NEW DELHI: The G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance Summit, which ended on Saturday, has sparked new collaborations between Saudi Arabia and other G20 countries — many involving Saudi female investors in technology and innovation.
The three-day summit, held in New Delhi under India’s presidency of the G20, attracted hundreds of participants with the aim of promoting young entrepreneurs as a driver of economic renewal and social change.
The Saudi delegation, led by Prince Fahad bin Mansour, consisted of more than 40 leaders from both the public and private sectors, of whom around a third were women involved in startups based on high-tech innovation in engineering and science.
“In Saudi Arabia, we have equal opportunities,” said Meshael Al-Assaf, director of human capital development at the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program, who was part of the delegation. “If you have a good idea, regardless of whether you’re male or female, we have a lot of programs that help entrepreneurs to scale up in the Kingdom.”
One such women with a plan is Dr. Huda Al-Fardus, CEO of HealthGena — a Riyadh-based “digital health innovation service provider,” for whom participating in the G20 meet was an opportunity to “experience the entrepreneurship ecosystem in another country” and set up international partnerships.
“We have been lucky to establish collaborations between ourselves, as a private company in Saudi, and private companies here in India,” she told Arab News. “Hopefully, you will hear more about it.”
Others, like Tuba Terekli, a Jeddah-based investor and international business consultant, joined the Saudi delegation to scout for solutions they could bring home.
“My expectations were all about meeting brilliant young entrepreneurs and those that are into deep tech and high-tech solutions that we can take back home as investors,” she said. “And it was beyond my expectations. So much positive energy, such brilliant minds. We have, here in the exhibition hall, brilliant startups — everything from satellites to drones, underwater and health-care robots. It’s incredible.”
She added that she was holding talks with three companies from the event, facilitated by the Kingdom’s programs for entrepreneurs.
“We are very blessed to have with us, as our key supporter, the Ministry of Investment. They have a program for entrepreneurship licensing that helps us — Saudi investors and businesspeople — to find companies anywhere around the world and ensure that, whether it’s a joint venture or distributorship or a production facility in Saudi Arabia, we have all means of support,” she said.
The significant participation of women in the Saudi delegation was no surprise to Terekli. Efforts to promote female leadership and entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia are at the core of Saudi Vision 2030, launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2016.
“We didn’t bring a large delegation of women to prove anything to anybody,” Terekli said. “It’s natural.”
For Noura Al-Otaibi — another Saudi delegate who has been training female entrepreneurs and helping them establish their businesses — the Kingdom has already become a “role model” for other countries. When she began, less than a decade ago, she had 60 Saudi businesswomen on board. That number has already grown eightfold and Al-Otaibi suggests she may expand internationally.
“We need to speak about common challenges for women in the startup sector globally. We need to support females across all countries and find common solutions for everyone,” she said. “I’m sure that Saudi Arabia is a benchmark for everyone, of any country, who is seeking positive transformation.”
Saudi women forge tech collaborations at G20 young entrepreneurs meeting
https://arab.news/y67t3
Saudi women forge tech collaborations at G20 young entrepreneurs meeting
- About a third of Saudi delegates to Young Entrepreneurs Alliance Summit were female
- Led by Prince Fahad bin Mansour, delegation represented public and private sectors
2nd ‘Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought’ conference concludes in Makkah
- Participants from more than 90 countries discuss development of comprehensive Islamic identity
- 1,800-page ‘Encyclopedia of Islamic Intellectual Harmony’ prepared by 60 scholars
MAKKAH: The second “Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought” international conference concluded in Makkah early on Saturday, with participants from more than 90 countries adopting the “Encyclopedia of Islamic Intellectual Harmony.”
Held under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the two-day conference gathered senior muftis, scholars, and thinkers who also approved the strategic and executive plan for the document “Building Bridges between Islamic Sects,” a media statement said on Saturday.
The conference was organized by the Muslim World League and held under the theme “Towards an Effective Islamic Alliance.”
The high-level session dedicated to the recitation of the conference’s final statement, which was issued at dawn on Saturday, was attended by the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, and Chairman of the Muslim Scholars Association, Sheikh Dr. Mohamed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa; Member of the Council of Experts for Leadership in Iran, Sheikh Ahmed Mobalghi; Adviser at the Royal Court in Saudi Arabia, Imam and Preacher of the Grand Mosque, Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Hamid; Head of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, Imam and Preacher of the Grand Mosque, Sheikh Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Sudais; Secretary-General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Dr. Mustafa Qutb Sano; Member of the Council of Senior Scholars in Saudi Arabia, Dr. Youssef bin Mohamed bin Saeed; and the Mufti of Sidon in Lebanon, Sheikh Mohamed Osseiran.
The attendees witnessed the launch of the “Encyclopedia of Islamic Intellectual Harmony,” which was supervised by the Intellectual Protection Center at the Saudi Ministry of Defense, and was prepared by 60 scholars over about 1,800 pages.
The encyclopedia was refereed by the General Secretariat of the Council of Senior Scholars in Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Fiqh Academy, and the Supreme Council of the Muslim World League to be a roadmap for relations between Muslim sects.
Participants also decided in the final statement to consider the “Document on Building Bridges between Islamic Schools of Thought” with its 28 articles as the basis and starting point for the path of joint Islamic action “scientifically” and “intellectually,” with a view to strengthening brotherhood and solidarity among the peoples of Muslim nations.
The attendees further extended their sincere thanks to the leadership of the Kingdom for the great services they are providing to Islam and Muslims.
They also affirmed their pride in the comprehensive Islamic identity, and their supportive stance toward the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their land, and their rejection of displacement and destruction projects.
