Day: September 2, 2024

Riyadh, His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of Qatar, co-chaired the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council in Riyadh on Sunday.

HH Prince Faisal bin Farhan emphasised that the meeting aimed to strengthen relations between the two nations, fulfil the aspirations of their leaderships and peoples, and advance their ties towards broader horizons.

HH Prince Faisal bin Farhan highlighted that the leaderships of both countries view their coordination council as a platform that frames activities across all sectors and enhances relations to achieve the respective visions of Saudi Arabia and Qatar for 2030, positively impacting the interests of both nations and their people, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

In his address, the prime minister praised the notable efforts of the committees from the Saudi
-Qatari Coordination Council in updating the initiatives list, creating new initiatives and establishing measurable and actionable milestones. He also commended the committee’s efforts to set a timeline for these milestones to align with the observations of the council’s secretariat general in the performance report for the first quarter of 2024.

The prime minister emphasised that this meeting marks a significant milestone in the development of Saudi-Qatari relations. It also underscores the commitment of both countries to diligent work, investing in opportunities, exchanging viewpoints, and reviewing the council’s achievements and qualitative initiatives. He expressed eagerness to accomplish and implement all planned activities.

During the meeting, the secretariat general working team reviewed the outputs of the committees associated with the coordination council and their teams from the previous period. Additionally, HH Prince Faisal bin Farhan and the prime minister signed the meeting minutes.

The meeti
ng was attended by Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Jadaan, the Minister of Finance, and Fahad Alharthi, Director General of the General Administration of Secretariats of Councils and Committees at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Manama, The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) announced the implementation of 1,820 inspection campaigns and visits, during the period of 25 to 31 August 2024, which resulted in the detention of 48 violating and irregular workers, while 150 violators were deported.

The inspection campaigns and visits also resulted in monitoring a number of violations related to the provisions of a number of regulating laws, particularly the Labour Market Regulatory Authority and the Residency Laws in the Kingdom of Bahrain, noting that legal measures were taken regarding the observed violations.

The authority pointed out that 1,808 inspection visits were carried out on various shops in all governorates, in addition to 12 joint inspection campaigns, that included 7 campaigns in the Capital Governorate; 1 campaign in the Muharraq Governorate; 3 campaigns in the Northern Governorate, and 1 campaign in the Southern Governorate.

The government entities that participated in the campaigns are the Ministry of Interior, re
presented by the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA), and the Governorate’s respective Police Directorate, the General Directorate of Verdict Enforcement and Alternative Sentencing, the General Directorate of Civil Defence, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Ministry of Health, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority, Electricity and Water Authority, the Northern Area Municipality, and the Northern Area Municipal Council.

The Authority affirmed the continuation of joint coordination with government agencies to intensify inspection campaigns in all governorates of the Kingdom, and to address any violations or practices that negatively affect the stability and competitiveness of the labour market or harm economic and social security of the Kingdom.

The Labour Market Regulatory Authority renewed its call on all members of the society to support the efforts of government agencies in addressing illegal labour practices, by reporting violations via the electronic form on the authority’s w
ebsite www.lmra.gov.bh or by calling the authority’s call centre on 17506055 or via the government’s Suggestions and Complaints System (Tawasul).

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Jeddah, The Red Sea Film Foundation (Red Sea FF) will participate in the 81st Venice International Film Festival, scheduled from August 28-September 7.

The event will showcase several films supported by the Red Sea Fund. These films include “Aïcha” in the Orizzonti section, which won the Red Sea Souk Award at the second edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival; “Seeking Haven for Rambo” in the Orizzonti Extra section, which was selected for “The Lodge” program under the Red Sea Labs and supported by the Red Sea Fund in 2023; and “Aisha Can’t Fly Away Anymore,” which will be screened as part of the “Final Cut” initiative, supported by the Red Sea Foundation with a pound 5,000 prize for the winning film in the post-production phase. Additionally, “Sudan, Remember Us” and “To Kill a Mongolian Horse” will participate in the Giornate degli Autori section.

The Red Sea Fund, established in 2021, has supported over 250 film projects in the Arab world, Africa, and Asia, fostering storytelling and filmmaki
ng in the region, SPA reported.

The fourth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival is scheduled to take place in Jeddah from December 5-14.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Manama, In line with the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, regarding the continual improvement in government data management, the National Taskforce for Information and Population convened a national workshop in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The workshop focused on the IMF Data Standards Framework, emphasising the requirements for the Kingdom of Bahrain advancement into higher tiers within this framework, which signifies the Kingdom’s commitment to data transparency and international best practices.

Hosted at the Ministry of Finance and National Economy headquarters, the workshop was attended by approximately 80 representatives from various government entities involved in the compilation and dissemination of macroeconomic and financial data. The workshop focused on the criteria for subscribing to the Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) and adopting the latest data exchange technologies, like the Statis
tical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX) system.

This timely workshop coincided with an official IMF mission to Bahrain, marking the launch of the Kingdom’s National Summary Data Page (NSDP). The NSDP serves as a “data portal”, providing users access to data, metadata, and links to online datasets for all available categories. It also facilitates the automated exchange and sharing of statistical data and metadata through the SDMX; a standard for machine-to-machine transmission.

