Saudi crown prince suggests two G20 extraordinary leaders’ summits take place yearly

Saudi Arabia will continue to answer the global call to address modern challenges, together with G20 members, says Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (SPA)
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Updated 23 November 2020
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Saudi crown prince suggests two G20 extraordinary leaders’ summits take place yearly

  • Under Saudi Arabia’s presidency, the G20 held an extraordinary summit last March to tackle the COVID-19 crisis
  • Saudi Arabia then hosted the G20 Leaders’ Summit virtually on Nov. 21-22, 2020

RIYADH:  Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman recommended that going forward, the Group of Twenty (G20) organization should hold two annual summits, a virtual one in the middle of the year, and a physical summit at the end.

Minutes before the closing remarks of the Kingdom’s G20 presidency, the crown prince said: “I would like to thank all of our ministers and officials for their active participation during many meetings, and the succession of this year’s programs despite the difficult circumstances.”

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) represented an unprecedented global threat, prompting the Kingdom to hold two summits during its presidential year, which has not happened in any previous presidency since the group’s founding in 1999.

The crown prince said that based on the success of the Saudi experience in holding an extraordinary G20 summit last March, and the success of the Riyadh summit, he proposed that going forward, two annual summits be held instead.

“We hope that Italy will crystallize this idea with the aim of supporting joint international coordination and intensifying the role, to come up with policies and initiatives to meet any challenges and determine the economic and well-being of our peoples,” he said.

As this year is an extraordinary year for the whole world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Saudi Arabia was honored to host the G20 Leaders’ Summit virtually over two days, on Nov. 21-22, 2020.

After King Salman’s closing remarks and the handing over of the presidency to Italy, Crown Prince Mohammed ended the summit by highlighting the G20’s achievements since its foundation.

“(The G20) has been an essential link among our countries. It has demonstrated the vitality of its role, over the years, to deal with economic, financial, social, and environmental issues,” he said.

The crown prince emphasized the importance of cooperation in light of the outbreak of COVID-19 , and its health, economic, and social repercussions.

“Together we have addressed this challenge with seriousness necessitated by the responsibility to preserve human life, protect livelihoods, mitigate the ensuing damage of this pandemic, and raise readiness to face any future crises, God forbid,” he added.

Saudi Arabia’s presidency of the G20 was exceptional in that it adopted the slogan of “Realizing Opportunities of the 21st Century for All” to empower people, safeguard the planet and shape new frontiers, and to address the professional interaction led by the Kingdom to unite efforts to confront the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We stand today at the end of an exceptional year in which we had the privilege and responsibility of the G20 presidency,” he said. “This year, the G20 adopted priorities that we worked on together to implement, top of which is addressing the health care, economic, and social impacts of the pandemic.”

He mentioned that the G20 had demonstrated that “together, our strength lies in our unity. This is exactly what the G20 was created for — to bring countries from every continent together to address collectively the greatest challenges of the day and implement joint and effective solutions.

“We fully realize the importance of better protection from future pandemics, and we must draw lessons from this crisis. To ensure that, the Saudi G20 presidency proposed an initiative to enhance access to pandemic tools.”

He said that this initiative would work to achieve three goals: First, to promote research and development, and distribution of diagnostic tools, therapeutics, and vaccines for all infectious diseases. Second, to encourage and facilitate international funding for global pandemic preparedness, and third, to support the training of epidemiologists all over the world.

Throughout its presidency of the G20, the Kingdom has dedicated its efforts to building a stronger and more sustainable world, in parallel with its significant economic and social transformation based on Vision 2030.

“We conclude this summit determined to take action and to continue working together until we overcome the pandemic, giving hope and reassurance to our nations and to the world. We are proud of what we have accomplished this year, and we know that plenty still needs to be done,” the crown prince said,

“Saudi Arabia will continue to support the international efforts related to providing equitable and affordable COVID-19 therapeutics and vaccines for all, once they become available. I know many join us in this commitment.

“We will work together with our international partners and the Italian G20 presidency next year to achieve this. The Kingdom will continue to answer the global call to address the challenges of the 21st century, together with the G20 members. We wish all the best for Italy,” he concluded.


King Salman issues royal order to host 1,000 Palestinians to perform Hajj this year

Updated 19 May 2025
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King Salman issues royal order to host 1,000 Palestinians to perform Hajj this year

RIYADH: Saudi King Salman has ordered on Monday the hosting of 1,000 Palestinian pilgrims to perform Hajj this year, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The statement said the King has ordered the “hosting of 1,000 male and female pilgrims from the families of killed or wounded Palestinians” amid the conflict with Israel.   

The gesture is part of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Guests Program for Hajj and Umrah, which is supervised by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance.

The ministry said it immediately began developing a comprehensive plan to facilitate the performance of Hajj for the Palestinian pilgrims. 

 

 


Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs attends Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural mass

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir heads Saudi delegation at inauguration ceremony of Pope Leo XIV.
Updated 18 May 2025
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Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs attends Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural mass

  • The pope began his inauguration mass on Sunday, marking the official start of his papacy
  • He arrived in St Peter’s Square in the white Popemobile, waving to the crowds

RIYADH: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Climate Affairs Envoy Adel Al-Jubeir headed Saudi Arabia’s delegation participating in the inauguration ceremony of Pope Leo XIV, Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

The pope began his inauguration mass on Sunday, marking the official start of his papacy. He arrived in St Peter’s Square in the white Popemobile, waving to the crowds.

