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Saudi Arabia to Revive Hajj, Umrah Sectors

Saudi Arabia launched a package of initiatives to support investors and economic establishments operating in the Hajj and Umrah sector. Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Arabia launched a package of initiatives to support investors and economic establishments operating in the Hajj and Umrah sector. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Saudi Arabia to Revive Hajj, Umrah Sectors

Saudi Arabia launched a package of initiatives to support investors and economic establishments operating in the Hajj and Umrah sector. Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Arabia launched a package of initiatives to support investors and economic establishments operating in the Hajj and Umrah sector. Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Arabia launched on Tuesday a package of initiatives to support investors and economic establishments operating in the Hajj and Umrah sector, which is facing a critical stage due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Prince Faisal bin Salman, Governor of Madinah Region, said that the approval of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques on the support initiatives for establishments operating in the Hajj and Umrah sector is an extension of efforts to help several sectors overcome the financial and economic impacts of the pandemic.

The support package comes within a series of more than 150 initiatives launched by Saudi Arabia, worth around 180 billion riyals (USD 48 billion), with the aim of mitigating the pandemic's effects on individuals, the private sector and investors.

Experts in the economies of Hajj and Umrah believe that the initiatives will greatly help the enterprises and enable them to boost their financial performance, and to develop future strategies to overcome any future obstacles.

Among the initiatives approved by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques is to postpone the collection of fees for residency renewal for expatriates working in the Hajj and Umrah sectors for a period of six months, provided that the amounts are paid in installments over a year.

Other incentives include the renewal of licenses of the Ministry of Tourism for a period of one year, free of charge, for accommodation facilities in Makkah and Madinah.

Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Abdul Fattah Mashat told Asharq Al-Awsat that the approval of the Saudi King reflects the government’s keenness to help private sector facilities to function and preserve the stability of the national economy.

The incentive initiatives would be a catalyst for establishments operating in the Hajj and Umrah sector and contribute to expanding their businesses in the future, he added.

Mashat noted that the initiatives would greatly contribute to the success of existing partnerships between the government and the private sector, as they directly support the business environment and provide job opportunities for companies operating in the sector.

The announcement of the support package comes in parallel with the launch of the third phase of the re-opening of Umrah at the Grand Mosque to local and foreign pilgrims, amid a set of strict precautionary measures.

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Saudi Arabia Makes History with Adoption of Riyadh Treaty on Design Law

Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Makes History with Adoption of Riyadh Treaty on Design Law

Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia has made history by uniting the 193 member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to adopt the Riyadh Treaty on Design Law. This landmark achievement, realized after two decades of deliberation, underscores the Kingdom’s leadership in enhancing the global intellectual property system.

The announcement came at the conclusion of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty, a rare event for WIPO, which has not held a diplomatic conference outside Geneva for more than a decade. It was also the first such event hosted in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, representing the final stage of negotiations to establish an agreement aimed at simplifying and standardizing design protection procedures across member states.

Over the past two weeks, intensive discussions and negotiations among member states culminated in the adoption of the Riyadh Treaty, which commits signatory nations to a unified set of requirements for registering designs, ensuring consistent and streamlined procedures worldwide. The agreement is expected to have a significant positive impact on designers, enabling them to protect their creations more effectively and uniformly across international markets.

At a press conference held on Friday to mark the event’s conclusion, CEO of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem highlighted the economic potential of the new protocol.

Responding to a question from Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Suwailem noted the substantial contributions of young Saudi men and women in creative design. He explained that the agreement will enable their designs to be formally protected, allowing them to enter markets as valuable, tradable assets.

He also emphasized the symbolic importance of naming the convention the Riyadh Treaty, stating that it reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing influence as a bridge between cultures and a global center for innovative initiatives.

The treaty lays critical legal foundations to support designers and drive innovation worldwide, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s vision of promoting international collaboration in the creative industries and underscoring its leadership in building a sustainable future for innovators.

The agreement also advances global efforts to enhance creativity, protect intellectual property, and stimulate innovation on a broader scale.

This achievement further strengthens Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for groundbreaking initiatives, demonstrating its commitment to nurturing creativity, safeguarding designers’ rights, and driving the development of creative industries on an international scale.

The Riyadh Diplomatic Conference, held from November 11 to 22, was hosted by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property and attracted high-ranking officials and decision-makers from WIPO member states.