23 Countries Discuss Education in Riyadh Post-Pandemic Era

The Saudi Minister of Education accompanied by a number of participants at the International Education Conference 2022 in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi Minister of Education accompanied by a number of participants at the International Education Conference 2022 in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

23 Countries Discuss Education in Riyadh Post-Pandemic Era

The Saudi Minister of Education accompanied by a number of participants at the International Education Conference 2022 in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi Minister of Education accompanied by a number of participants at the International Education Conference 2022 in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Riyadh is hosting representatives of 23 countries from around the world and more than 262 international and local universities to discuss the education sector after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The International Education Conference 2022, which kicked off on Sunday, tackles the global education policies and examines the most effective experiences and means to overcome challenges and improve outputs in line with international standards and indicators.

In a speech at the opening ceremony, Saudi Minister of Education, Dr. Hamad Al-Sheikh, said that the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the development of operating systems that serve the education sector.

He underlined the need for creative planning to overcome challenges facing the education sector around the world, which include economic conditions and global transformations.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Egypt’s Minister of Education, Dr. Tarek Shawky, stressed the importance of the conference in seeking to find the means to address the educational gap among students, and discussing partnership opportunities within the framework of digital transformation.

“It is an opportunity to discuss common issues with representatives from the World Bank, UNESCO and international and regional organizations, who met in Riyadh, to engage in a joint thinking process, following two years of isolation due to the pandemic,” the minister added.

The four-day conference is held in parallel with an exhibition that showcases the experiences of 145 universities and international educational institutions, as well as nearly 130 workshops targeting large segments of workers in the education sector.

Topics that will be discussed during the conference include digital education, artificial intelligence, technical alternatives, and educational skills that support sustainable and inclusive development.



Saudi Arabia Urges Syria Sanctions Relief at Talks with Regional, EU Diplomats

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
TT

Saudi Arabia Urges Syria Sanctions Relief at Talks with Regional, EU Diplomats

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (Saudi Foreign Ministry)

Saudi Arabia on Sunday called for the lifting of sanctions on Syria after meetings with top diplomats from the Middle East and Europe that focused on the war-ravaged country's future.

"We stressed the importance of lifting unilateral and international sanctions imposed on Syria, as their continuation hinders the aspirations of the Syrian people to achieve development and reconstruction," Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said after Sunday's talks concluded in Riyadh.
The agenda included a meeting of Arab officials as well as a broader gathering that also included Türkiye, France, the European Union and the United Nations.
Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led the main opposition group in the alliance that overthrew Bashar Al-Assad, is pushing for sanctions relief. His administration is represented at the Riyadh talks by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.

This month Saudi Arabia sent food, shelter and medical supplies to Syria by land and by plane.

"We also emphasized the importance of continuing to provide various forms of humanitarian and economic support, as well as efforts to build the capacity of the Syrian state, achieve stability, and facilitate reconstruction," Prince Faisal said in his statement.

"This includes creating a conducive environment for the return of Syrian refugees."