Hamad bin Faisal Al Malki, the Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the National Taskforce for Information and Population, affirmed that the ongoing directives from His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to constantly improve government data collection and presentation methods, are aimed at aligning with the best international standards and practices in data transparency, collection and dissemination. The minister highlighted that these efforts not only strengthen national ca
pacities in accurate and timely data calculation and publication, but also create an attractive investment climate, further enhancing Bahrain’s global standing.

Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, the Minister of Sustainable Development, Chief Executive of the Economic Development Board and Deputy Chair of the National Taskforce for Information and Population, reaffirmed the significance of the NSDP launch, as it ensures access to real-time, comprehensive statistics, crucial for measuring progress towards the sustainable development goals and enabling data-driven decision-making. Additionally, it is expected to further stimulate foreign direct investments, by increasing data accessibility to financial markets, contributing to sustainable development and economic growth.

During the workshop, the IMF experts led in-depth discussions on the IMF Data Standards Framework, detailing the steps needed for countries to subscribe SDDS. The SDDS promotes the publication of comprehensive and transparent economic and financial dat
a, fostering greater confidence in their economies and attracting foreign investment.

The workshop also explored the applications and uses of the SDMX system, emphasising its role in facilitating and streamlining statistical data exchange through advanced modeling and the use of artificial intelligence in statistical programs. Participants gained hands-on experience in converting data to the SDMX format, showcasing the system’s potential to significantly improve data collection, analysis, and dissemination for decision-makers, researchers, and various data users.

This workshop underscores the commitment of the National Taskforce for Information and Population to adopting the best international standards and practices in data publication and dissemination. It aims to ensure that the Kingdom’s economic and social progress is accurately reflected in global reports and databases, further elevating its regional and global standing.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Sakaka, Prince Faisal bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Governor of Al Jouf, received earlier today the Saudi Games torch from athlete Yousef Masrahi, the 400-meter gold medalist at the Asian Games last year.

Prince Faisal expressed appreciation for the strong support given by the leadership to sports and athletes in Saudi Arabia. He said that the Saudi Games mirror the impressive progress and successive accomplishments in sports, and wished success to all participants in this year’s competitions.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), this year’s torch tour aims to highlight key cultural, historical, and tourist sites in 47 famous locations throughout the Kingdom.

Accompanied by notable champions and influencers recognised for their significant contributions and accomplishments, local communities are joining in the festivities of the Kingdom’s most prominent national sports event.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Manama, Rawan bint Najeeb Tawfiqi, the Minister of Youth Affairs, held an online meeting with Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Chairman of the Pakistani Prime Minister’s Youth Programme.

The minister started the meeting with commending the Bahraini-Pakistani relations, noting the interest in expanding the framework of cooperation to serve the youth.

Minister Tawfiqi gave an outline of the main initiatives offered by the Kingdom in the youth sector and their outcome. Means to enhance bilateral cooperation were discussed as well, including launching joint initiatives to empower youth, develop their skills and exchange successful experiences.

On his part, the chairman praised the strong Bahraini-Pakistani relations in various domains, emphasisng his keenness to increase youth cooperation between the two countries.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Paris, Under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education, attended the award ceremony of the UNESCO-King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa Prize for the Use of ICT in Education.

The event, held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, was jointly organised by the Ministry of Education and UNESCO.

Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education at the UNESCO, along with senior officials, education ministers from various countries, diplomats, media representatives, and Bahraini students studying in France, were present.

Dr. Juma and Giannini presented the awards to the winners of the prize’s 15th edition.

The winning projects were “Connecting the Dots: Data-Driven Carbon Literacy” led by the GOGO School Teachers’ Association from the Republic of Korea, and “EducoNetImpact” led by researchers at the University of Mons in Belgium.

In his speech, the minister conveyed the congratulations of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Royal
Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to the winners.

He also expressed Bahrain’s appreciation for UNESCO’s efforts in promoting education, culture, and heritage, and praised the organisation’s ongoing collaboration with the Kingdom, ensuring the prize’s continuation into its fifteenth year.

He congratulated the winners and thanked the jury for their diligent work in evaluating the submissions.

For her part, Giannini emphasised the significance of the prize as a symbol of the strong partnership between UNESCO and its member states in developing digital education.

She lauded the quality of this year’s winning projects, noting their importance to educational development.

Giannini also acknowledged Bahrain’s celebration of the Silver Jubilee of His Majesty’s accession, expressing her hopes for the prize to continue for many years to come, recognising its valuable contributions to the field of education.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Manama, Dr. Ramzan bin Abdulla Al Noaimi, the Minister of Information, emphasised the strong historical ties between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, describing them as an exemplary model for international relations. He attributed this strength to the continuous efforts of the GCC leaders in advancing these relations, which are grounded in a shared history and common destiny.

The minister stressed that it was imperative that Gulf media, through its various channels and platforms, continued its constructive role in consolidating these ties and highlighting the bonds that bring the GCC states together. He urged the media to avoid undermining Gulf social unity and to celebrate Gulf success stories that reflect the depth and strength of these relations, to contribute to the solidarity and cohesion of the GCC at all levels.

Source: Bahrain News Agency