Tens of Thousands of Artifacts Looted from Sudan Museum

Members of the Rapid Support Forces in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum (Reuters file)
Members of the Rapid Support Forces in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum (Reuters file)
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Tens of Thousands of Artifacts Looted from Sudan Museum

Members of the Rapid Support Forces in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum (Reuters file)
Members of the Rapid Support Forces in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum (Reuters file)

Tens of thousands of artifacts have been looted from a Sudanese museum regarded as one of the most important in Africa, Britain’s The Guardian newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The museum is located in an area controlled by the RSF, the paramilitary group battling the regular army in Sudan’s war.

An official at the National Museum in Khartoum said satellite images taken last year showed trucks loaded with artifacts leaving the museum and heading for Sudan’s borders, including that with South Sudan.

Earlier this month, Sudan’s national broadcaster reported that the museum had been targeted by “a large-scale looting and smuggling operation.”

The National Museum is regarded by experts as one of the most important such institutions in Africa. Its collection of more than 100,000 items includes embalmed mummies dating from 2,500BC, making them among the oldest and most archaeologically significant in the world.

In June last year, a video clip circulated on social media appeared to show fighters from the RSF entering the bioarcheology lab of the National Museum and opening storage containers containing mummies and other remains.

The same official told The Guardian that attempts were being made to talk to regional governments about returning the works.



Saudi Culinary Arts Commission Signs New Partnership to Expand Global Presence

Saudi Culinary Arts Commission Signs New Partnership to Expand Global Presence
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Saudi Culinary Arts Commission Signs New Partnership to Expand Global Presence

Saudi Culinary Arts Commission Signs New Partnership to Expand Global Presence

The Culinary Arts Commission has announced a strategic partnership with the international organization Sirha Food to enhance the presence of Saudi culinary culture at international events and competitions focused on the culinary arts.
Under this partnership, the Kingdom will host regional selection competitions for both the Bocuse d'Or competition and the Pastry World Cup for the Middle East in 2025.

According to SPA, this marks a significant step in the development of the Kingdom’s culinary arts sector, as these prestigious competitions aim to discover the best talents in the region, providing chefs with the opportunity to compete on the global stage and offering Saudi chefs a platform to showcase their skills internationally.
The collaboration between the Culinary Arts Commission and Sirha Food includes participation in the finals of the Pastry World Cup and the Bocuse d'Or World Final, as well as the Sirha exhibition, set to take place in Lyon, France, in January 2025.
The partnership builds on the existing collaboration between the commission and Sirha Food, which previously resulted in the organization of the Sirha Arabia exhibition in Riyadh.
CEO of the Culinary Arts Commission Mayada Badr stated that the collaboration with Sirha Food represents a pivotal step toward advancing the culinary arts in the Kingdom. She noted that hosting the regional edition of the Bocuse d'Or competition and the Pastry World Cup, alongside the commission's participation in Sirha Lyon, reflects its commitment to enhancing the Kingdom's global status in this field.
Badr also pointed out that this partnership aligns with the commission’s ongoing efforts to develop the culinary arts sector through fruitful collaborations that contribute to improving the culinary scene in the Kingdom, fostering growth in the sector, and benefiting Saudi chefs and local talent.