Raids disrupt KSA market and farm supplies

November 7, 2013

Raids_disrupt

Jeddah, Nov 7: The Kingdom’s commercial districts and farm areas have taken a beating as businesses continued to struggle to staff shops, supply vendor operations and produce farms in the wake of the Labor Ministry’s relentless crackdown on illegal workers.

Jeddah’s central vegetable market (Halaga), a key commercial hub that supplies the city’s markets with fresh produce, was hit Wednesday by two busloads of labor inspectors, who detained dozens of suspected undocumented workers, mostly from Yemen and Pakistan.

Inspectors checked hundreds of employees to determine their legal status during the three-hour operation.

“I was detained, but when I showed my iqama with my shop owner’s details, the police released me without any problem,” a Yemeni vegetable worker told Arab News.

The raids have had a direct impact on area markets, which have raised produce prices by as much as 100 percent. Farmers in Jazan, Baha, Taif and Asir also reported raids, which in turn have affected the flow of supplies to markets.

The Yemeni community, which is traditionally active in gold shops and general retail businesses, has been especially hard-hit, leading to further commercial disruptions.

Minimal staffing at other commercial venues, such as liquid propane centers, have disrupted propane supplies to Jeddah and Riyadh neighborhoods.

Real estate experts, meanwhile, predicted that demand for commercial real estate was expected to drop by as much as 30 percent. Hamad bin Ali Al-Shuweir, chairman of the National Real Estate Committee at the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said workers are not bound by specific rental contracts, a matter that will have no significant impact on the residential sector.

Abdullah Al-Magluth, a researcher and real estate expert, however, said demand for rental offices and shops will fall, with some business owners already closing their doors or putting their property up for sale.

“The correction of foreign workers’ status has a positive outcome, but the negative impact will hit the commercial real estate sector by reducing the demand for shops and flats, in addition to other activities,” Al-Magluth said.

While Saudi small and medium business owners are reeling from the effects of the end of the amnesty period on Nov. 3 and the subsequent roundups of illegal workers, expatriate’s home countries are developing rehabilitation plans to accommodate migrants returning from the Kingdom.

In India, the Kerala state Cabinet established a program that encourages industrial, finance, agriculture, dairy, tourism, fisheries and labor sectors to assist returning workers to set up small businesses with capital investments of up to 2 million rupees.

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News Network
April 27,2020

Dubai, Apr 27: Saudi Arabia has reported 1,289 new Covid-19 cases on April 27, its Ministry of Health tweeted.

Of the newly diagnosed cases, Jeddah recorded 294 infections, followed by Makkah (218) and Madinah (202).

The ministry also confirmed five additional coronavirus-induced deaths, spiking the total death toll to 144.

2,507 people are talking about this
Since the outbreak of the virus strain in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, Saudi Arabia has reported a total of 18,811 Covid-19 infections.

As many as 2,531 patients have till now recovered from the virus.

Oman
The sultanate registered 51 new Covid-19 cases on April 27, including 37 nationals and 14 expatriates, spiking the total number of infections to 2,049, Oman News Agency tweeted.

Meanwhile, 10 coronavirus-related deaths have been confirmed in the country.

Qatar
The Ministry of Public Health has reported 957 Covid-19 cases among the 3,420 people tested in the last 24 hours.

As many as 85,709 people have been tested for the virus across the country.

The total number of Covid-19 infections since the outbreak has now risen to 11,244.

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News Network
June 23,2020

Riyadh, Jun 23: Authorities in Saudi Arabia have decided to allow a limited number of citizens and residents who are already in the Kingdom to do this year’s Haj.

In a statement on Monday, the Ministry of Haj and Umrah said that in light of the continuation of the coronavirus pandemic and the risks of infections spreading in crowded spaces and large gatherings, it has been decided that Haj for this year (1441 H/ 2020 AD) will be held whereby a very limited number of pilgrims from various nationalities who already reside in Saudi Arabia, would be able to perform it.

“The decision was taken to ensure Haj is performed in a safe manner from a public health perspective while observing all preventative measures and the necessary social distancing protocols to protect human beings from the risks associated with this pandemic and in accordance with the teachings of Islam in preserving the lives of human beings, the statement added.

“The government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques is honored to serve millions of Haj and Umrah pilgrims annually and it confirms that this decision stems from the top priority it accords maintaining the safety of pilgrims on its land until they depart to their home countries.”

“We ask Allah the Almighty to protect all countries from this pandemic and keep all humans protected and safe, the statement said.

Saudi Arabia’s top priority is to always enable Muslim pilgrims to perform Haj and Umrah rites safely and securely and the Kingdom has been keen since the beginning of the pandemic to take all necessary precautionary measures to protect pilgrims, including by suspending the entry of Umrah pilgrims while ensuring the safety of the pilgrims already present at the holy sites, the statement further added.

Commenting on the Haj decision, the Saudi Human Rights Commission said that Saudi Arabia believes in the universal right to health. Limiting Haj not only protects the Kingdom but also many pilgrims and the communities they call home around the world.

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News Network
May 19,2020

Dubai, May 19: In a heart-warming decision to reunite families that have been split by anti-Covid travel restrictions, the UAE has announced that residents with valid visas stranded outside the country can return from June 1.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship said they will begin the process on Monday, June 1, by allowing the return of those residency holders currently stranded outside the country who have relatives in the UAE. Residents who meet this criteria must apply for a Resident Entry Permit on smartservices.ica.gov.ae.

The ministry and the authority said the decision was taken to reunite families that have been affected by the anti-coronavirus measures taken due to the exceptional circumstances.

"The UAE is keen to facilitate the procedures for holders of UAE residency visas who are stuck outside the country and reunite them with their families who were affected by the precautionary measures taken by the country in light of the current exceptional circumstances to combat Covid-19," the federal authorities were quoted by state news agency Wam.

Hundreds of UAE residents are currently stuck abroad and are separated from their families due to the unexpected freeze on air travel imposed by many countries as precautionary measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The #BringBackUAEresidents hashtag was trending on Twitter on Monday as several residents and families requested the government to expedite their return to the UAE.

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