Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s itinerary for his unscheduled visit to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, remains undisclosed.

In an unannounced visit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lands in Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday, and gets greeted by Saudi officials, including the national security advisor and ambassador to Kiev, according to reports by the official Saudi Press Agency.

As of now, no details regarding Zelensky’s itinerary have been made public.

In recent weeks, Zelensky has been on a global tour to garner support and encourage attendance for an upcoming summit in Switzerland this weekend. His travels have included visits to traditional European Union allies, as well as countries in the Middle East and Asia that maintain closer ties with Russia.

Argentina’s president to join Ukraine summit in Switzerland

Argentinian President Javier Milei has opted to attend the forthcoming summit in Switzerland, according to reports from the Clarin newspaper.

He will be accompanied by the economy and defense ministers. Initially, Argentine media indicated that Milei intended to skip the G7 summit in Italy and the Switzerland conference, along with other European events, to be in Argentina for national holidays. However, he later revised his schedule to include the G7 summit.

The newspaper reported on Tuesday that Milei has once more altered his plans at the eleventh hour and will also journey to Switzerland. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky purportedly conveyed a special message to Milei, urging him to at least be present at the opening ceremony of the conference.

Argentine Economy Minister Luis Caputo and Defense Minister Luis Petri will accompany Milei to Switzerland, as reported by the newspaper. It is also worth noting that Petri is anticipated to participate in a meeting of the contact group concerning Ukraine’s defense.

Switzerland is set to host a high-level conference on the war in Ukraine at the Buergenstock resort near Lucerne from June 15-16. 90 countries and organizations have affirmed their attendance at the conference.

Source: English

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SHAHRINAV: The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) Chief Executive Officer, Sultan Al-Marshad, officially inaugurated today in Tajikistan, Shahrinav School, with the Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Tajikistan, Abdullzoda Ziyodullo.

The school was inaugurated as part of the fourth phase of the “Constructing and Equipping of Secondary Schools” project in Tajikistan, for which SFD had previously made a contribution of $35 million USD, and which will benefit 25,000 students in the country.
Attending the inauguration ceremony were the Representative of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, Akramzoda Mahmadyusuf, the Saudi Ambassador to Tajikistan, Waleed Alreshiadan, the Chairman of Shahrinav district, Valizoda Abduqodir, and the Director of PIU, Vohidzoda Umeda, alongside other officials from both sides.

The new school will contribute toward meeting the country’s educational needs, and will accommodate 36 classrooms and 620 students. It is one of 34 new schools built as part of the fourth phase of the project.

Additionally, it will contribute toward the achievement of the UN SDGs, specifically SDG 4, Quality Education, and SDG 8, Decent Work and Economic Growth.
The Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Tajikistan, Abdullzoda Ziyodullo, said: “I would like to thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the development support they have provided in the education sector, through SFD. Education is vital toward supporting Tajikistan’s development plans, and is closely tied to socio-economic growth in our country, and the prosperity of our people.”

On his part, the CEO of the SFD, Sultan Al-Marshad, said: “SFD believes in the importance of education, which is key to empowering all students. It raises their competencies, develops their skills, enhances their capabilities, and qualifies them for vital opportunities in their lives. This school’s inauguration is part of a broader educational project, aimed at enhancing the educational landscape of Tajikistan across the entire country.”
The school’s inauguration comes as a continuation of SFD’s support toward Tajikistan’s education sector. SFD has financed 4 development projects in the education sector to construct and equip 57 secondary schools across 4 phases, in different regions, with a total funding amount of $75 million USD. SFD has financed 12 development projects in Tajikistan, worth over $193 million USD, in different key sectors.

Source: Arab News

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RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism has announced a new initiative to grant tourist visas electronically to eight more countries including Azerbaijan, Albania, Uzbekistan, South Africa, Georgia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Maldives.

Nationals of these countries can apply for a tourist visa to the Kingdom either electronically or at KSA international ports of entry.

This step is consistent with the Kingdom’s tourism sector strategy and aspirations outlined in Saudi Vision 2030, which includes increasing the sector’s contribution to GDP from 3% to more than 10%, creating one million additional job opportunities with a preference for Saudi citizens, and attracting 100 million tourists by 2030.

