A proposed roadmap to ‘hopeful competitiveness’ for Saudi products

Visitors watch a 3D presentation during a recent exhibition on NEOM, in Saudi capital Riyadh. The faculty of academic institutions are being encourages to support locally-made products that are based on innovation. (Reuters file photo)
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Updated 24 August 2020
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A proposed roadmap to ‘hopeful competitiveness’ for Saudi products

  • Supporting local businesses at the core of Made in Saudi Arabia project amid calls for higher taxes on imported goods

RIYADH: There’s no doubt that supporting local Saudi businesses has been a target for many industries in the past few years. It has gained even more attention now due to the launch of the Made in Saudi Arabia project.

Supporting national products has been a focus for up-and-coming companies, but with the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef’s recent announcement regarding the launch of the project, to increase the growth of national industries and to pursuance consumers to turn to them, academic, economic and industrial experts have emphasized the importance of the timing of the project.

Dr. Lilak Al-Safadi, the president of the Saudi Electronic University, pointed to the UN Industrial Development Organization report 2020, which described the Kingdom as one of the states most actively engaged in advanced digital production technologies.

“The report was published after in-depth research efforts with the participation of global research centers and academic institutions. The rapid development of digital production technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, big data analysis, clouding, automation etc., make drastic changes to the nature of industrial production while enhancing comprehensive and sustainable industrial development,” she explained.

National universities should play a role in enhancing entrepreneurial and innovative skills, and ensuring that the programs and courses are up to date with latest industrial trends. The faculty of academic institutions should support locally made products that are based on innovation, as such action can help universities play a complementary role with the industry sector.




Dr. Lilak Al-Safadi

“In light of the advantages of using technology in the industrialization process, the Made in Saudi Arabia project will bring strategic benefits to the industry sector, and help universities build partnerships with local and international companies to promote digital industrialization development and research. This will also help in designing sustainable products,” added Al-Safadi.

Hassan Alwatban, an economic consultant, underscored the importance of the Made in Saudi Arabic project, especially in light of the fact the Kingdom has achieved major progress in terms of infrastructure and other development goals. Today, an investor can make safe investments knowing that the government provides full support to ensure all sectors are being developed constantly.

“The protection of local industries is essential for this project. Taxes and levies should be imposed on foreign and imported goods because these act as a stumbling block in the way of national industrialization and might contribute to its failure if no action is taken,” he said.

Second to education, experience is key to the success of any product, let alone a Saudi product. The consultant went on to say that Saudis should gain foreign experience and to promote their products.

“We need to find ways and approaches that help reduce production costs because if the prices of domestic products get higher, this will have an impact on the continuity of the national factory. In this case, the foreign product will replace the Saudi one. One of the ways to reduce production costs is to ensure the easy access to national products across the country in all cities,” he explained.

In order to ensure continuity, Alwatban suggested that having a strategic partner could help Saudi products survive in an ever-changing market.

“No matter how big the capital is, it might be affected when the project gets through difficult circumstances. With the help of the strategic partner, the Saudi product can survive all obstacles and difficulties,” he added.

Tareq Al-Akil, president of ACE group, stressed the importance of encouraging individuals to run small independent businesses, noting that there should be service centers that act complementary for certain industries as well as centers for data collection.

Al-Akil, who has three decades’ experience in different business sectors, called for maximizing local resources to benefit society. He said these included an increase in income, decrease in unemployment and maintaining liquidity, whilst enhancing the GDP.

“It is logical to start small then get big over time after gaining experience, controlling the cost and identifying the distribution channels. The stereotypes associated with industrial entrepreneurs have changed and are no longer negative,” he said.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Alakel, an innovation researcher, said it was important to have a roadmap for localizing technologies and making the best of previous experiences.

“In order for these projects to be successful, both the public and private sectors as well as universities should work together to come up with something innovative. Each sector plays a pivotal role related to its field, be it development, innovation, infrastructure, laws and regulations. All involved sectors can cooperate to remove any obstacles encountering the industrial sector. Determination and complementary work are the only way to achieve the sought-after goals,” he pointed out.

