عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Varieties

Royal Commission for AlUla, Monsha’at Partner to Unlock Region’s Economic Potential

FILE PHOTO: Visitors walk outside the tombs at the Madain Saleh antiquities site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia February 10, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Kalin
FILE PHOTO: Visitors walk outside the tombs at the Madain Saleh antiquities site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia February 10, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Kalin
TT
TT

Royal Commission for AlUla, Monsha’at Partner to Unlock Region’s Economic Potential

FILE PHOTO: Visitors walk outside the tombs at the Madain Saleh antiquities site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia February 10, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Kalin
FILE PHOTO: Visitors walk outside the tombs at the Madain Saleh antiquities site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia February 10, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Kalin

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) and the Saudi Arabian Government’s Small & Medium Sized Enterprises General Authority (Monsha’at) have signed an agreement that would benefit entrepreneurs and SMEs in the governorate.

“At the heart of the partnership is a plan to establish a new co-working space in AlUla where local SMEs and entrepreneurs can access support services to accelerate their growth, helping them succeed through the provision of knowledge and expertise and enhancing the entrepreneurial spirit to contribute to a sustainable, diversified economy in AlUla,” RCU said in a statement.

The agreement, signed by Amr AlMadani, RCU CEO, and Monsha’at Governor Saleh AlRasheed supports the region’s economic growth potential, including key industries such as tourism and agriculture, and reflects the Kingdom’s diversification as part of Vision 2030.

“Once developed, the incubator will facilitate access to established services, including the SME’s Governmental Registration, and support unique investment opportunities within AlUla. It will also bring access to Monsha’at’s services to AlUla,” said the statement.

“This collaboration with Monsha’at enhances AlUla’s economic diversity, building on AlUla’s vision and empowering local entrepreneurs and SMEs within a vibrant society: not only to harvest the benefits of the region’s development, but to be drivers of its transformation,” it quoted AlMadani as saying.

As for AlRasheed, he said the new agreement brings Monsha’at’s expertise and programs in SME incubation together with the extraordinary economic opportunities emerging in AlUla.

“With RCU, we will work to bring global practices in SME support to AlUla,” he added.

According to AlMadani, the SME incubation center aims to become a “Launchpad” for local entrepreneurs to unleash their energy, creativity and synergy to drive AlUla’s development.

This is the most recent in a series of initiatives to create new educational, professional, and developmental opportunities for locals to help them reach their full potential and maximize their contribution as members of the local community.

Most Viewed

 
 
Varieties

A Young Gorilla Rescued from Aircraft Hold Recovers at Istanbul Zoo

Zeytin, a 5-month-old male gorilla infant who was rescued at Istanbul Airport, drinks milk in a specially created section of a zoo, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Zeytin, a 5-month-old male gorilla infant who was rescued at Istanbul Airport, drinks milk in a specially created section of a zoo, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
TT
TT

A Young Gorilla Rescued from Aircraft Hold Recovers at Istanbul Zoo

Zeytin, a 5-month-old male gorilla infant who was rescued at Istanbul Airport, drinks milk in a specially created section of a zoo, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Zeytin, a 5-month-old male gorilla infant who was rescued at Istanbul Airport, drinks milk in a specially created section of a zoo, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

A young gorilla rescued from a plane’s cargo hold is recovering at an Istanbul zoo, officials said Sunday, while wildlife officers consider returning him to his natural habitat.

The 5-month-old gorilla was discovered in a box on a Turkish Airlines flight from Nigeria to Thailand last month. After a public competition, he has been named Zeytin, or Olive, and is recuperating at Polonezkoy Zoo.

“Of course, what we want and desire is for the baby gorilla ... to continue its life in its homeland,” Fahrettin Ulu, regional director of Istanbul Nature Conservation and National Parks, said Sunday, The AP reported.

“What is important is that an absolutely safe environment is established in the place it goes to, which is extremely important for us.”

In the weeks since he was found, Zeytin has gained weight and is showing signs of recovering from his traumatic journey.

“When he first came, he was very shy, he would stay where we left him,” said veterinarian Gulfem Esmen. “He doesn’t have that shyness now. He doesn’t even care about us much. He plays games by himself.”

Both gorilla species — the western and eastern gorillas, which populate central Africa’s remote forests and mountains — are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

As Istanbul emerges as a major air hub between continents, customs officials have increasingly intercepted illegally traded animals. In October, 17 young Nile crocodiles and 10 monitor lizards were found in an Egyptian passenger’s luggage at the city’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport.