Ain-Al-Yaqeen - October 15, 2004

		October 15, 2004

CROWN PRINCE ABDULLAH PATRONIZES THE OPENING OF KING FAHD MEDICAL CITY IN RIYADH.
THE OPENING OF THE MINERAL INVESTMENTS SYMPOSIUM IN MAKKAH AL MUKKARAMAH.
THE MINISTER OF PETROLEUM AND MINERAL RESOURCES PRAISES THE MINERAL INVESTMENTS SYSTEM APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS.

Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard inaugurated the 1,095-bed King Fahd Medical City (KFMC). A spectacular fireworks display, witnessed by thousands of people, marked the opening of the medical city, the largest in the Middle East.

The opening of KFMC coincided with the 23rd anniversary of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd's accession to the throne. King Fahd donated SR53.98 million last year to purchase medical equipment required by the complex.

Crown Prince Abdullah was received by Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Riyadh Region, Dr. Hamad Ibn Abdullah Al Manei, the Minister of Health, Dr. Mansour Alhawasi, the Ministry's Undersecretary for Executive Affairs, and a number of officials.

With four hospitals, KFMC is the largest medical facility in the Middle East built at a cost of SR2.3 billion. KFMC's yearly operating budget is estimated at SR300 million for medical and non-medical maintenance and catering contracts.

"We are proud that this is the largest and the most advanced medical facility in the Middle East which specializes in treating rare and chronic diseases," said Minister of Health Dr. Hamad Ibn Abdullah Al-Manie in his inaugural address. It is expected to treat more than 50,000 in-house patients and more than 600,000 outpatients annually, the minister said.

The minister announced the government's plan to establish similar specialist hospitals all over the country. Prince Abdullah will open the newly established 640-bed King Fahd Specialist Hospital in Dammam this month. The foundation stone will be laid for another specialist hospital in Hail shortly, he added.

The minister pointed out that KFMC has opened a college of medicine in September where 40 male students have been enrolled. This facility, he said, will enroll female undergraduates later.

"Crown Prince Abdullah has given his instructions to fully operate the medical city this year and establish three more centers for tumors, open heart surgery and diabetes," Al-Manie said.

Dr. Al-Manie said the decision to open the huge medical complex was taken with the support of the crown prince and added that the implementation of the medical city, which has been provided with the most sophisticated medical equipment, aims at extending excellent medical services to all citizens.

Dr Al-Manie said the implementation of the Medical City, which has been provided with the most sophisticated medical equipment, aims at extending excellent medical services to all citizens.

Crown Prince Abdullah then launched the national medical network that links 16 hospitals in the Kingdom with each other. The facility makes possible the transfer of diagnosis, x-ray test results and consultancy between rural hospitals and the center in Riyadh where more advanced technologies and staff are available.

"We made arrangements for the opening with the moral and material support of the crown prince," Dr Al-Manie said.

Asked why the opening was delayed, the minister said it happened as a result of the work philosophy followed by previous ministers. "When I took over the ministry, my colleagues and I decided to give priority to the opening of this huge medical facility," he added.

The minister disclosed the government's plan to establish similar specialist hospitals all over the country. Prince Abdullah will open the newly established 640-bed Gulf Specialist Hospital in Dammam this month. Foundation stone will be laid for another specialist hospital in Hail shortly, he pointed out.

Al-Manie said the health sector would receive a substantial amount from SR41 billion allocated by the government from this year's budget surplus for development projects, adding that the money would be used to set up primary health care centers in various parts of the country.

Referring to the Rift Valley Fever in Jizan, Al-Manie said his ministry in coordination with other departments had taken precautionary measures to prevent fresh outbreak of the deadly disease among humans. RVF claimed the lives of more than 125 people in Jizan about three years ago.

The governors of Najran and Hail, Prince Mishaal Ibn Saud and Prince Saud Ibn Abdul Mohsin, conveyed their greetings and good wishes to the crown prince via satellite TV screens on display to the guests who included Riyadh Governor Prince Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz.

Crown Prince Abdullah presented mementos to the directors of the four hospitals of the KFMC. He also honored Dr. Abdul Aziz Niyaz, director general of medical license and pharmacies department at the Health Ministry, by awarding him the King Abdul Aziz Medal of the First Order. Niyaz made headlines after refusing to accept SR10 million bribe from the owner of a pharmacies group.