The conference witnessed several sessions addressing developments in Palestine, Sudan, and Syria, as well as issues concerning Muslim minorities around the world.
Medical scooters to help worshippers in Madinah
- The new initiative “reflects the Madina Health Cluster’s efforts toward visitors’ safety and wellbeing”
MADINAH: The Madinah Health Cluster has launched a new emergency scooter service at the Prophet’s Mosque to enable paramedics to provide quick medical assistance to visitors during Ramadan, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
With thousands of worshippers filling the mosque’s courtyards, moving through the crowds can be challenging for medical teams. The scooters will make it easier for them to “navigate busy areas, attend to urgent cases, and transfer patients to nearby hospitals and care centers if needed,” according to the SPA.
FASTFACTS
• With thousands of worshippers filling the mosque’s courtyards, moving through the crowds can be challenging for medical teams.
• The scooters will make it easier for them to ‘navigate busy areas, attend to urgent cases, and transfer patients to nearby hospitals.’
Ninety-one people have already benefited from the service since its launch, the SPA reported. All of them were referred to healthcare facilities in the central area, including Al-Shifa Health Endowment, Haram Emergency Hospital, and the Safiyyah and Bab Jibreel Urgent Care Centers.
The new initiative “reflects the Madina Health Cluster’s efforts toward visitors’ safety and wellbeing,” the SPA stated.
40 women rangers recruited for Saudi royal reserve
- Additions take female representation to 34% of team on International Women’s Day
RIYADH: Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve marked International Women’s Day by announcing the expansion of its pioneering all-women ranger unit, one of the largest in the Middle East.
“Women are breaking new ground at Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve, one patrol at a time,” Andrew Zaloumis, CEO at the reserve, said. “Their presence strengthens our conservation efforts, brings new ideas to the table, and helps connect our communities to conservation in ways we have never seen before.”
With 40 new recruits, women now comprise 34 percent of the reserve’s ranger team — surpassing the global average of 11 percent and setting a new regional benchmark. These 84 nature rangers play a critical role in protecting the reserve’s landscapes, culture and wildlife.
The reserve’s all-women ranger unit calls itself Al Anqas (the phoenix), symbolizing a new beginning for Saudi women in conservation. Through their daily patrols and interactions, the rangers challenge perceptions and engage local communities in meaningful discussions around nature protection and conservation practices.
Rogayah Awad Al-Balawi, a ranger from Al-Sudayd in Al-Wajh Governorate, embodies the spirit of the initiative. Her journey, from a traditional Bedouin upbringing to becoming one of Saudi Arabia’s pioneering female wildlife rangers, highlights resilience and determination.
She said: “The job was described as a ranger, which was a new concept for me. No Saudi woman had worked in this field before, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect.”
Now, alongside her colleagues, she regularly patrols the reserve’s vast landscapes, using her local knowledge to help safeguard its wildlife and habitats. “Having local women in these roles is crucial. We understand the land, its people, and its unique needs,” she said.
Asma Khdeer, senior manager of capacity building and natural resource use management, has played a key role in ranger training, and asked: “Who is there better to support local people to make meaningful change in their community than someone who understands the challenges?”
She told of her pride in watching new recruits navigate rugged terrain, track wildlife and participate in their first patrols, and added: “It felt like the stereotypes we’ve faced as women were finally being dismantled — not with speeches but actions. That’s what makes our work transformative. Women bring a unique perspective to conservation, thinking about families and future generations.”
Each year thousands of applicants compete for limited positions on the reserve’s ranger training program. Selected candidates undergo an intensive four-day selection process, testing their physical fitness, teamwork and character. Successful recruits then take on a rigorous nine-week training course led by Ali Al-Balawi, the reserve’s capacity-building supervisor.
The comprehensive training covers essential topics such as conservation management, technical field skills, wildlife monitoring, tracking, off-road driving, cultural heritage conservation, self-defense, incident reporting, first aid, and disaster management.
The reserve continues to reinforce its vision of creating a vibrant society and thriving economy by empowering local women and providing them with employment and training opportunities.
Saudi ambassador meets Mauritanian minister
- The officials reviewed relations between the two countries and ways to enhance and develop cooperation
RIYADH: Saudi Ambassador to Mauritania Abdulaziz Al-Raqqabi met with Mauritanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Mauritanians Abroad Mohammed Salem Ould Merzoug in Nouakchott, Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
During the meeting, the officials reviewed relations between the two countries and ways to enhance and develop cooperation.
Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji met with Minister of African Integration and Foreign Affairs of Senegal Yassine Fall in Jeddah on Friday.
20,000 arrested for violation of regulations across Saudi Arabia
- The total number of violators apprehended across all regions reached 20,749, including 13,871 violators of the residency system, 3,517 of border security regulations, and 3,361 of labor regulations
RIYADH: Joint field campaigns to monitor and apprehend violators of residency, labor, and border security regulations were conducted across all regions of the Kingdom during the period from Feb. 27 to March 5.
The total number of violators apprehended across all regions reached 20,749, including 13,871 violators of the residency system, 3,517 of border security regulations, and 3,361 of labor regulations.
The number of individuals apprehended while attempting to cross the border into the Kingdom was 1,051. Of these, 43 percent were of Yemeni nationality, 54 percent of Ethiopian nationality, and 3 percent of other nationalities. Additionally, 90 people were apprehended for attempting to cross the border out of the Kingdom unlawfully.
Individuals were arrested for their involvement in transporting, sheltering, employing, and harboring violators of residency, labor, and border security regulations.
The total number of violators currently undergoing procedures for regulatory enforcement is 40,173. The figure includes 35,862 men.
