Episode 63! The hosts welcome Jeffrey Beyer, Managing Director, Zest Associates, a Dubai-based consultancy that develops sustainability solutions for governments and private companies for the low carbon economy. First, the hosts discuss Richard’s one big thing this week, which is Saudi Arabia’s forthcoming Saudi Games, the largest single sporting event ever in Saudi Arabia. Lucien’s one big thing this week in Saudi Arabia is the progress on the Red Sea with major milestones reached for The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), headed up by John Pagano. The hosts conclude the program as always with Yallah! 6 top storylines to get you up to speed headed into the weekend. 

2:02 - Richard’s one big thing this week is Saudi Arabia’s forthcoming Saudi Games, the largest single sporting event ever in Saudi Arabia. The games take place with the participation of more than 6000 athletes and 2,000 technical and administrative supervisors representing more than 200 clubs across the Kingdom, competing in 45 sports as individuals and teams including 5 games dedicated to Paralympic sports.

10:42 - Lucien’s one big thing this week in Saudi Arabia is the progress on the Red Sea with major milestones reached for The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), headed up by John Pagano. Earlier this summer, Rosewood hotels said it would open one of its high-end hotels in the area. That was just the start of a slate of news on the progress at the Red Sea resort area. Foster + Partners released designs for the “world’s first fully immersive experiential marine life center.” Authorities also announced the official opening of the Shura bridge, a 3.3km crossing (so just over 2 miles) from the Saudi mainland to the hub island Shura. 

18:36 - The hosts welcome Jeffrey Beyer, Managing Director, Zest Associates, a Dubai-based consultancy that develops sustainability solutions for governments and private companies for the low carbon economy. The hosts talk with Jeffrey about sustainability and climate, ESG, and more with COP27 and COP28 taking place in the Middle East region. 

Links to the reports mentioned in the conversation are here:

1:05:48 - Yallah! 

Qatar World Cup ticket sales near 3 million

Ticket sales for the soccer World Cup are approaching the three million mark ahead of the tournament kicking off in Qatar on Nov. 20, FIFA president Gianni Infantino and event organisers said on Monday. The top 10 purchasing countries of the 2.89 million tickets sold are Qatar, the United States, Saudi Arabia, England, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, France, Brazil and Germany, FIFA's World Cup Chief Operating Officer Colin Smith told a news conference in Doha.

US officials not invited to Saudi's 'Davos in the Desert'

The organisers of the Saudi investment conference known as 'Davos in the Desert' said they will not invite US government officials, in a major departure from previous years which comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Riyadh. The Future Investment Initiative (FII), a three-day conference set to begin on 25 October in Riyadh, typically draws Wall Street titans and high-ranking officials from around the world, and up to 400 American CEOs are expected to participate this year, said Richard Attias, CEO of the group behind the event.

 

 

 

Saudi Crown Prince announces $400 million in humanitarian aid for Ukraine

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has announced $400 million in humanitarian aid for Ukraine, the official SPA news agency reported. It followed a phone call between the Crown Prince and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday where the Crown Prince emphasized “the Kingdom's position of supporting everything that will contribute to de-escalation, and the Kingdom's readiness to continue the efforts of mediation,” SPA reported. The humanitarian aid package for Ukraine will contribute to alleviating the suffering of Ukrainian citizens in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

 

Saudi Crown Prince Launches National Industrial Strategy

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz launched the National Strategy for Industry, which aims to promote industry and attract investment, leading to economic diversification and growth of non-oil exports and GDP. The National Strategy for Industry will increase growth in the sector, bringing the number of factories to about 36,000 by 2035. The Strategy focuses on 12 sub-sectors to diversify the industrial economy in the Kingdom while identifying more than 800 investment opportunities worth $266 billion, beginning a new chapter of sustainable growth for the sector. It seeks to achieve ambitious economic returns for the Kingdom by 2030, including increasing industrial GDP threefold and doubling the value of industrial exports to reach $148.5 billion.

 

Making waves and skirting sharks: Mariam bin Laden on her Saudi Arabia-Egypt swim

Saudi endurance swimmer Mariam bin Laden has made history again — this time as the first woman and first Arab to swim from Saudi Arabia's Tiran Island to Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt. Bin Laden, a dentist and advocate for Syrian refugees, joined fellow endurance swimmer and UN Patron of the Oceans Lewis Pugh in the Coral Swim event in the Red Sea. They were aiming to bring attention to the devastating effects of climate change on coral reefs ahead of Cop27.

 

 

 

Saudi Arabia to host WTTC Global Summit next month

The 22nd World Travel and Tourism (WTTC) Global Summit is set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 28 November to 1 December 2022. The event will host industry leaders and key government representatives with the goal of driving support for the travel and tourism sector’s ongoing recovery, moving it to a safer, more resilient, inclusive and sustainable future, according to the WTTC. The event will include a lineup of speakers, including Arnold Donald, chair of World Travel & Tourism Council and HE Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism for Saudi Arabia.