The complex located in the north of the capital in Sulaimaniyah area incorporates a 459-bed main hospital with specialty clinics to treat chronic diseases, a 50-bed rehabilitation unit, a 300-bed pediatric hospital, a 250-bed maternity hospital and a psychiatric hospital.

In addition to the hospitals there is a burns treatment unit, kidney center, intensive care facilities, radiology, rehabilitation facilities and spinal cord treatment unit.

The complex also includes an ambulatory care building, an administration building, a services building, 3,000 staff housing units, and a community center including a mosque, shopping center, a school, a day care center and a recreational center.

KFMC plans to use the world's first fully digitized classrooms to teach radiology to Saudi doctors.

Vitrea 2, a state of the art imaging system for medical imaging, has been built in to save time and money for clinicians. Vitrea 2 workstations provide a gallery of automated three dimensional images plus real-time reconstructions of scanner data for specific clinical applications.

One of the major advantages is that with a simple mouse click, it transforms ordinary black and white images into extremely accurate and detailed color ones. It is fast, easy to use and cost-effective, making it very attractive for multiple hospital departments.

The Kingdom currently has 320 government and private hospitals with 46,840 beds, according to a report of the Ministry of Health. The number of government hospitals reached 189 with 27,826 beds. They are supported by 1,766 primary health care centers.

Government hospitals employ 14,827 physicians, 892 pharmacists, 36,219 nurses and 21,885 paramedics.

Crown Prince Abdullah was accompanied by Prince Mishaal Ibn Abdul Aziz; Prince Fahd Ibn Mashari Ibn Juluwe; Prince Bandar Ibn Mohammed Ibn Abdul Rahman; Prince Nawaf Ibn Abdul Aziz, Chief of General Intelligence, other princes, ministers, and senior civil and military officials.

On the other hand Engineer Ali Ibn Ibrahim Al-Naimi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, described as great the response of investors to a new Saudi mining sector investment law that went into effect less than a month ago.

He made the observation at a symposium on Investment Opportunities in Mining that was opened by Undersecretary Abdullah Dawood on behalf of the Governor of Makkah in Makkah.

The Saudi Cabinet on Sept.13, 2004 approved a new law for investment in the mining sector. The new investment system simplified and streamlined the procedures for obtaining exploration and mining licenses, and made them more transparent.

The new regulations also offer local and foreign investors a number of benefits, including tax-free importation of equipment and spare parts, the right to obtain multiple licenses, and the ability to explore for various minerals in the licensed area.

Adil Abdullah Kaaki, chairman of the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, coorganizers of the symposium with the ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, noted that the Kingdom is enriched with mineral wealth to the extent that it may well form the basis of Saudi Arabia s financial structure other than oil.

Businessman and engineer Yahya Muhammad Bin Laden, estimated that the investment required to benefit from the mineral wealth may amount to hundreds of million or even a billion riyals to mine and market the ores over the next five years.

He said a railway track connecting the mining areas with the cities needs to be built for cost-effective and smoother operations.

The Makkah region is enriched with ores of gold, silver, copper, Zinc, lime stone, white marble, granite and other metals, Naimi said. The mineral wealth area covers 113,000 sq. km, and the ministry has prepared a geological survey and report to guide the investors, he said.

The government has so far issued 1080 licenses and the mining manpower strength is already 8,000, he noted as he called for more investments and guaranteed all possible support from his ministry.

The Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Eng. Ali Ibn Ibrahim Al-Naimi praised the mining investment regulation recently approved by the Council of Ministers and its role in developing the Kingdom's mining industry.

In a statement delivered at a press conference held on the fringes of a symposium entitled "Mining Investment Opportunities in Makkah Region," organized by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources in cooperation with the Makkah-based Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Al-Naimi said that regulation is part of the Kingdom's policy of opening the economy and ensuring fair and equal grounds for investors.

The Minister explained aspects of the sixty-one-article regulation, and said that it will contribute to economic, industrial and social development. He stressed that the new mining investment regulation does not apply to petroleum, gas or their derivatives, which are governed by a separate regulation.

