of human civilization, revealing its cultural and social evolution in the region. (Supplied)

The rock drawings feature engravings of human figures, animals and various scattered scenes throughout the site.

The engravings on the plateau’s facades depict scenes of animals, including wild animals such as camels, cattle, ibexes, ostriches and wolves, as well as other predatory animals, and depictions of hunting scenes and human combat.

These drawings are notable for their precision and have remarkably withstood the elements for thousands of years.

Abdulelah Al-Fares, Saudi Heritage Preservation Society member

“These drawings are notable for their precision and have remarkably withstood the elements for thousands of years,” he said. “Most of the themes and scenes in some of the rock drawings in the region are repeated and depict, to some extent, the world of wild animals and the interactions of humans through hunting and warfare.

“The mountains embody a civilizational and cultural legacy through their distinctive rock drawings featuring human and animal forms,” Al-Fares said.

The rock drawings feature engravings of human figures, animals and various scattered scenes throughout the site. (Supplied)

He also highlighted the value of exploring NEOM’s ancient rock art. These carvings — depicting animals, hunting scenes and human figures — are a bridge between our modern lives and the world of humans thousands of years ago. They are a source of cultural and historical knowledge.

The artworks also illuminate the journey of human civilization, revealing its cultural and social evolution in the region.

Scattered throughout the area, a wide array of rock art sites show a vast and dense collection of drawings and archaeological inscriptions from different eras etched on mountain surfaces.

Al-Fares pointed out their diversity, noting the varied artistic styles, forms, and themes that distinguish each piece.

Among the standout examples are life-sized camels crafted with remarkable precision and aesthetic detail. The careful attention to detail is thought to underscore the camel’s role as an essential sources of food and transport in ancient times.

Another façade shows a herd of cows, all facing forward, their large crescent-shaped horns curving at the tips. Encircling this herd, human figures of varying sizes are skilfully carved.

These ancient artworks are pictorial panels of human history, activity, environmental adaptation, and cultural development during ancient times. Their value shines brighter given the scarcity of insights into prehistoric life.

Studying rock art in the region matters deeply because it reveals economic and cultural changes that shaped the northern Arabian Peninsula.

The drawings show how people interacted with now-extinct animals in the area, as well as with livestock and camels.

Many carvings portray human beings astride animals, including a warrior wielding a spear and sword, rendered with finesse and skill.

Scattered throughout the region, some drawings hint at the presence of different ethnic groups that lived in the area. The provide clues to migratiosn and trace the routes of trade caravans that used these locations as settlement points.

 


Riyadh forum to discuss future of project management

The forum’s chairman, Badr Burshaid, speaks during an event in Riyadh. (X @BadrBurshaid)
Updated 06 April 2025
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Riyadh forum to discuss future of project management

  • The event will offer a platform for exchanging strategies to improve project outcomes by enhancing skills, streamlining operations, and using modern technology

RIYADH: Riyadh will host the fourth Global Project Management Forum from May 17 to 19, focusing on advancing project management and promoting innovation and sustainability.

Held under the theme “Next-Gen Project Management: The Power of People, Processes, and Technology,” the forum will bring together professionals from more than 100 countries to explore the future of project management and share new methodologies.

The event will offer a platform for exchanging strategies to improve project outcomes by enhancing skills, streamlining operations, and using modern technology, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

The forum’s chairman, Badr Burshaid, said the goal is to provide practical solutions to challenges while encouraging collaboration across people, processes, and technology.

The event will include sessions and workshops on artificial intelligence, digital transformation, sustainability, global value chains, and leadership development, along with an exhibition and book signings.

 


The Saudi volunteer team that carries out emergency rescues in the Northern region

Updated 06 April 2025
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The Saudi volunteer team that carries out emergency rescues in the Northern region

  • Turaif Falcons Search and Rescue Association rescues stranded motorists, finds missing people and assists in medical emergencies
  • Group recently helped evacuate severely overweight man suffering medical emergency in apartment

MAKKAH: A volunteer search and rescue team recently helped to evacuate a severely overweight man suffering a medical emergency in an apartment in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region.

The man, weighing around 200 kilograms, was suffering from shortness of breath and low oxygen levels.

Due to the narrow staircase in the building — around a meter wide — the specialized team had to be brought in to evacuate the patient on a stretcher.

The team worked with the Saudi Red Crescent to safely transport him to a nearby hospital where he was placed on a respirator.

It was one example of a diverse range of rescue missions that the Turaif Falcons Search and Rescue Association regularly carry out.

Their work includes rescuing people from floods, assisting motorists stuck in the sand and locating people who have gone missing in the desert.

Operating under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, they thrive in a spirited volunteer environment, committing their time, skills, and energy to community service while promoting a culture of volunteerism.

In an interview with Arab News, Mohammed Bashit Al-Ruwaili, head of public relations and media, and the official spokesperson for the association, said that the team is made up of over 150 dedicated volunteers, who play essential roles in multiple areas — most notably in supporting official agencies during search and rescue operations and contributing to life-saving efforts.

He emphasized that the team operates within a well-structured institutional framework, working in direct coordination with relevant security authorities to assist in the execution of rescue missions.

Al-Ruwaili noted that the team plays a vital role in raising community awareness through training programs that teach members of the public about wilderness safety.

It also offers support via interactive community service initiatives led by experienced and skilled members.

The team is equipped with a comprehensive system that includes vehicles fitted with communication and alert devices, and personnel trained in first aid and search operations under challenging conditions.

He pointed out that the Falcons face major challenges from harsh weather conditions, including sandstorms and extreme heat, which can hinder rescue efforts, and emphasized the continuous need to strengthen and capabilities by providing volunteers with more advanced equipment.

Al-Ruwaili also underscored the importance of unified efforts between official agencies and volunteer teams to ensure rapid and effective emergency response.

The team is committed, he said, to expanding its efforts by attracting new volunteers and forging strategic partnerships with relevant authorities.

Al-Ruwaili stressed the importance of cooperating with authorities and promptly reporting any emergencies.

He reaffirmed the Turaif Falcons’ commitment to remaining on the front lines, always prepared to respond, save lives, and serve the community.