SDAIA, UNESCO Discuss ICAIRE Efforts

SDAIA President Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi met with UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences Gabriela Ramos. (SPA)
SDAIA President Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi met with UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences Gabriela Ramos. (SPA)
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SDAIA, UNESCO Discuss ICAIRE Efforts

SDAIA President Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi met with UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences Gabriela Ramos. (SPA)
SDAIA President Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi met with UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences Gabriela Ramos. (SPA)

Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) President Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi met with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences Gabriela Ramos, SPA said on Wednesday.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) organized by UNESCO and Slovenia’s Ministry of Digital Transformation under the theme "Changing the Landscape of AI Governance."
During the meeting, participants reviewed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's efforts in supporting UNESCO and its targets across various fields, including AI.
They also addressed efforts to enhance the role of the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE), which was classified under the second category of UNESCO, and SDAIA's efforts in this regard, such as organizing workshops on AI ethics in collaboration with the Arab League, the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the ICAIRE.
Additionally, SDAIA's efforts in the field of data and AI were discussed.



Saudi KAUST Researchers Join OceanQuest Inaugural Expedition Around Africa 

The KAUST research team conducted crucial research in biodiversity assessment, seamount studies, and chemical analyses. (SPA)
The KAUST research team conducted crucial research in biodiversity assessment, seamount studies, and chemical analyses. (SPA)
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Saudi KAUST Researchers Join OceanQuest Inaugural Expedition Around Africa 

The KAUST research team conducted crucial research in biodiversity assessment, seamount studies, and chemical analyses. (SPA)
The KAUST research team conducted crucial research in biodiversity assessment, seamount studies, and chemical analyses. (SPA)

Researchers from Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) joined the Saudi non-profit foundation OceanQuest on its first marine expedition around Africa aboard the advanced research vessel RV OceanXplorer, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Thursday.

The expedition represents a major milestone in marine and ocean exploration, underscoring Saudi Arabia's dedication to advancing national scientific expertise and boosting global research cooperation — key goals under Saudi Vision 2030.

The mission began in Moroni, Comoros, with the team sailing south through the Indian Ocean to Cape Town, South Africa. Its focus was on assessing biodiversity across several seamounts.

A second phase, designed for early-career oceanographers, proceeded north to Walvis Bay in Namibia before concluding scientific operations in Mindelo, Cabo Verde.

The KAUST research team, comprising two PhD candidates from the Marine Microbiome Lab and one from Earth Science and Engineering, conducted crucial research in biodiversity assessment, seamount studies, and chemical analyses. The experience provided the students with significant hands-on experience.

The team researched seamount formation in the Indian Ocean, seeking insights into similar geological phenomena in Saudi waters. The work involved ocean depth mapping and sample collection, providing the researchers with practical field experience applicable to research within the Kingdom.