Al-Naimi noted that the mining investment regulation would yield revenues of SR20 billion and provide 6,800 direct jobs and 30,000 further jobs indirectly.

Al-Naimi then answered questions asked by those present at the conference. He said that finances have been allocated for implementation of the Kingdom's railway project from the north of the Kingdom to a port in the Eastern Region. As for power and water stations and seaports, we are working on their development and execution and they will come in line with the flow of foreign investment in the Kingdom, he said. He said that development is underway on Saudi power and water stations and ports, to be funded by foreign investment. He noted that the Kingdom has many minerals to attract foreign investment.

Al-Naimi said that privatisation of Maaden Company will take place in stages, as will other privatisation projects. He noted that all sectors of the Kingdom are open to investors, other than exclusive areas of cities and holy, tourist and archaeological sites.

Al-Naimi said that all the Kingdom is open to investment except for exclusive areas of cities and holy, touristic and archeological places. The Minister said that his Ministry recently licensed seven companies for investment in the Kingdom's mining sector.

Meanwhile Saudi ambassador to Japan Faisal Ibn Hassan Tarrad received the key of the Kingdom's Pavilion at EXPO 2005, due to be organized in the Japanese city of Nagoya.

Speaking on the occasion, Tarrad highlighted the existing friendly relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Japan, and said the Kingdom attaches great importance to Japan in its capacity as its second trading partner.

He noted that the duration of the exhibition will extend to six months, and the area of the Saudi pavilion will amount to 1000 square meters. 'The pavilion will reflect the Kingdom's past, present and future', he added.

Tarrad expressed appreciation of the significant role played by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Saudi Aramco, the Saudi private sector in the preparation of the pavilion.

The Saudi-Japanese Automobile Institute (SJAHI) has produced 200 highly-skilled auto service graduates who will take up jobs in the automobile sector after their passing out ceremony.

Governor Prince Abdul Majeed has described the Saudi-Japanese Automobile Institute (SJAHI) as the nation's pride and its first graduation ceremony as a giant leap toward the Kingdom's ongoing Saudization drive.

"The first group of 190 graduates, after a two-year successful study at the institute, has shown that Saudi men are capable of learning and achieving technical knowledge and expertise and be on a par with the best anywhere," the governor said. He was presiding over the graduation ceremony at SJAHI, 25 km from Jeddah on the Jeddah-Makkah Expressway.

As he was welcomed into the ceremony hall, the governor mingled with the graduates and gave them a word of advice and encouragement. "As you now start taking up jobs in various automobile companies, you should continue your efforts to excel in whatever you do and set examples for others," he said.

Japanese Ambassador Yasuo Saito, Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) President Yoshiyasu Nao, Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) Director Dr. Muhammad Al-Sahlawi, General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training (GOTEVOT) Governor Dr. Ali Naser Al-Ghafees, aside from SJAHI Director Salim Hassan Al-Asmarei were among those present. Representatives of Japanese Automobile Dealers in the Kingdom (JADIK), who included Muhammad Jameel of Abdul Latif Jameel Co. Ltd and Ali Alireza of Haji Husein Alireza, also graced the occasion. Aside from the Toyota and Mazda distributors, those of Nissan, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Isuzu, Subaru and Daihatsu are partners in the SR100 million project with Japanese car manufacturers.

The governor, who praised Abdul Latif Jameel Co. Ltd. for its initiative and pioneering role in the institute, described the project as a product of perfect planning of the Kingdom's march toward Saudization.

SJAHI was established in September 2002 with the collaboration of Saudi and Japanese governments to promote Saudization program and to train Saudi youth in automobile service technology and hone their skills.

The establishment of the institute had its origin in 1998 when Crown Prince Abdullah visited Japan. The crown prince dedicated the institute to the nation on March 20, 2003.

SJAHI is one of the most successful examples of cooperation between the Kingdom and Japan and "we consider it as a role model of our bilateral cooperation," Japanese Ambassador Yasuo Saito said.

JAMA President Yoshiyasu Nao said with the graduation of the first group of skilled maintenance technicians, the Kingdom was taking a giant stride forward for the expansion of its automobile industry.

He recalled that JAMA had provided extensive technical support to the project including experts from Japan and the preparation of training curriculums.

