Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia limits entry of arrivals from UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain
March 7, 2020, 11:24 am

Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia limits entry of arrivals from UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain

Passengers coming from China wearing masks to prevent coronavirus infection are checked by Saudi Health Ministry employees upon their arrival at King Khalid International Airport, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, January 29, 2020. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday that land crossing with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait and Bahrain will be limited to commercial trucks only and arrivals from the three countries are temporarily restricted to entry through airports, as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus, state news agency SPA reported. Saudi Arabia limits entry

An official source at the Ministry of Interior stated that as per the recommendations of the health authorities in Saudi Arabia, the government decided to temporarily restrict entry to the Kingdom for travelers from the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain to the following airports only: King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.

Visit our dedicated coronavirus site here for all the latest updates. Saudi Arabia limits entry

Only commercial trucks will be allowed entry to the country through land border crossings.

The ministry of health will take all the necessary precautions at the aforementioned airports and the procedures will also apply to the truck drivers and their companions.

“All those who wish to come to the Kingdom using a new visa or a pre-existing valid visa from any country where there is risk of the spread of the coronavirus as determined by the Saudi health authorities is required to present a PCR lab test certificate proving that the individual is coronavirus-free. This applies to anyone who resided in those countries within a time frame of 14 days prior to entering the Kingdom,” SPA cited the official as saying.

“All airlines must ensure that the authenticity of the lab test and ensure that they were issued within 24 hours prior to the passenger boarding the plane.”

The Kingdom put in place mechanisms in order to combat the spread of the coronavirus:

It urged its citizens who had traveled to Iran recently to declare that to the authorities by end of day March 7, or else face legal action against them according to the Travel Documents Law and its related regulations. It also reiterated that Saudi citizens should not travel to Iran for any reason, stressing that serious legal actions will be taken against those who commit this act going forward.

Saudi Arabia announced on March 4 temporarily banning entry of its nationals and residents to Mecca to perform Umrah pilgrimage or to visit the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.

The Kingdom halted on March 2 all exports of medical and laboratory products and equipment used to detect or prevent coronavirus infection via its land, sea and air ports.

The health ministry said on March 1 it had prepared 25 hospitals and 8,000 beds to handle any coronavirus cases.

The foreign ministry announced on February 27 the temporary suspension of entry for individuals seeking to perform Umrah pilgrimage in Mecca or visiting the Prophet's Mosque in Madina, as well as tourists traveling from countries where the coronavirus poses a risk as determined by the Kingdom’s health authorities.

source: Tuqa Khalid

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”