Saudi entities sign housing deal to support vulnerable families

Saudi entities sign housing deal to support vulnerable families
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Sakan Secretary-General Abdulaziz Al-Karidis and Social Development Bank CEO Sultan Al-Humaidi signed the agreement. (SPA)
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Updated 02 March 2025
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Saudi entities sign housing deal to support vulnerable families

Saudi entities sign housing deal to support vulnerable families
  • This partnership builds on a previous agreement that secured housing for 1,000 families

RIYADH: The National Developmental Housing Foundation, known as Sakan, and the Social Development Bank have partnered to provide 4,000 housing units for eligible families across Saudi Arabia as part of the second phase of the Joud Regions campaign.

The agreement was signed during a ceremony attended by Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed Al-Hogail, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed Al-Rajhi, and Deputy Minister of Interior Nasser Al-Dawood.

This partnership builds on a previous agreement that secured housing for 1,000 families. The initiative directly supports Vision 2030’s goal of increasing homeownership rates among citizens, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

Sakan Secretary-General Abdulaziz Al-Karidis and Social Development Bank CEO Sultan Al-Humaidi signed the agreement.

Al-Humaidi confirmed that the agreement is part of the bank’s efforts to strengthen strategic partnerships that provide sustainable financing solutions.

He noted that cooperation with Sakan through the construction completion program will help eligible families complete their housing units.

The program aims to finance 5,000 beneficiaries nominated by Sakan from social security recipients and similar categories, according to SPA.

Al-Humaidi said: “At the Social Development Bank, we are committed to leveraging our capabilities to support the most vulnerable groups and enable them to access suitable housing.

“We believe housing stability is key to enhancing quality of life and achieving the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 targets of increasing homeownership rates among citizens.”

Al-Karidis explained that the agreement is part of efforts to develop sustainable solutions for eligible families and highlighted the bank’s crucial role in supporting housing empowerment for beneficiaries.

He thanked the attending ministers for their continued support of developmental and housing initiatives, emphasizing that this collaboration reflects the integration of concerned entities to achieve Vision 2030 goals of providing suitable housing and enhancing quality of life.

Meanwhile, the Joud Regions campaign headquarters was inaugurated at Misk City in Riyadh on Saturday under the patronage of Al-Hogail.

During the ceremony, the regional governors announced their participation in the initiative, demonstrating strong support for community programs aimed at enhancing housing stability for citizens.

Al-Hogail expressed his gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their generous support of the campaign, which included an SR150 million ($40 million) contribution, and for their ongoing interest in supporting developmental housing programs and community initiatives.

He emphasized that the campaign embodies the spirit of social solidarity and strengthens the partnership between the government and the community in achieving the objectives of Vision 2030.

Al-Karidis also praised the vital role of governmental, nonprofit entities, and individuals in supporting housing initiatives that help ensure housing stability for needy families.

The initiative allows both citizens and residents to contribute to housing support for vulnerable families through the Joud Housing platform and application, furthering national efforts to enhance quality of life and promote sustainable development in the housing sector.


Saudi Arabia welcomes Macron announcement of French recognition of Palestinian state

Saudi Arabia welcomes Macron announcement of French recognition of Palestinian state
Updated 25 July 2025
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Saudi Arabia welcomes Macron announcement of French recognition of Palestinian state

Saudi Arabia welcomes Macron announcement of French recognition of Palestinian state

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has welcomed a statement by French  Emmanuel Macron that his country would recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September.

“True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,” Macron wrote on social media on Thursday evening.

The Kingdom commends this historic decision, which aligns with the international community’s consensus on the right of the Palestinian people to determine their own fate and establish their independent state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, a Saudi Foreign Ministry statement released on Friday read.

It added that the Kingdom renews its call to the rest of the countries that have not yet recognized a Palestinian state to take similar steps in doing so.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly called for the creation of an independent state for the Palestinians.

Around 142 countries now support Palestinian statehood, according to an AFP tally.

The ministry statement urged all countries to adopt serious stances in support of peace and the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people.

Israel is currently conducting a devastating military campaign in Gaza and has been accused of using starvation as a war tactic. 

An Israeli-backed organization distributing aid had been accused of shooting unarmed civilians trying to get food.

The UN said 875 people had been killed within the preceding six weeks near the aid sites created by Israel. 

