PARIS: Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s talks with French President Francois Hollande at Elysee Palace on Monday focused on trade, mutual investment, Middle East security and the role of Iran in the region.
Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir said the talks focused on Iran’s “interference.” Hollande voiced his support for Saudi Vision 2030, which he said was going to make a qualitative change in the lives of Saudi citizens, Al-Jubeir said.
Earlier Prince Mohammed met with French Prime Minister Manuel Valls to discuss various aspects of cooperation between the two countries, according to SPA. The two countries were committed to security, stability and peace in the world, the report stated.
In a related development, Saudi-French Business Council President, Mohammed bin Ali bin Laden, said that Prince Mohammed’s visit was important for the fulfillment of Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program (NTP) and showed the strength and depth of relations.
He said the Kingdom has a strong economy in an important geographical location, and that Vision 2030 was aimed at diversifying and modernizing the national economy by investing in mineral resources, developing e-commerce and tourism, and attracting direct foreign investment.
He said the plan was to ensure the private sector’s contribution to the country’s gross domestic product would be increased from 40 percent to 65 percent by 2030, which would open up new opportunities for local and foreign investors. He urged French businesspeople to invest in the Kingdom.
According to reports, Saudi Arabia and France will sign several agreements and memoranda of understanding on the sidelines of the Saudi deputy crown prince’s visit to Paris, said Saudi ambassador to France Khaled Al-Anqari.
“The visit will further bolster the historic relations between the two countries,” he said. Al-Anqari said the two countries shared views on various issues.
France is considered one of the Kingdom’s key partners and is ranked eighth globally in terms of countries exporting to the nation. France was the 15th largest recipient of Saudi exports. Trade between the two countries stood at more than 10 billion euros in 2014, an increase of 10 percent compared to 2013. In 2015, the volume of trade was 7 billion euros.
France is the third biggest investor in the Kingdom at $15.3 billion, while the volume of Saudi investments in France stood at 900 million euros. Three percent of Saudi Arabia’s direct investments were in France, while 30 percent of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s investments were in that country, the SPA reported.
In April 2013, the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) gave several French companies new licenses for the establishment of investment projects in the Kingdom across many sectors. Following meetings of the Saudi-French Joint Committee, the two countries signed deals and agreements in a variety of sectors worth $20 billion.
Hollande: Vision 2030 to boost lives of Saudis
Hollande: Vision 2030 to boost lives of Saudis
Joint Saudi-US ‘Protection Shield IV’ drill begins
- The drill sought to heighten awareness of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear risks
DHAHRAN: In a display of strategic cooperation, the Eastern Region Command in Dhahran orchestrated the latest iteration of the joint Saudi-US exercise, “Protection Shield 4.”
Bringing together branches of the Saudi Armed Forces, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), and a consortium of civilian and military government entities—including the Ministry of Defense’s health services, the General Directorate of Civil Defense, the Ministry of Health, and the Saudi Red Crescent Authority—the drill aimed to bolster preparedness against potential threats of mass destruction.
Colonel Turki bin Salem Al-Sumairi, overseeing the participating mixed battalion, underscored the drill’s dual purpose: to enhance the operational capabilities of all involved and to foster seamless collaboration between Saudi and US forces. Furthermore, the drill sought to heighten awareness of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear risks.
Field exercises formed the crux of the event, testing the efficacy of national response plans in confronting scenarios involving weapons of mass destruction. Additionally, coordination and information exchange mechanisms were scrutinized to ensure swift and effective joint responses.
Simulated ammunition was employed during the drills to simulate crisis scenarios arising from the deployment of weapons of mass destruction. Meanwhile, health services units from the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Health, the Civil Defense, and the Saudi Red Crescent engaged in drills aimed at enhancing collaborative efforts and refining responses to chemical and biological incidents.
Asir region is first with launch of tourism identity
- Prince Turki said the slogan “Karam Al-Arouma” was inspired by the generosity and welcoming nature of the people of the region
Saudi Arabia’s Asir region has become the first in the Kingdom to create a regional tourism identity, accompanied by the slogan “Karam Al-Arouma,” or “the generosity of the people of Asir.”