The tourist visa enables individuals to visit various regions of the Kingdom and perform Umrah.

The tourist visa regulations state that tourists must follow all applicable regulations and instructions while in the Kingdom, including carrying IDs at all times.

The Ministry noted that the tourist visa does not allow the performance of Hajj or Umrah during the Hajj season.

This is an extension of initiatives aimed at increasing the Kingdom’s openness and communication with the rest of the world, as well as supporting development and economic diversification efforts, which are central to Saudi Vision’s key goals.

On Sept. 27, 2019, the Ministry launched the tourist visa program, targeting 49 countries, which increased to 57 after the addition of further countries.

Last March, the Ministry also allowed all GCC residents, regardless of vocation, to apply for tourist visas.

This is part of the Ministry’s efforts to give all GCC residents the opportunity to visit Saudi tourist destinations, engage in tourism and entertainment events, and familiarize themselves with Saudi heritage and tourist attractions.

The Ministry intends to expand the tourist e-visa system to include other countries and regions, in line with the ongoing growth and enhancement of the Kingdom’s tourism infrastructure.

Source: Saudi Gazette

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Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman declared on Wednesday the formal adoption of decisions issued by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and five Central Asian countries’ summit in Jeddah.

The summit is the first-ever meeting between the GCC countries – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman – and five Central Asian nations: Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan.

In his opening remarks at the summit, MBS said that the summit embodies the long-standing ties shared between the GCC and Central Asian countries.

“The challenges confronting our world demand collective action,” said MBS.

The Saudi Crown Prince stressed the need to intensify efforts to address challenges affecting energy security and global food supply chains.

He also stressed the need to respect the sovereignty and independence of states and to refrain from interference in their internal affairs.

MBS extended his appreciation to the Central Asian nations for their support towards Saudi Arabia’s bid to host World Expo 2030.

During the summit, Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah said that the summit reflected a shared desire to develop relations among the participating nations.

The President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, stressed the importance of enhancing security cooperation with the Gulf states to promote stability in Central Asia.

The summit’s central agenda revolves around discussions aimed at bolstering cooperation and coordination across various fields. The event takes place amidst heightened regional and international interest and competition in the five Central Asian countries, particularly due to their strategic location and abundant natural resources, which position them for substantial developmental progress.

Source: English Al-arabiya

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• Aim to boost agriculture industry in region
• 30 farmers also selling wild figs, prickly pears

RIYADH: The Bajali Almond Festival launched Wednesday in Al-Ruddaf, Taif, showcasing the diverse produce of the area.

The four-day festival, taking place near the Eid prayer hall, assists farmers in marketing their goods, and will also have on display wild figs and prickly pears.

The director general of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in the Makkah region, Majed bin Abdullah Al-Khalif, told Arab News that the government is working on developing a sustainable agricultural industry in the region.

The festival is being held under the supervision of the ministry’s office, in collaboration with private agencies and more than 30 farmers from Maysan and Taif.

Hani Al-Qadi, the director of the ministry’s office in Taif, said plans are in place to help farmers increase their production and sell their produce at various locations.

The two officials said that Prince Saud bin Nahar bin Saud, the governor of Taif, is sponsoring the festival and remains committed to developing the agricultural sector in the region.

Last June, Aramco signed a memorandum of understanding with the Makkah Region Development Authority and the Haddad Bani Malik Multipurpose Cooperative Society, to support small projects in the Kingdom. The aim is to support the local economy through the cultivation and production of almonds in Maysan.

Source: Arab News

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• Leaders of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan traveled to Jeddah for GCC-C5 Summit
• Joint Action Plan for Strategic Dialogue and Cooperation approved at leaders meeting hosted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

JEDDAH: Arab Gulf states and Central Asian countries cemented their political, security and economic ties on Wednesday during the GCC-C5 Summit, a gathering of the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states and the presidents of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

At the event, which took place in in the Saudi city of Jeddah, a Joint Action Plan for Strategic Dialogue and Cooperation between GCC members and Central Asian states was approved, covering the period from 2023 to 2027.

In a joint statement at the end of the summit, the leaders of the two blocs stressed the importance of strengthening political and strategic relations at the collective and bilateral levels, and continuing coordination in order to achieve regional and international security and stability, confront challenges and work to ensure flexibility” in fields ranging from supply chains to food security.