Peace negotiations to end the war and exchange prisoners and hostages appeared to have collapsed on Thursday night after US President Donald Trump recalled his negotiators.

US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said: “We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza.”

Hamas said they were surprised by Witkoff’s comments but would be willing to continue negotiations.


Muslim World League chief meets Afghan ministers in Kabul

Muslim World League chief meets Afghan ministers in Kabul
Updated 24 July 2025
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Muslim World League chief meets Afghan ministers in Kabul

Muslim World League chief meets Afghan ministers in Kabul
  • Officials emphasize that religious tolerance must be reflected in Muslim conduct

KABUL: Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League and chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars, conducted high-level meetings with senior Afghan officials during his visit to Kabul.

Al-Issa met Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi. Discussions centered on strengthening solidarity and promoting Islamic values worldwide. Key topics included the imperative to present Islam’s true character through its principles of justice, rights protection, moderation and universal compassion.

The officials emphasized that religious tolerance, as outlined in the Qur’an, Sunnah and prophetic traditions, must be reflected in Muslim conduct at both individual and community levels.

The dialogue addressed contemporary challenges facing these objectives, particularly conflicting scholarly interpretations on critical issues that should unite the Muslim community.

Officials referenced the significance of the “Makkah Document” and the “Document for Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought,” while highlighting the crucial role of the league’s Islamic Fiqh Council as the premier jurisprudential body serving the Islamic nation’s muftis and senior scholars.

The meeting stressed the importance of promoting religious awareness through wisdom and sound guidance, while preventing those who exploit such discrepancies — whether deliberately or through ignorance — from damaging Islam’s image and fueling Islamophobic sentiments.

Al-Issa commended the Afghan government’s counter-terrorism efforts during the talks.

In a separate meeting, Al-Issa held discussions with Afghan Interior Minister Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, focusing specifically on Afghanistan’s fight against terrorist organizations.

Both officials underscored that Islamic unity carries profound significance, while division and discord threaten Muslim solidarity and tarnish Islam’s reputation. They agreed that such damage far outweighs any perceived benefits some scholars might identify in jurisprudential matters that rank below this paramount Islamic goal, adhering to the established principles of weighing benefits against potential harm recognized across all Islamic schools of thought.

 


Saudi deputy foreign minister receives US Embassy official

Saudi deputy foreign minister receives US Embassy official
Updated 25 July 2025
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Saudi deputy foreign minister receives US Embassy official

Saudi deputy foreign minister receives US Embassy official

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed bin Abdulkarim Elkhereiji met on Thursday with Alison Dilworth, the charge d’affaires ad interim of the US Embassy in the Kingdom.

During the meeting in Riyadh, the officials reviewed relations between the two friendly countries and ways to develop them in all fields, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

They also discussed the most prominent developments at regional and international levels and the efforts made in this regard.

 

 


Saudis make electronic chips at KACST

Saudis make electronic chips at KACST
Updated 24 July 2025
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Saudis make electronic chips at KACST

Saudis make electronic chips at KACST
  • Chips are distinguished by their potential applications in various fields, such as electronics, wireless and high-frequency communications
  • Design of the chips involved researchers from the national laboratory, along with a number of students from four Saudi universities

RIYADH: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology has designed and produced 25 advanced electronic chips which had been developed in laboratories by Saudis for training, research, and development purposes. The achievement is part of the establishment’s efforts to support and empower the semiconductor ecosystem in the Kingdom.

The chips are distinguished by their potential applications in various fields, such as electronics, wireless and high-frequency communications, integrated circuits, energy-efficient lighting, and miniaturized sensing systems, in addition to industrial and research applications in measurement and testing.

The design of the chips involved researchers from the national laboratory, along with a number of students from four Saudi universities. It formed part of the initiatives integral to the Saudi Semiconductors Program, which aims to qualify national talents in this vital field.


Saudi FM holds telephone call with Eritrean counterpart

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Eritrean counterpart Osman Saleh Mohammed. (File/AFP)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Eritrean counterpart Osman Saleh Mohammed. (File/AFP)
Updated 24 July 2025
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Saudi FM holds telephone call with Eritrean counterpart

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Eritrean counterpart Osman Saleh Mohammed. (File/AFP)

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a telephone call with his Eritrean counterpart Osman Saleh Mohammed on Thursday, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

During the call, the two ministers reviewed relations between their countries and ways to enhance them. They also discussed regional and international issues of common interest.