Asir Gov. Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, who also heads the Asir Region Development Authority, launched the identity at an official ceremony organized by the authority and hosted by the Rijal Heritage Village in Rijal Almaa governorate.
“This identity has been in the works for quite a while. It’s a very exciting day for us to finally unveil this to the world. It’s going to help our marketing efforts both domestically and internationally,“ Hashim Al-Dabbagh, the authority’s CEO, told Arab News.
“The vision of the Asir region is to be a preeminent destination year-round, and having our own identity is a step in that direction,” he said.
Asir is seeking to become a global destination throughout the year, based on its authentic culture and wide range of natural attractions.
Prince Turki said the slogan “Karam Al-Arouma” was inspired by the generosity and welcoming nature of the people of the region.
The identity was supported by the launch of the “Discover Asir” tourism website under the umbrella of “Visit Saudi,” which will provide tourist information.
Saudi Justice Ministry to host training conference
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Justice is to hold the International Conference of Judicial Training in Riyadh from May 6-7.
The Judicial Training Center hosts the event which will see the participation of several international training institutes, centers, and experts in the field of judicial and legal training. The objective is to facilitate the exchange of experiences and deliberations on contemporary trends in the era of digital transformation.
Called “The Future of Judicial Training in the Era of Digital Transformation,” the event will delve into the prospects of training in the future. It will explore paths for enhancing training content; strategies for harnessing modern technology; artificial intelligence in judicial training; and effective methodologies for measuring the training’s impact.
Saudi energy minister attends Tashkent International Investment Forum
TASHKENT: Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman on Thursday participated in the primary dialogue session at the third Tashkent International Investment Forum.
In the presence of the president of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the energy minister highlighted the distinguished relations between the two nations, emphasizing the leadership’s strong commitment to enhancing and expanding cooperation across all sectors, particularly energy.
The partnership aims to benefit both countries and their citizens.
Who’s Who: Ali Alhasan, CEO and founder of NanoPalm
- Alhasan co-developed deep tech to leverage large language models for biotech discovery
- He was granted the Outstanding Researcher Award from the International Institute for Nanotechnology in 2012
Ali Alhasan is CEO and founder of the company NanoPalm. He holds a Ph.D. in nanomedicine, with expertise in nano-drug delivery and gene therapy and five years of experience in executive management.
In his role as CEO, Alhasan formulates the strategic and business plans for accelerating therapy translation globally and trains talents in deep tech, nanotech, and gene editing tech.
Alhasan co-developed deep tech to leverage large language models for biotech discovery. He also co-invented Nanopalm’s biorobots for the delivery of gene editing primers and helped discover four nanomedicines for four different genetic diseases.
He is also an associate professor at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology and an adjunct professor at Alfaisal University, establishing collaboration agreements between the two.
As associate professor, he is the principal researcher for development and innovation in nanomedicine and the fourth industrial revolution.
In his role as adjunct professor, Alhasan teaches nanomedicine and mentors postgraduate and undergraduate students. He also co-established the Cancer Nanoscience Program.
Previously, Alhasan served in executive leadership roles at KACST as deputy at the Joint Centers of Excellence Program (2021), deputy of the Life Science and Environment Research Institute (2020), director of the Center of Excellence for Biomedicine (2020), and director of Strategic Initiatives (2016).
Alhasan was a post-doctoral scholar at the University of California in 2015 and received his Ph.D. in the Interdepartmental Biological Sciences Program from Northwestern University in 2013.
In 2008, he received a master’s degree in biotechnology also from Northwestern University, while in 2001, he received his bachelor’s degree in medical technology from King Abdulaziz University.
Alhasan was granted the Leader of the Year award from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology in 2024. In 2018, he received the Outstanding Investigator Award from KACST.
He was granted the Outstanding Researcher Award from the International Institute for Nanotechnology in 2012.
