MUST-READS

• Saudi minister announces 10% increase in tourist numbers in Q1 2024

  Saudi Arabia's Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb announced a significant increase in the country's tourism sector during a panel discussion titled "Vacationomics" at the special meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh.

  Al-Khateeb highlighted the substantial growth in tourist numbers, which have risen by 10% in the first quarter of 2024, with spending by tourists increasing by more than 17%.

• Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pledges US $500 million to protect children around the world from polio and end the disease for good

  New commitment will help vaccinate 370 million children against polio every year for the next five years, protecting them from paralysis and even death, and build stronger health systems to achieve and sustain a polio-free world.

• Saudi Arabia set on securing lithium for EV ambitions
   Saudi Arabia is committed to sourcing lithium from overseas as it looks to produce EV batteries and invest in the electric vehicle sector, a senior minister said in an interview, noting attempts to secure domestic supplies were at an early stage.
  Saudi Arabia, whose economy has for decades relied on oil, has spent billions attempting to turn itself into a hub for EV manufacturing as part of defacto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman's attempts to diversify the economy.

• Saudi Arabia embraces AI to revolutionize healthcare and industry, says minister at WEF

  Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Abdullah Al Swaha, emphasized the transformative shift humanity is undergoing towards artificial intelligence (AI), during a session at the World Economic Forum currently held in Riyadh.

  He affirmed Saudi Arabia's commitment to collaborating with international nations and organizations to pave the way for inclusive AI adoption.

• Saudi Arabia may ‘scale back some Vision 2030 projects and speed up others’

  Saudi Arabia’s Finance Minister Mohammed Al Jadaan on Sunday said the kingdom would adapt to current economic and geopolitical challenges and “downscale” or “accelerate” some of the projects being carried out under its Vision 2030 programme.

  Asked whether Saudi Arabia had to "mark-to-market" its expectations regarding the goals of the 14-year long programme, Mr Al Jadaan said: “Absolutely, yes.”

• Saudi Arabia’s NEOM secures $2.7 billion new financing facility
  NEOM, a unit of the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, secured a new revolving credit facility (RCF) worth 10 billion riyals ($2.67 billion) from local lenders, according to a NEOM statement seen by Reuters on Sunday.
  Saudi National Bank, Riyad Bank, and Saudi Awwal Bank acted as the lead arrangers on the new facility while other participant banks are Al Rajhi Bank, Alinma Bank, Arab National Bank, Bank Albilad, The Saudi Investment Bank, and Bank AlJazira, the press release shows.

• Saudi FM leads Gaza committee urging sanctions on Israel

  Ministers gathering in Riyadh to discuss the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip stressed the urgent need for imposing sanctions on Israel, the Saudi Press Agency reported Sunday. Chaired by Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, the meeting comprising dignitaries from a group formed jointly by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Arab League convened to address developments in Gaza.

• Saudi government mandates national dress for civil servants to showcase national identity
  Saudi Arabia has introduced a new regulation mandating the national dress for government employees as a sign of pride in the country’s identity.
  According to the directive, employees of Saudi government agencies must wear the traditional “thobe, ghutra or shemagh” while at work.

  Exceptions are made for professions requiring specific attire, such as doctors, engineers and health practitioners.

  The regulation applies across all government agencies, with authorities set to provide regular reports on compliance.

• Graham expects Biden will have GOP support if he strikes Israel-Saudi deal

  “I’m here on national television telling the Biden administration, if you can land this deal I think you’ll have a lot of Republican support in the United States Senate for a treaty between Saudi Arabia and the United States, because [it will] be good for Israel, it will be good for the world,” the South Carolina Republican said Sunday during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

• Host Saudi tells global economic summit the world has failed Gaza

  Speaking in Riyadh, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said the United States "is the only country capable" of preventing Israel's long-feared invasion of Rafah city in southern Gaza. "We appeal to the United States of America to ask Israel to stop the Rafah operation," he said, warning it would harm and displace civilians, and be "the biggest disaster in the history of the Palestinian people". Read more: https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2024/04/host-saudi-tells-global-economic-summit-world-has-failed-gaza#ixzz8Yn0qFW4X

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