“The kingdom has targeted three key areas for investment in Africa: natural resources, renewable energy, and infrastructure. At the third edition of the Future Minerals Forum in January, Saudi Arabia announced plans to invest $15 billion in mining projects globally, focusing heavily on Africa. Agreements with mineral-rich countries like Namibia, Guinea, and the Democratic Republic of Congo exemplify this commitment. Additionally, the PIF’s joint venture, Manara Minerals, expressed interest in acquiring a 30% stake in Zambia’s copper mines.” Can Saudi Arabia Successfully Woo Africa? [International Policy Digest]
“The Saudi Arabians are learning to play the game of sports politics more carefully… Rather than becoming entangled in a hostile takeover, it will look to do things through evolution rather than revolution. It was an outsider looking to enter the global sport industry and taking a position as a disruptor. Now it’s much more part of the orthodoxy, looking to work within existing structures.” Simon Chadwick, Professor of Sport and Geopolitical Economy at Skema Business School in Paris, Saudi Arabia dipping its toes into cricket might be the start of something big [ESPN]
“Trump will need to end the war in Gaza, and to do that you need to address the day after. He will need some focus on the Palestinian track or the regional element won’t work. Saudi Arabia has said bluntly that unless there’s a Palestinian state, normalisation is not an option.” Arab countries unite behind Palestinian cause as they look to Saudi Arabia to moderate Trump [Middle East Monitor]
“The [Saudi] market is very immature at the moment – that isn’t a criticism, it’s just a fact. We aren’t Western Europe, we’re not North America – there’s a lot of catching up to do,” flyadeal CEO Steven Greenway, India Is ‘On Our Radar’ for 2025, Says CEO of Saudi’s Flyadeal [Skift]
“Having been lucky enough to experience first-hand the incredible filmmaking, atmosphere and creativity at the Red Sea International Film Festival in 2022, it’s a privilege to be returning this year as president of the jury. Alongside creating a melting pot for cultures to come together in celebration of our important art-form, it’s vital to continue to platform young and emerging filmmakers who are finding their voice in the industry, and it’s exciting to see first-time directors from across the Arab region, Asia and Africa as part of the competition lineup this year.” Spike Lee, Spike Lee to Head Jury of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival [Variety]
“They are very, very passionate about philosophy in the sense that Arabs believe they saved Western civilization. During the Middle Ages, many of these texts, Greek texts particularly, basically disappeared and the libraries were burned. Many of these texts were located in libraries throughout the Middle East, and the Arabs in a certain sense were able to recuperate and revive and resuscitate ancient Greek tradition. The texts that Thomas Aquinas had available to him wouldn’t be possible without the translators translating. They translated from Greek into Arabic and then ultimately into Latin. So there’s a whole historical continuity between Greek civilization and Arabic civilization in that sense.” Josh Hayes, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Alvernia University, Philosophy professor gets royal welcome in Saudi Arabia [Alvernia University]
“Education in the Kingdom today does not focus solely on knowledge. Through the establishment of the National Curriculum Center, the curriculum has evolved to be both knowledge-based and skill-oriented, with a focus on values. Education stresses enhancing skills from early childhood (ages 3-6), aiming to create an innovative and competitive generation by 2030, aligned with the labor market in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.” Minister of Education Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Benyan, Education Minister at Misk Global Forum: Values are the Foundation of Education Success [Saudi Press Agency]
“Saudi Minister of Commerce Dr. Majed Al-Qasabi issued a decision banning the commercial use of symbols and logos of countries, as well as religious and sectarian symbols and logos. This is aimed at preventing the abuse or misuse of these symbols and logos. The ministry had previously announced the ban on using Saudi Arabia’s flag, which includes the name of God, the word of monotheism, the state emblem (the two swords and the palm tree), and pictures of the leadership and officials and their names in commercial transactions, including “printed materials, goods and products, media bulletins, special gifts, and others.”” Saudi Arabia bans commercial use of symbols and logos of other countries [Zawya]
“We’re already at that stage where projects are being prioritized. So I think we’ve already reached that… This includes focusing on more viable projects or those linked to key events such as the Asian Games or the stadium. The move to manage costs, extend timeframes and prioritize projects is being seen as a welcome development.” Monica Malik, chief economist at ADCB, Saudi Arabia prioritizes sports for NEOM plans as costs balloon, sources say [Reuters]
“Since its establishment in 2015, KSrelief has carried out 3,105 projects in 104 countries, totaling more than $7.1 billion in value. These projects span various vital sectors, with Yemen receiving the largest share—63.12 percent of the center’s total aid—amounting to over $4.5 billion.” Dr. Al-Rabeeah: 170 countries benefited from $133 billion aid from Saudi Arabia [Saudi Gazette]