Some organizations, businesses and universities do have previous experiences that can be helpful in this regard, such as King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology, which has come a long way in localizing certain technologies, including military applications, solar energy and satellites, along with software applications. Other examples include SABIC, farming companies, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, King Saud University and King Abdullah University for Science and Technology.

“They all have experience in petroleum industries. Besides, the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 aims to find ways for mutual collaboration among all sectors. This is something important,” he said.


Saudi crown prince receives princes, officials, scholars, citizens in Eastern Region

Updated 11 sec ago
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Saudi crown prince receives princes, officials, scholars, citizens in Eastern Region

  • The audience was also attended by energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman

DAMMAM: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Friday received several princes, officials, scholars and a group of citizens at the Gulf Palace in Dammam, Saudi Press Agency reported.

At the beginning of the reception, they all listened to a recitation of verses from the Holy Qu’ran, SPA added.

The audience was also attended by Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, governor of the Eastern Region, energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, and Prince Mishari bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed.

 


Faia Younan serenades Ithra

Updated 37 min 51 sec ago
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Faia Younan serenades Ithra

  • At the opening night performance, Younan sang to a full house — almost every plush red seat at the Ithra Theater was occupied
  • Throughout the performance, the band surrounded the singer like a frame, with the set lights changing colors behind her

DHAHRAN: Syrian star Faia Younan graced the stage at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, Ithra, for the first of two evenings of music on Thursday.
Returning to the Ithra stage after almost a year, the singer-songwriter performed a medley of her most popular hits, some original songs and a few covers.
“Her music fuses modern arrangements, traditional instruments and lyrics based on classical literary poetry, shaping her unique musical identity,” Ithra said in a statement to Arab News.
At the opening night performance, Younan sang to a full house — almost every plush red seat at the Ithra Theater was occupied.
After her first song, the singer asked the sound team to turn on the balcony lights so she could greet the audience.
“I am so excited to be back in the Kingdom. I would like the lights to be turned on so I could capture a visual snapshot of this beautiful crowd,” she told her fans to loud applause.
Younan included the audience by asking them to clap along to certain sections and encouraging them to join in when she repeated part of a song, telling them: “Those aching to sing along can do so with me.”
Throughout the performance, the band surrounded the singer like a frame, with the set lights changing colors behind her.
Younan thanked every musician who accompanied her on stage. The band was led by pianist Rayan Habe, followed by Mohamed Ben Salha on ney, Abdul Halim Al-Khatib on qanoun, Yarub Samarait on violin, Walid Nassaer and Salman Baalbaki on percussion, and Julio Eid on bass guitar.
In an endearing moment, the heel of Younan’s shoe broke as she was belting out a lyric. But the singer completed the song without interruption, then elegantly removed her shoes and told the crowd that the accident was a blessing in disguise.
“Now, I can dance more easily to the next song, which will be Khaleeji,” she told the roaring crowd.
After singing many Arabic songs, Younan switched to Assyrian sounds, performing in one of the many ancient languages spoken in her native Syria.
The singer made history in 2015 when she became the first woman artist from the MENA region to crowdfund her debut single, “Ohebbou Yadayka.”
Younan has more than 1.3 million followers on Instagram and a huge fan base in the region.
Earlier this year, she was one of the winners of the Prince Abdullah bin Faisal Award for Arabic Poetry, in the best sung poem category, which earned her a prize of SR200,000 ($53,333).
“Mashallah, Faia managed to play a lot of her songs — and her singing live sounds a lot like the studio recording,” attendee Assiel Al-Shuail told Arab News at the end of the opening night.
The finale of Younan’s two-day show ends Friday, starting 8 p.m.


