Saudi Arabia’s KACARE signs MoUs to propel energy innovation and empower women

King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy has signed a range of agreements. X/@moenergy_saudi
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Updated 18 December 2024
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Saudi Arabia’s KACARE signs MoUs to propel energy innovation and empower women

  • First MoU will focus on developing and localizing innovative technologies in the energy sector
  • Second deal signed with the Saudi Women and Energy Association will further reinforce the Kingdom’s commitment to empowering female workers

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy has signed new agreements to advance innovation, localize solutions, and empower women. 

The first memorandum of understanding, inked with King Saud University, will focus on developing and localizing innovative technologies in the energy sector, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The agreement also emphasizes building human capacity through training programs and the exchange of expertise, with a particular focus on technical and advisory services. 

This partnership supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to increase the Kingdom’s use of renewable energy and promote sustainability. 

It also aligns with Saudi Arabia’s goal of 50 percent of its electricity coming from renewable sources by the end of the decade.

In addition to these technological advancements, the MoU includes the development of educational programs and scholarships to help meet the growing demand for skilled professionals in the energy sector. 

The agreement also includes joint research initiatives in renewable energy, atomic energy, hydrogen technologies, and artificial intelligence applications within the energy field. This will provide valuable opportunities for students and researchers to contribute to the Kingdom’s energy transformation, the SPA report added.

KACARE also signed a second MoU with the Saudi Women and Energy Association, further reinforcing the Kingdom’s commitment to empowering female workers in the sector. 

This agreement focuses on launching comprehensive initiatives and programs aimed at supporting women to become leaders and innovators in energy. It includes training and development opportunities, such as the WE Spark program, which is dedicated to training women in renewable energy. 

This program is in partnership with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and seeks to equip women with the skills necessary to excel in a rapidly evolving industry. 

The MoU also includes conducting studies to assess women’s participation in the energy sector. The research will identify key challenges and propose solutions to enhance women’s roles, ensuring equal opportunities in the workplace and supporting their development into leadership positions. 

In a further effort to empower women in the energy industry, KACARE signed another MoU with Princess Nourah University. This agreement aims to enhance female competencies in renewable energy through tailored training programs for female students pursuing engineering degrees. 

It also seeks to improve the capabilities of faculty members in providing specialized programs in solar energy, as well as upgrading infrastructure to support hydrogen production plants and solar photovoltaic energy projects. 


Saudi Arabia’s cultural sector is a new economic engine between Riyadh and Paris, says ambassador

Updated 25 January 2026
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Saudi Arabia’s cultural sector is a new economic engine between Riyadh and Paris, says ambassador

RIYADH: Culture has become a fundamental pillar in bilateral relations between France and Saudi Arabia, according to the French Ambassador to the Kingdom, Patrick Maisonnave.

Maisonnave noted its connection to the entertainment and tourism sectors, which makes it a new engine for economic cooperation between Riyadh and Paris.

He told Al-Eqtisadiah during the opening ceremony of La Fabrique in the Jax district of Diriyah that cultural cooperation with Saudi Arabia is an important element for its attractiveness in the coming decades.

La Fabrique is a space dedicated to artistic creativity and cultural exchange, launched as part of a partnership between the Riyadh Art program and the French Institute in Riyadh. 

Running from Jan. 22 until Feb 14, the initiative will provide an open workspace that allows artists to develop and work on their ideas within a collaborative framework.

Launching La Fabrique as a space dedicated to artistic creativity

The ambassador highlighted that the transformation journey in the Kingdom under Vision 2030 has contributed to the emergence of a new generation of young artists and creators, alongside a growing desire in Saudi society to connect with culture and to embrace what is happening globally. 

He affirmed that the relationship between the two countries is “profound, even cultural par excellence,” with interest from the Saudi side in French culture, matched by increasing interest from the French public and cultural institutions unfolding in the Kingdom.

Latest estimates indicate that the culture-based economy represents about 2.3 percent of France’s gross domestic product, equivalent to more than 90 billion euros ($106.4 billion) in annual revenues, according to government data. The sector directly employs more than 600,000 people, making it one of the largest job-creating sectors in the fields of creativity, publishing, cinema, and visual arts.

Saudi Arabia benefiting from French experience in the cultural field

Maisonnave explained that France possesses established cultural institutions, while Saudi Arabia is building a strong cultural sector, which opens the door for cooperation opportunities.

This comes as an extension of the signing of 10 major cultural agreements a year ago between French and Saudi institutions, aiming to enhance cooperation and transfer French expertise and knowledge to contribute to the development of the cultural system in the Kingdom.

He added that experiences like La Fabrique provide an opportunity to meet the new generation of Saudi creators, who have expressed interest in connecting with French institutions and artists in Paris and France.

La Fabrique encompasses a space for multiple contemporary artistic practices, including performance arts, digital and interactive arts, photography, music, and cinema, while providing the public with an opportunity to witness the stages of producing artistic works and interact with the creative process.