In a move reflecting the depth of bilateral relations and the shared desire to build a sustainable future, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Turkey signed a strategic agreement today aimed at cooperating in the development and implementation of renewable energy power plant projects. This took place on the sidelines of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's official visit to the Kingdom, which culminates a growing path of cooperation between the two brotherly nations.

Details of the agreement and implementation phases

The agreement was signed by His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Energy, on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and by His Excellency Alparslan Bayraktar, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, on behalf of the Kingdom of Turkey. The agreement stipulates the development of solar energy projects in Turkey with a total installed capacity of 5,000 megawatts. This ambitious plan will be implemented in two main phases. The first phase includes the construction of two solar energy projects in the cities of Sivas and Karaman with a total capacity of 2,000 megawatts, while the second phase will cover an additional capacity of up to 3,000 megawatts, according to agreed-upon timeframes and technical specifications.

Huge economic and investment dimensions

The first phase projects are highly economically viable, offering competitive electricity prices compared to similar plants in Turkey. Investments in this phase are estimated at approximately US$2 billion, reflecting the strong mutual trust and financial commitment of both parties. These plants are expected to provide clean electricity to more than two million Turkish households. To ensure the project's sustainability, a Turkish state-owned company will commit to purchasing the generated electricity for thirty years, with a focus on maximizing local content by making optimal use of Turkish equipment and services during implementation.

Strategic context and shared vision

This agreement comes at a time of significant momentum in Saudi-Turkish relations, driven by the desire of both leaderships to expand the horizons of economic and investment cooperation. This step aligns perfectly with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to make the Kingdom a global leader in the renewable energy sector and to export technical and investment expertise in this field, as well as supporting Turkey's efforts to diversify its energy sources and reduce its reliance on traditional imports.

Environmental impact and green future

Beyond its economic benefits, the agreement carries significant environmental dimensions, aiming to enhance energy security and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. This collaboration serves as a model for effective international partnerships in addressing climate change, contributing to knowledge transfer and capacity building in both human and technological sectors, thereby achieving mutual and sustainable benefits for both countries and establishing a new era of integration in the energy and green technology sectors.

In a move reflecting the depth of fraternal relations and the shared desire to develop the media landscape in the region, the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG) received at its headquarters in Riyadh His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, Advisor at the Qatar Media Corporation, and his accompanying delegation, which included a number of prominent leaders in media institutions in the State of Qatar.

The Qatari delegation was received by Ms. Jumana Al-Rashid, CEO of the Saudi Research and Media Group, along with several senior executives from the group. The visit included a packed program, featuring a tour of several of the group's leading media outlets. The delegation was briefed on the operations of Asharq Al-Awsat, a leading international Arabic newspaper, and learned about its editorial processes and the technologies used in its newsroom.

The tour also included a special visit to the headquarters of Manga Arabia, an ambitious project aimed at enriching Arabic creative content for younger generations. The delegation received a detailed explanation of Manga Arabia's strategy for producing comics in a style that respects local culture while adhering to international standards, and its role in promoting creative industries in the Kingdom and the region.

This visit is particularly significant given the major transformations taking place in the media industry globally and regionally. During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to enhance cooperation in digital innovation and the exchange of expertise. The guests were briefed on SRMG's digital transformation strategy, which aims to redefine the media landscape by adopting the latest artificial intelligence and data analytics technologies to deliver high-quality content that resonates with diverse audience interests.

This meeting comes amidst a vibrant media movement in the Gulf region, where major media institutions in Saudi Arabia and Qatar are striving to unify their visions and integrate their efforts to address the challenges of the digital age. Such visits are a cornerstone for opening new avenues for partnerships that extend beyond traditional news coverage to include impactful content creation and co-production.

The visit concluded with both sides affirming their keenness to maintain communication and develop media relations in a way that serves common interests and contributes to raising the professional standards of media work in the region, in line with the ambitious development aspirations of the two brotherly countries.