"The event, attended by a large number of automobile dealers and representatives from the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), symbolizes Japanese role in training Saudi youngsters in the field of automobile service technology," said Seiichi Miyoshi, resident representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). These graduates are likely to be absorbed in the Kingdom's huge automobile market immediately Miyoshi said.

SJAHI, which opened a new era in the long-standing relations between the Kingdom and Japan, was built on a piece of land donated by Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul-Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard in 2002.

The institute aims to make Saudi youth technically qualified in general car maintenance.

The SJAHI facility includes 30 classrooms and two large workshops with the most sophisticated training equipment in addition to 80 cars provided by Japanese manufacturers and their local distributors for students' training.

Referring to JICA's efforts in promoting Saudization, Miyoshi said: "SJAHI itself symbolizes the great effort made jointly by JICA and the General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training (GOTEVOT) to train the national work force. All dealers of Japanese cars in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are waiting for the SJAHI automobile technicians to join their workshops."

The JICA chief emphasized that this automobile institute was part of the Kingdom's efforts to nationalize jobs and further activate the role of the private sector in developing the process of Saudization.

Nearly 400 Saudi students are currently on the rolls of SJAHI. According to a SJAHI report, the automobile institute has designed tailor-made intensive courses, which directly correspond to the needs of auto industry in the Kingdom.

Many local distributors of Japanese cars - Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Mazda, Isuzu, Subaru and Daihatsu - are partners in the SR100 million automobile institute with Japanese car manufacturers.

On the other hand the Minister of Water and Electricity Eng. Abdullah Ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Hussain inaugurated in Riyadh the First National Campaign on Awareness and Water Conservation. A speech ceremony was held on this occasion.

Al-Hussain praised Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard for his speech on this occasion which stressed the importance of water rationalization.

He noted that the tools that will be freely distributed to each house in the Kingdom will save more than 30 percent of water consumption. In a press conference following the inauguration of the campaign, the minister of water and electricity pointed out that the rationalization tools will be distributed to 3.5 million houses in the Kingdom.

He indicated that the campaign will continue several years and will include Kingdom's cities, ministries, governmental departments, mosques and other utilities.

The minister said that water has been consumed by two sectors: agriculture 85-90 percent and housing, industrial and services establishments 10 percent.

Al-Hussain added that 50 percent of the produced water has been wasted or more than the required need of consumption. He noted that water bill will be amended to give a strong message of the importance of water.

On the other hand the 3rd Arab Water conference, being held under the theme "Situation and Plan to Change", wound up in Beirut.

A number of water ministers and senior officials of water departments in the Arab world took part in the conference, including representatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The conferees lauded the efforts exerted by the Kingdom in the field of rationalization of water consumption.

A nationwide water conservation campaign was launched. Minister of Water and Electricity Abdullah Al-Hussayen inaugurated the campaign at the Marriott Hotel.

Subsequently the minister visited a number of Saudi houses in order to distribute items to be used in conserving water. The theme of the campaign is "The Decision Is in Your Hands."

The first phase of the campaign will include Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah, Eastern Province, Asir, Tabuk, Qasim, Hail, Baha, Jizan, Najran and Al-Jouf. The minister called upon all citizens and expatriates to cooperate with the campaign.

As part of the campaign, the ministry aims to create public awareness through the print and electronic media. The idea is to show both citizens and expatriates how to conserve water. Four million free accessories in tool kits will be given away; the accessories are easy to use and are expected to reduce water consumption by 30 percent.

"Water is the Kingdom's most valuable resource, and its management and protection is of paramount importance," Al-Hussayen said, adding that one million cubic meters of water is wasted in the Kingdom every day. "The campaign will make the public aware of the dangers of careless water use and encourage them to use proper conservation tools and fix leaks."

The Kingdom will require a capital investment averaging nearly $2 billion per year for the next 20 years to meet projected water demand. Saudi Arabia has established 30 desalination plants on the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf at a total cost of SR54 billion and is the world's largest supplier of desalinated water.

Over the next five years, the country will require 4,500 km of new pipeline for freshwater transport and over 22,000 km for wastewater disposal pipes. Leakage in sewage and pipelines will be reduced by five percent during the next five years, he said.

According to a spokesman at the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), desalination will remain a strategic option for meeting the country's potable water requirement.