The Kingdom’s ambassador to Italy Prince Faisal bin Sattam bin Abdulaziz also attended the mass.


Plan smarter to ‘unlock future prosperity,’ Saudi housing minister says

Updated 18 May 2025
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Plan smarter to ‘unlock future prosperity,’ Saudi housing minister says

  • Project management leaders gather in Riyadh to discuss best practices in alignment with Vision 2030
  • More than 133,000 entities in the Kingdom working on range of construction projects

RIYADH: Project management is “one of the most important drivers of national trust,” Saudi Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail told a conference in Riyadh on Sunday.

Saudi Vision 2030 was created to paint a prosperous future that will reinvent the economic, social, and developmental reality of the Kingdom, Al-Hogail added.

Project management plays a pivotal role at the governmental level by improving the execution and quality control of numerous projects, in full alignment with national goals and targets, he said.

The fourth Global Project Management Forum, with Arab News as a media partner, began its first day of discussions with more than 120 speakers.

The event brings together experts for workshops and dialogue on the best practices in the industry, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s rapid development under Vision 2030.

“Today, we are witnessing accelerating changes and rising challenges … at the heart of (the solutions) is project management to reshape our spaces, meet the needs of the people, and enhance overall sustainability,” said Al-Hogail.

“At the housing and municipality sector, we design projects to meet the dreams of households.”

According to the minister, more than 133,000 entities in the Kingdom are working on a wide range of construction projects.

“This kind of momentum cannot be achieved without project management, which starts with the people and their focus on the conscious planning, flexibility in execution, and ability to adapt to new changes.”

Project management has become smarter, he said, with a strong ability to predict and plan sustainably, and with the potential to help build a strong nation with a diversified economy.

The two-day forum will feature 50 strategic and technical sessions, and include more than 40 exhibitors. A total of 60 agreements will be signed to develop partnerships between entities.


Saudi deputy minister receives Russia, Ukraine envoys

Updated 18 May 2025
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Saudi deputy minister receives Russia, Ukraine envoys

Saudi Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Rassi received Ambassador of Russia to the Kingdom Sergey Kozlov in Riyadh on Sunday.

In a separate meeting, Al-Rassi received Ambassador of Ukraine to the Kingdom Anatolii Petrenko, the Foreign Ministry wrote in a post on X.

During the meetings, all sides discussed bilateral relations as well as prominent developments in regional and international arenas.


Riyadh event highlights the role of Saudi museums in the age of social change

Updated 18 May 2025
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Riyadh event highlights the role of Saudi museums in the age of social change

  • Cultural objectives of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 in focus at three-day event

RIYADH: In recognition of International Museum Day, the National Museum of Riyadh hosted, a cultural event under the theme: “The future of museums in rapidly changing societies.”

The event, organized by the Saudi Ministry of Culture’s Museums Commission, ran from May 15 to 17 and highlighted the role of museums in social change, innovation and youth engagement.

The program included workshops, debates, performances and interactive activities, all aligned with the cultural goals of Vision 2030.

A special session took place with Princess Haifa bint Mansour bin Bandar, president of the Saudi National Committee of the International Council of Museums.

During this open discussion, Princess Haifa emphasized the importance of considering the specific situation of museums depending on their location and level of development. While some institutions demonstrate real dynamism, others are struggling to keep up.

“The efforts to modernize and renovate certain museums are clear. However, other museums face challenges in trying to catch up,” she said.

She stressed the need to revise the legislative framework and encourage private investment to support growth in the sector:

“Our museum system is currently being reviewed, and legislation is needed that encourages investment. Supporting the creation of museums in smaller buildings helps to facilitate funding.”

Regarding the frequent criticisms of so-called “traditional” museums, she offered a more nuanced view.

“There are traditional museums that are changing and remain popular, which proves they still serve the public. Sometimes, traditional museums fail to attract the public, even more so than innovative museums.”

She also referred to the significant transformations underway in the Kingdom, supported by a government body dedicated to the museum sector.

“We are in the midst of a radical transformation with a body entirely dedicated to museums, that supports positive change and offers opportunities for progress.”

As the longstanding head of the Saudi ICOM committee, Princess Haifa reminded the audience that Saudi Arabia is actively involved in international dialogue and decision-making:

“This year, we participated in the revision of a code of ethics established in previous years to recognize what constitutes a museum. We are currently translating certain museological references into Arabic.”

Human resources were another key focus of her speech. She identified several obstacles, especially language barriers and the lack of specialized training.

“The first challenge is the language factor. Frankly, we must acknowledge these issues, particularly the importance of the English language,

“We absolutely need specialized schools, partnerships with universities, training opportunities in our field, and specializations such as museum management and exhibition security.”

Despite the challenges, she expressed optimism, welcoming ongoing partnerships with Saudi universities — particularly in the Eastern Province — and the creation of new professional qualifications.

“This is a diploma that is about to become a master’s degree. Museums are not merely storage spaces; they were designed to be places of restoration and rehabilitation. Today, they have become vital centers offering programs for all segments of society.”

In the context of cultural and social transformation, the ongoing reflection on the role of museums in Saudi society reflects a clear ambition: to transform museums into vibrant, inclusive and forward-looking institutions.

Reporting to the Ministry of Culture, the Saudi Museums Commission is a public body whose mission is to develop, modernize, and supervise museums throughout the Kingdom, whether public or private.

It supports the creation of new museums, promotes heritage, encourages innovation — particularly in the digital space — and fosters cultural education.