“In Arabic, the word “tawakkal” describes the Islamic concept of “trusting in God’s plan.” Since the beta version of the app launched, it has broadened in scope and combined various government services into one place as the Kingdom pushed to digitalize its public sector. Users can access services for health, education, Hajj and Umrah, for everything driving-related, for insurance, passports, in addition to other items, directly within the app. Now your most important tool is your finger. It has become a way of life.”
“Both AlUla and Neom have striking similarities. Both are roughly the same size as Belgium (each about 27,000 square kilometers, give or take), and both are keen to push their dramatic landscapes and variety of filming locations. While Neom has some 500 kilometers of coastline and mountain ranges that elevate to around 2,500 meters, Alula’s vibrant mix includes lush green oases, yellow sand dunes, and what Strachan says are ‘more traditional Lawrence of Arabia-type aspects.’ Soon, for filmmaking not on location, both will have studio spaces.”
“Among all Middle East countries, Saudi Arabia has the largest, most literate, and technologically connected cohort of youths. The younger generation is in the vanguard of those using innovations such as digital video and gaming. This generation is always on the quest for the new and the innovative and is becoming more demanding in terms of technology adoption.”
Kearney issued an extensive report on Shaping the future of the media sector in Saudi Arabia. [Kearney]
“Non-oil gross domestic product — the engine of job creation — gained 5% while the oil economy grew 10.8%, according to preliminary estimates released by the General Authority for Statistics on Thursday. Growth for the full year of 2021 was 3.3%, the authority said, slightly better than Saudi officials’ predictions of 2.9% growth.”
-Vivian Nereim, Bloomberg reporter, who added, “The figures suggest that the omicron Covid-19 variant had a relatively limited economic impact in the world’s largest crude exporter, at least until January.” [Bloomberg]
“I wanted to think about our human timescale in a visual and visceral way. And to install the structures like they were always there. It is a way of not explaining it, not being didactic – this is where art can function. Suddenly people get it: this was once the sea.”
-Shezad Dawood, discussing his enlargements of coral species art installation at the DesertXAlUla in Saudi Arabia. According to a report in The National, the London artist “sculpted their knobbly, barnacled surfaces and coated them in a heat-responsive paint – as on a novelty mug that changes colour when hot coffee is poured in – so that Coral Alchemy I and II morph like living, organic beings in response to the desert’s fluctuating temperature.” [The National]
“There are only an estimated 200 Arabian leopards remaining in the wild. They’re the rarest and smallest of the world’s eight leopard species and are thought to be found only in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen.”
-February 10, 2022 is the first Arabian Leopard Day The Royal Commission for AlUla’s has created the Arabian Leopard Fund and is establishing and expanding nature reserves, providing park ranger training to AlUla residents, and creating a breeding center in the Sharaan Nature Reserve. [Forbes]
“What I remember most from my two first trips to Saudi was that practically all the folks I’d meet would say the same thing: without a serious transformation in the country there’s no future for it in the modern world. To be honest, back then I was a little amazed by the boldness of such statements, but now I see that wasn’t just talk. ”
Eugene Kaspersky, CEO Kaspersky Lab, discussing his attendance at LEAP, the first time he’d been in Saudi Arabia since 2014. [Eugene Kaspersky Blog]
“Renewables accounted for nearly 50% of total investment in 2021. However, electrified transport drove much of the growth as several countries charged ahead in the shift to electric vehicles. Nuclear power also racked up roughly $32 billion in investments, as conviction grows that it can deliver reliable, carbon-free electricity.”
-Visual Capitalist examines global energy transition investment. [Elements]
“The logo is made up of five symbols: the flag; dates, which signify growth, life and generosity; the Majlis, which symbolizes unity and societal cultural harmony; the Arabian horse, which stands for the chivalry and heroism of the princes and heroes of the state; and the market, in reference to economic mobility, diversity and openness to the world.”
Saudi Arabia’s logo for “Founding Day” includes various historical and traditional symbols linked to the Saudi state. [Arab News]
“The roll-out of WiFi-6e further accelerates the Kingdom’s rapid WiFi advance. In 2021, Saudi Arabia became the first country in the Middle East, Europe or Africa to designate all 1200 MHz of the 6Ghz band for unlicensed use. As a result, the Kingdom has more than 2 GHz of spectrum available for Wi-Fi operations — the most mid-band spectrum designated by any country globally.”
