Saudi Economy Ministry Signs MoU with Alfaisal University to Promote Economic Development

The signing of the agreement took place at the university's headquarters in Riyadh. SPA
The signing of the agreement took place at the university's headquarters in Riyadh. SPA
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Saudi Economy Ministry Signs MoU with Alfaisal University to Promote Economic Development

The signing of the agreement took place at the university's headquarters in Riyadh. SPA
The signing of the agreement took place at the university's headquarters in Riyadh. SPA

The Ministry of Economy and Planning and Alfaisal University signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote economic development and implement awareness programs and initiatives to serve the community, in line with achieving Saudi Vision 2030 goals.

The signing of the agreement took place at the university's headquarters in Riyadh.

The MoU was signed by Rakan bin Abdullah Al Alsheikh, Deputy Minister for Policies and Economic Planning at the Ministry of Economy and Planning, and princess Dr. Maha bint Meshari Al Saud, the Alfaisal University Vice President of External Relations and Advancement.

Under the MoU, the two parties will cooperate to promote economic development, activate academic research, implement awareness programs and initiatives to serve the community, as well as cooperate on various activities and events.

The MoU stipulates that the two sides cooperate to maximize the university’s economic return, form a network of joint opinion experts to provide feedback on various economic topics, and to exchange expertise in preparing and writing academic research and public policies in the field of economics.

The Ministry of Economy and Planning will provide consultations on the use of university resources such as student research, faculty members, and research laboratories on economic priority topics that support Saudi Vision 2030. It will offer facilities and cooperation in designing and formulating research project launch plans, and supervise a team of researchers from both sides, which will be assigned to prepare public policy studies and academic research for the Ministry.



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.