Culinary diplomacy from the heart of Alkhobar

Updated 17 May 2024
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Culinary diplomacy from the heart of Alkhobar

  • Grant was joined on the visit by James Sindle, US consul-general in Dhahran
  • “The food has been great, super tasty, great flavors, but also, there’s some similarities here and there, so it always felt welcoming and inviting,” Grant told Arab News

ALKHOBAR: Celebrated American chef Jerome Grant ventured to Dhahran on Thursday to teach Saudi culinary students about a dish close to his heart. As a culinary diplomat, Grant visited ZADK Culinary Academy to break bread, learn about Saudi cuisine, and provide a bit of his homeland on a plate.
Grant was joined on the visit by James Sindle, US consul-general in Dhahran.
“It’s my first visit to Saudi. The food has been great, super tasty, great flavors, but also, there’s some similarities here and there, so it always felt welcoming and inviting,” Grant told Arab News.
“I think food is a great tool that connects us as people and human beings. We could all be all different walks of life, different cultures, different religions, but the connection at our dinner table in our food, I believe, is what helps with a lot of the communication.”
Before owning his current BBQ joint, Grant led the revolution in museum dining, landing him three James Beard nominations. Grant uses recipes that highlight the richness of his multi-cultural heritage — he is half Filipino, half Jamaican, and resides in the US — and each part of his story is steeped in playful flavor. In 2019, he was named one of the “16 Black chefs changing food in America” by the New York Times and was nominated that same year for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic and Best American Cookbook. In 2017, his restaurant was on the James Beard Foundation’s list of Best New Restaurants.
Sindle was elated to swap his suit jacket and tie for a ZADK apron and was immediately put on tomato-peeling duty.
“It was absolutely lovely. It was nice to see the exchange between a US food diplomat and the students learning the culinary arts and having an opportunity to share a little bit about American culinary tradition. It’s not just about hamburgers and hotdogs,” Sindle said with a laugh.
The students at ZADK were curious, attentive, passionate and overjoyed at cooking with Grant. At the end of the cooking demonstration, each took a spoon and scraped a bite. Some students compared the creamy grits to the popular milky Hijazi dish, saleeg. Grant stood around answering questions and taking selfies with the budding chefs.
“As a graduate ... from ZADK, I had the opportunity to explore the chef life and explore the back of the house and now I’m exploring the opportunity to be in front of the house,” Saudi chef Esmaeel Bukhamseen told Arab News.
“It was honestly an amazing thing. The students had good questions. I’m very proud of them. They’re asking the right questions to the chef. The chef himself was impressed with their knowledge and was learning a lot of things from the students and the students were learning from him. I honestly encourage that we have such visits more often,” he continued.
“(It was) just a great honor for me to sit with such personalities and to showcase what it is being a Saudi chef.”
Bukhamseen is the epitome of the ZADK success story. First enrolled as a student, then hired to work with the team overseeing the new batch of students, he has seen both sides of the culinary experience and empathizes with the mission that Rania Moualla, founder of ZADK, has been amplifying.
Moualla, who was present during the visit, walked the US envoy through her journey. As the founder of the first non-profit culinary academy to offer a Saudi-centric curriculum, ZADK — whose name derives from the Arabic word “zad,” which alludes to Arab generosity and food for travel — combines a revolutionary concept with a humble mission. In just five years, it has established itself as an important part of the culinary sector in the region.
ZADK’s mission was to be situated strategically at their flagship location, further turning the Eastern Province into a culinary and cultural hub. About 50 percent of the academy’s students are from the area and the rest come from other parts of the Kingdom. Everyone at ZADK is actively exploring Saudi cuisine — merging medleys of traditional Saudi flavors from their families and adding their own innovative twists — to help feed the community and the world at large.
“Our best memories always are about the food,” Moualla told Arab News. “When we’re sharing a meal with somebody we love, actually it’s building memories, and we are what we are now because of those memories.”
 


