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GAMI, SAMI Sign Contract to Manufacture 'SkyGuard' UAV

The “SkyGuard” unmanned aerial vehicle.
The “SkyGuard” unmanned aerial vehicle.
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GAMI, SAMI Sign Contract to Manufacture 'SkyGuard' UAV

The “SkyGuard” unmanned aerial vehicle.
The “SkyGuard” unmanned aerial vehicle.

The General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) signed a contract with Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) for the development and manufacture of unmanned aerial vehicle “SkyGuard”.

The new contract aims to establish a leading foundational base for technological innovation, both regionally and internationally.

SAMI also signed an agreement with Prince Sultan Defense Studies and Research Center (PSDSARC) to further develop “SkyGuard,” which is the outcome of numerous R&D efforts, contributing to the overarching goal of localizing over 50 percent of expenditure on defense equipment and services by the year 2030.

Governor of GAMI Ahmad al-Ohali, Vice Chairman of SAMI Ghassan al-Shibl, CEO of SAMI Walid Abukhaled, and several key executives from the two entities attended the signing ceremony.

Ohali asserted that the agreement is expected to add significant value by increasing military readiness within the Kingdom’s defense ecosystem and enhancing field responsiveness and technical support. It will also expand high-skilled job creation for Saudi human talent.

He noted that this new agreement is part of the framework for incentivizing localization in the Kingdom’s defense sector and supporting its Vision 2030 targets.

“Saudi Arabia today is laying the foundation for transformative change in this promising sector for generations to come.”

SAMI CEO Abukhaled reiterated that this signing marks a step amongst many in the Kingdom’s aspirational and inspiring localization journey.

Abukhaled noted the pertinence of this signing to building a robust local defense ecosystem comprising indigenous supply chains that satisfy our strategic need to be self-sufficient.

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Syria's New Rulers Urge US to Lift Sanctions During Visit to Doha

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, meets Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha, Qatar, January 5, 2025. (SANA/Handout via Reuters)
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, meets Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha, Qatar, January 5, 2025. (SANA/Handout via Reuters)
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Syria's New Rulers Urge US to Lift Sanctions During Visit to Doha

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, meets Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha, Qatar, January 5, 2025. (SANA/Handout via Reuters)
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, meets Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha, Qatar, January 5, 2025. (SANA/Handout via Reuters)

Syria's new rulers said on Sunday that US sanctions on Syria were an obstacle to the war-torn country's rapid recovery and urged Washington to lift them during a visit by Syrian officials to Qatar.

"These sanctions constitute a barrier and an obstacle to the rapid recovery and development of the Syrian people who await services and partnerships from other countries," Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani told reporters after meeting with Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as foreign minister.

"We reiterate our calls for the United States to lift these sanctions, which have now become against the Syrian people rather than what they previously were: imposed sanctions on the Assad regime," he said.

Shibani, on his second foreign trip less than a month after former President Bashar al-Assad was ousted by opposition factions on Dec. 8, said that Qatar will be a partner in the new phase in Syria.

Doha had not normalized ties with Assad over his government's violent response to 2011 protests and backed the opposition instead.

Shibani, who was joined by Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and Head of Intelligence Anas Khattab, met with other senior Qatari officials including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, a Qatari official told Reuters earlier.

Shibani presented the Qataris a clear roadmap for the near future in Syria and steps that would be taken by the new Syrian administration, Al-Khulaifi told reporters after the meeting.

"We are working together to prevent any foreign interference in Syrian affairs," Al-Khulaifi added.

Shibani said the roadmap is meant to "rebuild our country, restore its Arab and foreign relations, enable the Syrian people to obtain their civil and basic rights, and present a government that the Syrian people feel it represents them and all their components."

He is expected to also visit the United Arab Emirates and Jordan this week to "support stability, security, economic recovery and build distinguished partnerships," according to his account on X.

Shibani embarked on his first foreign trip to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday where Saudi officials discussed how best to support Syria's political transition.