Among other issues, they expressed concern about the growing rhetoric of racism and Islamophobia, and acts of violence against Muslim minorities and Islamic symbols.

“The action plan with Central Asia includes activating cooperation in various fields,” said Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, secretary-general of the GCC. “We are working on consolidating what has been agreed upon, and building consultation and coordination mechanisms with Central Asia.”

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in deeper economic cooperation between the GCC and Central Asia. The regions have complementary economies, with GCC countries enjoying a wealth of oil and gas resources and Central Asia benefiting from a young and growing workforce. There are also opportunities for cooperation in the areas of trade, investment and tourism.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Jeddah summit, Khalid Al-Falih, the Saudi minister for investment, said the Kingdom maintains close ties with nations in the Central Asian region and hopes to strengthen them further.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman addressed the summit and also, during a separate event in Jeddah on Wednesday, presided over the 18th consultative meeting of Supreme Council of the GCC on behalf of King Salman.

Noting that all five of the Central Asian nations participating in the summit support Saudi Arabia’s bid to host World Expo 2030, the crown prince told them: “We appreciate your countries’ declaration of support for the Kingdom’s candidacy to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh, which reflects the strength of the relationship between our countries and our aspiration for a better future for our region.”

A press statement issued at the end of the consultative meeting quoted GCC Secretary-General Albudaiwi as saying: “Their Majesties and Highnessees reviewed during their meeting the developments of the joint GCC action process in addition to exchanging views on a number of regional and international issues.”

Al-Falih said the reason the Kingdom decided to host this first-ever summit between GCC and Central Asian nations was to reinforce those existing ties, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

He said said the Kingdom’s proactive involvement with Central Asia, under the leadership of King Salman and the crown prince, had been well received at the regional, pan-Asian and global levels.

In his comments to the SPA about the summit, Al-Falih expressed optimism about the expected outcomes of the event, especially those related to the development and expansion of economic and investment relations between participating countries.

The history of bilateral relations between GCC members and Central Asian countries is long and complex, dating back to the time of the Silk Road trade route. However, those historical ties were largely severed after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

In the years since then, the GCC and C5 nations have been working to rebuild the relationships. In 2001, the two regions established the GCC-Central Asia Dialogue, a forum in which to discuss political, economic and security cooperation. Talks have been held on a regular basis since then, and have helped to foster closer ties between the regions.

During his address to the summit, on behalf of King Salman, the crown prince welcomed the heads of the Central Asian delegations to their “second home,” and said the event was a continuation of ties based on history, resources and economic growth. He added that the Kingdom and its Gulf allies look forward to opening new windows of opportunity for cooperation between the two regions.

“The challenges our world faces today require all efforts to enhance cooperation between our countries to achieve security and stability in our region,” he told the summit.

“In this regard, we stress the importance of respecting the sovereignty, independence and values of states, non-interference in their internal affairs and the need to intensify joint efforts to confront everything that affects energy security and global food supply chains.”

On the GCC side, the participants included the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani; the crown prince of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah; and the vice president of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.

“The meeting of GCC and Central Asian leaders reflects the common desire to develop relations. We hope that our meeting today will contribute to strengthening partnerships between the Arabian Gulf and Central Asia,” the Kuwaiti crown prince told the summit.

Oman and Bahrain’s rulers were represented by Sayyid Asaad bin Tariq Al-Said and Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al-Khalifa respectively.

Sheikh Nasser praised the active role played by the Kingdom in enhancing cooperation and coordination among GCC countries and consolidating the friendships and joint cooperation with other countries.

The presidents of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Emomali Rahmon and Shavkat Mirziyoyev, arrived in Jeddah on Tuesday.

“We have close historical relations with Gulf states and we seek to develop them. We seek a long-term partnership with Gulf countries in various fields,” Mirziyoyev said.

“We look forward to economic and AI (artificial intelligence) cooperation with the Gulf. We seek to develop the clean-energy sector together with the Gulf. We are ready to implement a mechanism to enhance cooperation in the field of food security with the GCC.”

Security appeared to be high on the list of priorities of the visiting leaders.

“Security cooperation with Gulf countries is necessary to enhance stability in Central Asia,” President Rahmon told the summit.

