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OceanQuest Launched in Saudi Arabia with a Mission to Accelerate Ocean Discovery

OceanQuest Launched in Saudi Arabia with a Mission to Accelerate Ocean Discovery
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OceanQuest Launched in Saudi Arabia with a Mission to Accelerate Ocean Discovery

OceanQuest Launched in Saudi Arabia with a Mission to Accelerate Ocean Discovery

OceanQuest, a Saudi Arabian not-for-profit foundation, announced its official launch in Jeddah on Monday. Aligned with the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, OceanQuest is poised to usher in a new era of deep-ocean discovery and collaboration.

OceanQuest is on a mission to accelerate ocean discovery, drive innovation, and foster international cooperation while engaging the public. By cultivating partnerships that advance multidisciplinary ocean research, the foundation aims to benefit humanity, enhance ocean literacy, and elevate public awareness.

OceanQuest Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan stated: "As a nation rooted in progress and innovation, we are committed to unlocking the mysteries of the deep ocean for the benefit of humanity."

"This initiative exemplifies our Kingdom's ambition to lead in science and discovery, foster global collaboration, and create opportunities for future generations. Through this collective effort, OceanQuest will drive solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of our time," he added.

OceanQuest will support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 ambitions by spearheading innovation in ocean exploration, nurturing global partnerships, and advancing sustainable development. The foundation is set to contribute to the Kingdom’s national research, development, and innovation (RDI) targets by providing SAR3 billion in research and development funding by 2050 and supporting more than 150 scientists annually.

In addition, OceanQuest will help achieve the Kingdom’s goal of protecting 30% of its marine habitats by bolstering the biotech and pharmaceuticals strategy, identifying sensitive marine ecosystems, enabling sustainable projects along the Red Sea, and leveraging deep-sea corals as natural carbon sinks to support Saudi Arabia’s decarbonization efforts.

The Board of Trustees of the foundation consists of Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan (Chairman of the Board), Advisor to the Royal Court Dr. Fahad bin Abdullah Toonsi, Governor of the Public Investment Fund Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Advisor to the Royal Court Abdulaziz bin Ismail Tarabzoni, CEO of NEOM Aiman Al-Mudaifer, CEO of Red Sea Global John Pagano, President of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) Prof. Edward Byrne, and Raymond Thomas Dalio.

Based at KAUST campus in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, OceanQuest is committed to unveiling the wonders of the ocean and exploring its secrets for the benefit of humanity. Its mission is to accelerate ocean discovery, drive innovation in the field, support global cooperation, and engage the public. OceanQuest and its global partners will launch a new era of deep ocean exploration and knowledge sharing.

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Chinese Tea Hub Branches into Coffee as Tastes Change

A worker raking coffee beans during the drying process at the Xiaowazi, or Little Hollow, coffee plantation in Pu'er - AFP
A worker raking coffee beans during the drying process at the Xiaowazi, or Little Hollow, coffee plantation in Pu'er - AFP
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Chinese Tea Hub Branches into Coffee as Tastes Change

A worker raking coffee beans during the drying process at the Xiaowazi, or Little Hollow, coffee plantation in Pu'er - AFP
A worker raking coffee beans during the drying process at the Xiaowazi, or Little Hollow, coffee plantation in Pu'er - AFP

At a mountainside cafe in southwestern China, Liao Shihao brews handfuls of locally grown beans into steaming cups of coffee, a modern twist on the region's traditional drink.

For centuries, Pu'er in Yunnan province has given its name to a type of richly fermented tea -- sometimes styled "pu-erh" -- famous across East Asia and beyond.

But as younger Chinese cultivate a taste for punchy espressos, frothy lattes and flat whites, growers are increasingly branching out into tea's historic rival.

"People are coming to try our hand-drip coffee... and more fully experience the flavours it brings," Liao, 25, told AFP.
"In the past, they mostly went for commercialised coffee, and wouldn't dabble in the artisanal varieties," he said.

Liao´s family has run the Xiaowazi, or Little Hollow, coffee plantation for three generations.

Nestled in a shady valley, spindly coffee trees line its steep hillsides, their cherry-like fruit drying on wooden pallets outside.

When AFP visited this month, clusters of tourists sipped boutique brews in the airy cafe overlooking its verdant slopes.

"It's very good," said Cai Shuwen, 21, as he perched on a bar stool lifting sample after sample to his lips.

"Even though some beans are more astringent than I imagined, others have exceeded my expectations."

- Brewing success -

Every year, Pu'er's plantations sell tens of thousands of tons of coffee to major Chinese cities, according to government data.

In metropolises such as Beijing and Shanghai, a thriving cafe scene has emerged in recent years, driven by people aged between 20 and 40.

To Liao, a trained roaster and barista, coffee from his home region possesses "a creamy flavour with a silky, viscous mouthfeel".

Modern commercial plantations only sprang up in Pu'er in the 1980s, and the area is still better known for its centuries-old tea trade.

Liao's grandfather, Liao Xiugui, said "nobody knew anything about coffee" when he arrived in Pu'er a few decades ago.

At the time, the older man was one of very few people in China who had studied coffee cultivation.

But the region's relatively high altitude and temperate climate were well-suited to the unfamiliar crop, the now 83-year-old told AFP.

"The quality of the coffee we plant here is strong but not too bitter, floral but not too heady, and slightly fruity," he added.

Free from artificial pesticides and interspersed with other species for biodiversity, Little Hollow yields about 500 tons of raw coffee fruit per year.

Liao Xiugui himself drinks two or three cups a day, and credits the caffeinated beverage for keeping him spry in his advanced years.

"Drinking coffee can make you younger and healthier... and prevent ageing," he smiled.

"Also, everyone is tired at work these days... and they want to give their brains a boost."

- Richer pickings -

China's coffee output has risen dramatically in recent years, though it still lags far behind traditional powerhouses such as Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia.

Yunnan, near three borders with Southeast Asian nations, accounts for virtually all of China's coffee production, much of it concentrated in Pu'er.

On a visit to Yunnan last month, President Xi Jinping said the province's coffee "represents China", according to state media.

Keen to further expand the sector, officials have rolled out policies to improve production, attract investment and boost exports, according to government statements.

They have also merged coffee production with tourism, dovetailing with a central government push to increase domestic consumption.

Longtime farmer Yu Dun, 51, said she had opened new income streams with plantation tours, homestays and a restaurant fusing coffee with the cuisine of her native Dai ethnicity.

Her prospects were bright, she said, adding that she also earned "10 times" more revenue from her beans since learning to process and roast them herself.

"We used to say only rich people could drink coffee, but that's all changed now," she said.