Saudi students win 9 special awards at ISEF 2024 in US

Updated 17 May 2024
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Saudi students win 9 special awards at ISEF 2024 in US

  • Saudi team also hopeful to win grand prizes tonight
  • The Saudi Science and Engineering team now holds 50 prizes

RIYADH: For the 18th year in a row, students from Saudi Arabia participating in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair have won nine special awards.
The fair, being held in Los Angeles in the US, was sponsored by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, or Mawhiba, and the Ministry of Education.
The special awards were won by Jamal Mohammed Al-Luqmani in materials science, Elias Maho Khan in biomedicine and health sciences, Layan Al-Qarafi in software systems, Areej bint Abdullah Al-Qarni, won two special awards in the field of materials science, Fatima Al-Shakhs in environmental engineering, Lana Al-Mazrouei in cellular and molecular biology, Abeer Al-Yousef in chemistry, and Saleh Al-Anqari in chemistry.
Mawhiba’s Secretary-General Dr. Amal bint Abdullah Al-Hazzaa said that this victory reflects the combined efforts and complementary relationship between Mawhiba, the Ministry of Education, and their strategic partners in achieving the goals and initiatives of the Saudi Vision 2030.
She praised the results and fruits of this partnership, highlighting the numerous achievements at the international level and the representation of the Kingdom in a manner worthy of its global status.
The Saudi Science and Engineering team now holds 50 prizes from the special awards presented by various companies during their participation in the ISEF.
The results of the grand prizes are expected to be announced on Friday evening, when the Saudi team is hopeful to win more accolades.
Regeneron ISEF 2024, the world’s largest pre-college STEM competition, taking place from May 11-17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
The ISEF is an annual science fair in the US. It is owned and administered by the Society for Science, a 501 non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C.


Saudi officials working round the clock to assist Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims

Updated 17 May 2024
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Saudi officials working round the clock to assist Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims

  • Makkah Route facilities in Dhaka were inspected by Saudi Arabia’s deputy interior minister
  • More than 25,500 Bangladeshi pilgrims have departed for Hajj since last week

DHAKA: Saudi officers are working round the clock to offer smooth immigration to thousands of Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims under the Kingdom’s Makkah Route initiative, authorities in Dhaka said on Friday.

Most of the pilgrims are departing from Dhaka under the flagship pre-travel program, which was launched by the Kingdom in 2019 to help pilgrims meet all the visa, customs and health requirements at their airport of origin and save them long hours of waiting before and upon arrival in Saudi Arabia.

Makkah Route preparations and facilities at the Dhaka airport were inspected this week by Saudi Deputy Interior Minister Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al-Dawood, as Saudi officers arrived in Bangladesh to facilitate the journey for pilgrims.

“The officials who arrived for the immigration process are facilitating the (journey for) pilgrims rigorously and religiously. A team of around 150 Saudi officials is offering them assistance round the clock,” Mohammed Kamruzzaman, director of Bangladesh’s Hajj Office, told Arab News.

“All our Hajj agencies and relevant stakeholders also appreciate the e-Hajj management. They are getting services beyond their expectations as immigration formalities are being completed very smoothly.”

This year, the Hajj is expected to start on June 14 and end on June 19. While the pilgrimage itself can be performed over five or six days, pilgrims often arrive early, knowing that it may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fulfill their religious duty.

“This year’s Makkah Route operations in Dhaka are running very smoothly. We complete the pilgrims’ Bangladeshi immigration part at the Ashkona Hajj camp near the airport, and the Saudi immigration part is being done at the airport in the shortest possible time. This arrangement amazed the pilgrims and is beyond their expectations,” Kamruzzaman said.

“It’s taking even less time for the completion of the Saudi immigration, which became possible due to introducing upgraded equipment.”

Saudi Arabia granted Bangladesh a quota of 127,000 pilgrims to perform the spiritual journey that is one of the five pillars of Islam. The Hajj flights from Dhaka began last week.

“Till Friday, 25,559 pilgrims have traveled to the Kingdom on 66 flights,” Kamruzzaman said.

“We are maintaining excellent coordination between the e-Hajj management of Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia. Due to these smooth operations, our pilgrims expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the Saudi authorities.”