Saudi, Italian officials highlight growing economic ties at ongoing talks

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Updated 29 April 2025
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Saudi, Italian officials highlight growing economic ties at ongoing talks

Saudi, Italian officials highlight growing economic ties at ongoing talks
  • Talks will solidify strategic pacts, says ambassador Prince Faisal
  • Officials from both nations optimistic about cementing relations

MILAN: Government and business officials from Saudi Arabia and Italy are continuing talks, which began on Monday and ends on April 30, to cement economic and cultural ties between the two nations.

On Monday, Milan hosted the Saudi-Italian Business Forum in Lombardy.

Kamel Al-Munajjed, chairman of the Saudi-Italian Business Council, said that over 300 companies wanted to participate, signaling considerable enthusiasm for collaboration.

However, the organizers were only able to accommodate 150 companies, according to Al-Munajjed.

High-profile attendees included Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Italy Prince Faisal bin Sattam bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, who underscored the significance of the visit to Italy.

Prince Faisal told Arab News the talks “reinforce” the commitment to advance the strategic partnerships signed previously by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

“The Saudi-Italian Business Council events in Milan and Turin lay the groundwork for future cooperation in energy, infrastructure, technology, renewable resources, and other strategic sectors.

“This initiative supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and Italy’s industrial agenda, fostering long-lasting partnerships and new synergies,” said Prince Faisal.

Valerio de Molli, CEO and managing partner of The European House - Ambrosetti & TEHA Group, a leading management consulting firm in Italy, said there was significant potential for joint business ventures.

De Molli said that considerable expertise can be provided by his firm which organizes over 850 events annually, involving thousands of experts and entrepreneurs.

Members of Saudi Arabia’s delegation also expressed optimism about the talks.

Sultan Al-Mousa, a Saudi Arabia author and angel investor, said: “What I liked the most was the networking after we finished the forum itself. Everything was amazing.”

He added that he was looking for partnerships with Italian companies.

An Italian government official, Giorgio Silli, undersecretary of state for foreign affairs and international cooperation, thanked the Saudi-Italian Business Council for organizing the forum.

Silli said it was a “valuable platform for generating dialogue between our business communities.”

He said these meetings were “very important” on all levels and that commerce was the “glue” which connects the two countries.

“I am really in love with the Saudi culture. And I really think that together we can look to the future in a complementary way without forgetting who we are, which is our story.”

Antonio Franceschini, head of office at CNA, emphasized the importance of fostering connections between Italian and Saudi SMEs.

He said: “We think the very interesting opportunity between our countries is to develop and to share the experience in the sector of small and medium enterprises and the craft sector.”

Franceschini also announced plans for a new business mission in Riyadh next November.

Raffaele Cattaneo, undersecretary to the presidency of the Lombardy region with responsibility for international and European relations, highlighted the significance of the relationship between Italy and Saudi Arabia.

Cattaneo told Arab News: “Saudi Arabia is an open country with a lot of opportunities … This is another important step in the right direction.”

He stressed the need for cooperation to build bridges between Western and Eastern countries, promoting peace and prosperity through shared business interests.

Amanda Simoncelli, a student at Bocconi University, told Arab News about her research on the alignment of perceptions between Italian investors and Saudi policymakers.

“I think relations between Saudi and Italy are extremely important because we can create invaluable value for the entire community,” she said.

Elena Murelli, senator in the Italian parliament, highlighted the significance of the forum, saying: “It’s important because we have 90,000 companies in Italy, small and medium enterprises ... Saudi companies can invest in Italy and help these little companies to access new markets.”


Saudi Arabia ‘categorically rejects’ Israel’s plan to seize Gaza territory

Saudi Arabia ‘categorically rejects’ Israel’s plan to seize Gaza territory
Updated 08 May 2025
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Saudi Arabia ‘categorically rejects’ Israel’s plan to seize Gaza territory

Saudi Arabia ‘categorically rejects’ Israel’s plan to seize Gaza territory
  • Israeli authorities on Monday approved plans to take over territory and forcibly displace population
  • Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemns Israel’s violations of international law

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has “categorically rejected” plans by Israel to expand its military operations in Gaza and seize control of the territory.

The ministry also “strongly condemned the continued Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law.”

Israeli authorities on Monday approved a new ground operation to take over parts of Gaza, forcibly displace Palestinians into the south of the territory, and control the distribution of humanitarian aid. The Israeli army is calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers.

The announcement sparked widespread international condemnation. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said it stood firmly opposed to any attempted expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, and stressed the importance of holding Israel accountable for failures to comply with international resolutions.

The Kingdom continues to have “unwavering support for the Palestinian cause, in line with international legitimacy, the Arab Peace Initiative, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with east Jerusalem as its capital,” the ministry added.


Saudi project destroys 600 more Houthi landmines and other explosives in Yemen

Saudi project destroys 600 more Houthi landmines and other explosives in Yemen
Updated 07 May 2025
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Saudi project destroys 600 more Houthi landmines and other explosives in Yemen

Saudi project destroys 600 more Houthi landmines and other explosives in Yemen
  • The devices, cleared from various parts of the war-torn country in recent months, were safely detonated on Wednesday
  • Project Masam has removed nearly 500,000 mines across Yemen since its launch in 2018

RIYADH: Members of the Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance, also known as Project Masam, safely detonated 600 mines, unexploded ordnance and other explosive devices on Wednesday.