During his visit, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the president of Kazakhstan, visited Madinah, where he prayed in the Prophet’s Mosque ahead of the summit.

“We share goals with GCC countries in terms of development and economy. We seek to expand cooperation between the countries of Central Asia and the GCC. We are ready to develop infrastructure to promote trade,” he said.

The president of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedow, and the president of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, arrived in Jeddah on Tuesday night.

“Global threats and challenges require us to strengthen partnership to ensure security. We want to strengthen partnership in the field of energy with Gulf countries,” Berdimuhamedow told the summit on Wednesday.

Source: Arab News

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• Dr. Mohammed Ashour: Research findings a result of ‘Kingdom’s unlimited support for students studying abroad’
• Ashour specialized in pediatric epilepsy at Harvard’s Boston’s Children Hospital and later subspecialized in surgical interventions for epileptic diseases

MAKKAH: Dr. Mohammed Ashour, a Saudi pediatric neurologist at Boston Children’s Hospital, recently presented findings from his research on neurological diseases, epilepsy and physiological and electrical signals in the brain, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

This followed research he published in December 2022 in the peer-reviewed journals Pediatric Neurosurgery, Canadian Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, and Heliyon.

His research focused on the relation between electroencephalogram test results in children and certain epileptic diseases. It also explored a rare case of Hirayama disease and its relation with cerebral veins, as well as surgical processes to treat the disease.

Ashour said that 191 patients were tested in the initial phase of research, in addition to 98 healthy children for comparison, and a link was established between common EEG test results and epileptic diseases. 

Another focus of his research involved the relation between PIK3CA-related brain abnormalities and strokes in infants.

Epileptic diseases are caused by a number of reasons, Ashour explained. Some cases are treated with medication, while others require surgery. Modern medicine and surgical intervention have “greatly increased” the chances of successfully treating epilepsy, reducing the rate of seizures by 50 percent and, in some patients, eliminating seizures altogether.  

Ashour told Arab News: “This research is the result of the Kingdom’s unlimited support for students studying abroad.” He commended Jeddah University’s efforts in supporting his career.

Ashour graduated from high school in 2006 at the top of his class. In 2013, he graduated from King Abdulaziz University and, the following year, continued his studies in Chicago. He later entered a fellowship program in New Orleans in 2016 before specializing in pediatric neurology from 2017-2022 in Montreal, Canada.

He specialized in pediatric epilepsy at Harvard’s Boston’s Children Hospital and later subspecialized in surgical interventions for epileptic diseases.

“I advise all students, especially doctors, studying in foreign universities to make the best use of the programs and benefit from the tremendous support Saudi Arabia offers them in top hospitals around the world, as well as to transfer these successful experiences to the Kingdom,” said Ashour.

Source: Arab News

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Peaceful coexistence is the only option in an era of globalization and intermingling religions and cultures, said Kazakh Minister of Information and Social Development, Darkhan Kydyrali, at the forum World Governments: An Incubator for Tolerance, a side event of the Annual Investment Meeting held in Abu Dhabi on May 8-10, reported the ministry’s press service on May 10.

The forum was initiated to consider the role of tolerance and coexistence in achieving sustainable economic growth and to find solutions to discrimination and intolerance. 

According to Kydyrali, the values of tolerance, human brotherhood, and peace are vital in countering the challenges that the world is facing in the 21st century.

“I think that we were reassured of the importance of these values during the COVID-19 pandemic when familiar and unfamiliar people were able to overcome difficulties only by showing mutual understanding and unity of purpose,” he said. 

The minister emphasized that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been able to create an effective economic model based on tolerance and coexistence, which is consistent with Kazakhstan’s position of strengthening inter-ethnic and inter-confessional harmony.

“Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev constantly pays attention to the current issues on the world agenda and the stability of peace in the country. Kazakhstan has become a dialogue platform for world and traditional religious leaders. The Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which unites religious figures, was held in Astana for the seventh time in September last year,” Kydyrali said.

He also highlighted the important role of the media in promoting tolerance.

“The media should exclude hate speech. It should instead appeal to unity and peace, and bring the people together spiritually,” he added.  

The forum was held under the patronage and presence of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, and attended by leading officials from across the world.

Source: Astana Times

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