Saudi Arabia, Japan Sign Memorandum of Cooperation in Mining, Mineral Resources

The officials sign the memorandum of cooperation in Riyadh. (SPA)
The officials sign the memorandum of cooperation in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, Japan Sign Memorandum of Cooperation in Mining, Mineral Resources

The officials sign the memorandum of cooperation in Riyadh. (SPA)
The officials sign the memorandum of cooperation in Riyadh. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Ibrahim Alkhorayef and Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Saito Ken signed on Monday a memorandum of cooperation between their respective ministries in mining and mineral resources at the ministry's headquarters in Riyadh.

The memorandum aims to bolster collaboration between both sides in the field of mining and mineral resources. This encompasses joint training programs to enhance human capital, exchanging professional visits and technical experts, and sharing experiences and information such as studies, policies, and regulations related to mining and mineral resources.

Additionally, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry intends to facilitate opportunities for joint investments in mining and mineral resources within Saudi Arabia or other third countries, in compliance with respective regulations, laws, and procedures.

The two ministers also witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between Manara Minerals Company and the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), an organization affiliated with the Japanese government. JOGMEC was established in 1967 and restructured in 2004 to ensure a stable supply of oil, natural gas, and mineral resources to meet Japan's energy and resource needs.

The memorandum aims to promote cooperative investments in mines and establish projects in third countries, with a particular focus on Africa and Latin America.



World Bank Redirects Funds Towards Lebanon Emergency Aid

Flames rise from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Flames rise from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
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World Bank Redirects Funds Towards Lebanon Emergency Aid

Flames rise from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Flames rise from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

The World Bank announced on Thursday that it was redirecting funds originally earmarked for development programs in Lebanon towards emergency aid for people displaced by Israeli bombardment of the country.

"The World Bank is activating emergency response plans to be able to repurpose resources in the portfolio to respond to the urgent needs of people in Lebanon," said a statement from the US-based multilateral institution.

The multilateral institution currently has $1.5 billion in funding for programs in Lebanon. Part of this amount will be redirected.

Since September 23, more than 1,000 people have been killed in an Israeli air-and-ground campaign on Lebanon that has targeted armed group Hezbollah in the south and east of the country, with strikes expanding to include the capital Beirut.

Thousands have been displaced since the bombing began, and the funds would be used to provide aid to those populations, the World Bank said.

"This would include emergency support to displaced people that could be deployed through a digital platform the World Bank helped put in place during the Covid epidemic," the statement said.