Day: February 13, 2023

Dubai-- Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassim Muhammad Al-Budaiwi affirmed that the 2023 World Government Summit (WGS) is globally important to encouraging future makers, policymakers, business community and civil society.

He issued his statement at the opening of the 2023 WGS today in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The meeting, which is being held from February 12 to 15, 2023, sees the participation of senior government officials, experts, leaders of the government and private sectors, and various other stakeholders.

Al-Budaiwi praised the UAE for hosting the WGS, including the great efforts exerted to prepare for this high-level global summit in which more than 150 countries take part. The meeting is bound to contribute significantly to innovating government services and achieving a safer, more flexible, inclusive and sustainable future. It aims to come with solutions to achieve gradual development and improve of livelihood of people around the world. Its message is that policymakers, the business community and civil society are crucial to shaping the future of countries. WGS is a global knowledge platform for presenting distinguished government experiences.

Al-Budaiwi underlined the importance of the conference in building, consolidating and reaching regional and international partnerships aimed at facing key global challenges by presenting ideas for managing the future for governments. He praised the UAE for hosting international events of such calibre, proof of the ability of the UAE government and people to bring about change in various fields.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Jeddah-- The Aramco Saudi Ladies International Championship 2023, presented by the Public Investment Fund, will kick off next Thursday in its third leg of the European Tour season, hosted by the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh until February, 19.

The fourth edition of the Aramco Saudi Ladies International Championship seeks to develop the sport of women's golf and continue with the great success achieved in the previous editions. The first edition, which started in 2020, crowned Danish golfer Emily Pedersen; the second edition crowned New Zealander Lydia Ko; and the English golfer Georgia Hall was crowned in the last championship edition in 2022.

The Royal Greens Golf & Country Club is the first modern golf club in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia built for women's and men's championships. Designed by architect Dave Sampson, it is inspired by European golf designs. The course consists of 18 holes next to a country club and has a panoramic view of the coast of the Red Sea. It poses a challenge to the key international players as it presents both gains and high risks. It was nominated as the best golf club in the world during the World Golf Awards in 2019. It has been praised by international golf stars, notably Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, and Sergio Garcia.

It is noteworthy that the Aramco Saudi Ladies International Championship is one of the key international golf tournaments held under the umbrella of the European Women’s Tour. Its total prize money has reached $5 million, equivalent to five times compared to previous editions. This increase places the tournament in third place in terms of the highest-paying competition on the Ladies European Tour.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh-- The US-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Working Groups meeting on maritime security and air defense was held here, attended by representatives of the armed forces of GCC states and representatives of the GCC General Secretariat.

Assistant Secretary for Military Affairs Major General Ahmed Al-Ali and Assistant Secretary for Political Affairs and Negotiations Dr. Abdulaziz Hamad Aluwaisheg met with Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for Middle East Affairs Dana Stroul, who represented US side, at the headquarters of the GCC General Secretariat in Riyadh. Discussions centred around the strategic partnership between the GCC and the US, and ways to develop and strengthen political and military cooperation to ensure the achievement of common interests and to enhance the security and stability of the region.

Also developments in the region were discussed, along with political and defense issues, and topics of common interest.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh-- A delegation of the Saudi-Jordanian Parliamentary Friendship Committee of the Shura Council, led by the Chairman of the committee, Dr. Ibrahim bin Mohammed Al-Qannas, will start an official visit to the Kingdom of Jordan tomorrow.

During the visit, the delegation will meet with several members of the Jordanian Parliament, including the Senate and the House of Representatives.

In a press statement, Dr. Al-Qannas emphasized that this visit is part of the distinguished bilateral relations between the two countries, highlighting the significance of strengthening parliamentary ties between the Shura Council and the House of Representatives and Senate in Jordan.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Kuwait City-- Saudi Minister of Investment, Khalid Al-Falih, has stressed the keenness of the leaderships of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to enhance economic, commercial, and investment cooperation in the public and private sectors, holding joint economic projects and increasing the level of commercial exchanges in a bid to realize the aspirations and ambitions of the two countries.

Al-Falih's remarks came during the opening of the "Invest Saudi" Forum today in Kuwait in the presence of Kuwait's Minister of Commerce and Industry and Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Affairs, Mazen Saad Al-Nahedh, and Prince Sultan bin Saad, Saudi Ambassador to Kuwait, with the participation of several government entities, and representatives of mega-companies and the private sectors of both countries.

The minister noted that as part of the framework of the Saudi vision 2030, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's economic reforms have succeeded in driving the growth of the Saudi economy and diversifying its sources, becoming the fastest and highest growth in the world in 2022, reaching nearly SAR 4 trillion, advancing to the 16th largest economy in the world.

He added that the National Investment Strategy, launched by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, is among the most important steps taken in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to support developing and attracting investments, boosting the investment environment, and where the strategy seeks to reach an investment volume of around SAR 12.4 trillion by 2030.

In addition to holding interactive sessions that discussed strategic projects in the Kingdom and success stories of Kuwaiti companies in the Kingdom, the forum included presentations on the themes of "Invest Saudi", "competitive advantages and investment opportunities in the regions of the Kingdom", "privatization projects in Saudi Arabia" and the "NEOM Project".

Intended to utilize opportunities for cooperation and partnership, promoting investment opportunities in the two countries, reviewing aspects of cooperation and investment partnership, and exchanging expertise the forum included bilateral meetings between major companies and private sector representatives on both sides.

Source: Saudi Press Agency