The project’s engineers had demined and removed the devices over the past few months from various parts of Yemen, including the town of Beihan and the districts of Usaylan and Ain in Shabwah governorate.

Hussein Al-Aqili, commander of the project’s survey team, said they carried out the destruction operation in the Thahba area of Ain district on Wednesday as part of their ongoing mission to clear mines and other remnants of war in Yemen, and save civilian lives.

The project has cleared nearly 500,000 mines from the country since its work there began in 2018.

Last week, Ousama Algosaibi, the managing director of Masam, warned that the Houthis continue to exploit periods of truce to plant more mines across Yemen.

“We are in a constant race with the Houthi militias; we clear mines from one side while they plant more on the other,” he said during an interview with Al-Ekhbariya TV.


Saudi ambassador meets Bahrain King’s media affairs adviser

Saudi ambassador meets Bahrain King’s media affairs adviser
Updated 07 May 2025
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Saudi ambassador meets Bahrain King’s media affairs adviser

Saudi ambassador meets Bahrain King’s media affairs adviser

Saudi Ambassador to Bahrain Naif bin Bandar Al-Sudairi was received by Nabeel bin Yacoub Al-Hamer, media affairs adviser to the King of Bahrain, in Manama on Wednesday.

The adviser expressed his pride in the solid fraternal relations and deep-rooted historical ties that bind the two countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

He also wished Al-Sudairi continued success in his duties, which will further support and strengthen the fraternal ties, mutual coordination, and close cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in various fields, and particularly in the media.


 


Saudi commission expands music access for people with disabilities

Saudi commission expands music access for people with disabilities
Updated 07 May 2025
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Saudi commission expands music access for people with disabilities

Saudi commission expands music access for people with disabilities
  • Push for accessible arts programming reflects wider goals for social development

MAKKAH: Saudi Arabia’s Music Commission has launched a national initiative to expand access to music education for people with disabilities, marking a key step toward their greater inclusion in the Kingdom’s cultural landscape.

Focused on Riyadh, Jeddah and Alkhobar, the program trains instructors to teach students with physical and cognitive disabilities.

It supports the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to elevate quality of life and ensure opportunities for all segments of society.

Music education expert Issa Al-Qarbi praised the initiative as a transformative step in supporting individuals with disabilities.

“Music is a highly effective medium for stimulating brain activity, developing motor and social skills, and enhancing overall psychological well-being,” he said.

The initiative includes adapting teaching methods, specialized curricula and fully accessible learning environments aligned with the requirements of the Mowaamah certification, a program which provides support to increase participation among disabled individuals in the labor market.

In designing the program, the commission partnered with international experts in music on the curricula and programs that align with global best practices.

The existing models were reviewed using the standards set by the National Association for Music Education.

The commission’s goal is to empower students to express themselves through music, boost their self-confidence and enhance their social, cognitive and motor skills.

The students will receive extended training that prepares them for group performances while supporting their artistic, cognitive and social development. Sessions with parents and community members are also being planned to raise awareness and encourage family engagement.

Al-Qarbi said that long-term sustainability and lasting impacts could be ensured by closer partnerships between the education and healthcare sectors.

He praised the initiative as a regional model, opening the door to further research and innovation.

He said that teaching music to individuals with disabilities went beyond technical skills, nurturing essential personal qualities such as patience, discipline and social engagement, which in turn positively influenced many areas of their lives.


Saudi surgeons separate Egyptian child from parasitic twin

Saudi surgeons separate Egyptian child from parasitic twin
Updated 07 May 2025
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Saudi surgeons separate Egyptian child from parasitic twin

Saudi surgeons separate Egyptian child from parasitic twin
  • Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah says operation is one of the most delicate carried out by his team
  • Procedure takes 8 hours and involves multidisciplinary team of 26 consultants

RIYADH: A medical team from the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program successfully completed a surgical procedure on Wednesday to separate an Egyptian child from a parasitic twin.

The operation on 8-month-old Mohammed Abdulrahman Juma at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Riyadh took eight hours and was split into six stages. It involved a multidisciplinary team of 26 consultants, including specialists in anesthesia, neurosurgery, pediatrics and plastic surgery.

A parasitic twin, also known as a vestigial twin, is an identical twin that stopped developing during gestation and is physically attached to a fully developed twin. Because it did not fully develop, it cannot survive on its own and often dies in the womb or during birth.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, who heads the surgical team and is an advisor at the royal court and supervisor general of Saudi aid agency KSrelief, said the twins were joined at the back, lower chest, abdomen and pelvis. The parasitic twin lacked a head and essential organs, including a heart and kidneys.

Al-Rabeeah described the operation as one of the most delicate his team has been involved with, and thanked his colleagues for their efficiency and skill during the surgery, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Mohammed and his parents flew to Saudi Arabia in March after King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman issued directives for medics in the Kingdom to help the child.

The operation on Wednesday was the 63rd separation procedure carried out under the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, which has reviewed 149 cases of patients from 27 countries since its inception in 1990.