Saudi Arabian crown prince arrives in Egypt on start of regional tour
June 21, 2022, 5:33 am

Saudi Arabian crown prince arrives in Egypt on start of regional tour

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a session of the Shura Council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, November 20, 2019. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

Saudi state news agency SPA said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud headed to Egypt on Monday night (June 20), starting his first tour outside the Gulf region in over three years. He will also visit Jordan and Turkey.

SPA said that Prince Mohammed, known as MbS, will hold talks with the leaders of Egypt, Jordan and Turkey on strengthening bilateral cooperation and matters of joint interest.

The prince's trip comes ahead of next month's visit to the region by U.S. President Joe Biden, who is expected to meet Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia after a visit to Israel, with the Ukraine conflict and regional security on the agenda.

(L)-Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R)-Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi

Sources have said MbS and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi would discuss issues including the impact of the Ukraine war and preparations for Biden's trip to the region in mid-July.

Biden says no plans to meet with Saudi crown prince during Kingdom visit

The prince is expected to head to Amman on Tuesday for talks with King Abdullah to improve ties strained by regional rivalries and unfulfilled Saudi pledges to shore up Jordan's struggling economy, diplomats and sources with knowledge of the plans said.

This would be the prince's first tour outside the Gulf since the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the COVID-19 pandemic. MbS visited Egypt in 2018 and Japan in 2019.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”