Coronavirus: Saudi Arabian citizens stranded in Bahrain return home
April 9, 2020, 7:51 am

Coronavirus: Saudi Arabian citizens stranded in Bahrain return home

Saudi Arabian citizens return home from Bahrain via the King Fahd Causeway. (SPA)

The first group of Saudi Arabian citizens who had been stranded in Bahrain returned to the Kingdom on Wednesday, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

A total of 790 citizens had requested to be repatriated back to Saudi Arabia as the coronavirus pandemic halted flights around the world.

The Saudi Arabian Embassy in Bahrain shared pictures of citizens on buses ahead of their trip. The tweet read in Arabic: “Repatriation of first group of stranded citizens.”

The group was taken to several hotels in the Kingdom, where they have been asked to self-quarantine for 14 days to ensure they are not infected with the virus, SPA said.

This comes after King Salman bin Abdulaziz ordered the foreign minister to work on procedures that will allow Saudi citizens to return to the Kingdom.

“This is an implementation of the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman to facilitate the procedures for the return of stranded citizens,” said Saudi Ambassador to Bahrain Prince Sultan Bin Ahmed on his official Twitter page.

Saudi Arabia has reported 2,932 cases of coronavirus, following a jump of 327 new cases on Wednesday. Of these, 631 people have recovered, while 41 have died.

The Kingdom has initiated a range of measures to slow the spread of the virus, including 24-hour lockdowns in major cities, suspending the seasonal Umrah pilgrimage, and providing coronavirus treatment to anyone in need of medical care, including people who have overstayed their visas.

source: Tamara Abueish

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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.”