RIYADH: Kuwait’s Minister of Finance and State Minister for Economic and Investment Affairs, Dr Anwar Al-Mudhaf, discussed with Saudi Finance Minister, Mohammed Al-Jadaan, bilateral cooperation and ways to boost financial and economic relations. The Kuwait Ministry of Finance mentioned in a statement that this came in a meeting between the two officials on the sidelines of the Islamic Development Bank Group annual meetings in Riyadh. The statement said the Finance Ministers discussed bilateral cooperation and reinforcement of the deep-rooted strategic relations that tie the two friendly countries; they also went over topics of shared interest in the economic and financial fields.

Space center

Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum signed an agreement with the Saudi Space Agency to establish the Center for Space Futures, set to open this autumn, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The center, to be hosted by the Saudi Space Agency, aims to facilitate public-private discussions on space collaboration, incorporate best practices from the forum and its communities into the global space sector, and generate forward-looking contributions to accelerate space technologies.

“The center is committed to fostering a vibrant, prosperous, and sustainable space economy globally. By developing principles, expanding knowledge, refining models, and cultivating partnerships, we aim to responsibly harness the vast opportunities of space,” said Saudi Space Agency CEO Dr. Mohammed Altamimi. “From monitoring the effects of climate change to increasing human connectivity via satellites, the impact of the global space sector on Earth cannot be overstated,” World Economic Forum Managing Director Jeremy Jurgens said.

He added that the Center for Space Futures is integrated into the C4IR Network due to the importance of addressing various topics such as space technological innovation, policies and regulations, as well as sustainability. The Center for Space Futures is the first in the network of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Centers to focus exclusively on space. It will work alongside the existing center in the Kingdom (C4IR Saudi Arabia) to advance Saudi Vision 2030, the country’s roadmap for economic diversification, global engagement, and improved quality of life. — KUNA