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Andersen Consulting expands into Pakistan with collaborating Firm NEC Consulting

Andersen Consulting expands into Pakistan with collaborating Firm NEC Consulting

Arab Newsa day ago

SAN FRANCISCO: Andersen Consulting bolsters its sustainability offering through a Collaboration Agreement with NEC Consultants (Pvt) Ltd., an environmental and infrastructure consulting firm based in Pakistan.
Established in 2006, NEC Consultants provides environmental and engineering professional services. Their offerings include environmental assessments and audits, wastewater treatment plant design, energy audits, sustainability and circularity consulting, and training in environmental and energy efficiency.
Azher Uddin Khan, managing director of NEC Consulting, said:
'This collaboration with Andersen Consulting marks a significant milestone in our journey to provide innovative and sustainable solutions. By combining our local expertise with the organization's global reach, we are poised to address complex challenges and drive impactful change in Pakistan and beyond.'
Mark L. Vorsatz, global chairman and CEO of Andersen, added:
'Pakistan is a rapidly growing economy with enormous potential in infrastructure development and environmental sustainability. As the country continues to invest in large-scale public and private projects, the need for multidimensional services is greater than ever. By collaborating with NEC Consultants, we gain a competitive edge in a high-growth market.'
Andersen Consulting is a global consulting practice providing a comprehensive suite of services spanning corporate strategy, business, technology, and AI transformation, as well as human capital solutions. Andersen Consulting integrates with the multidimensional service model of Andersen Global, delivering world-class consulting, tax, legal, valuation, global mobility, and advisory expertise on a global platform with more than 20,000 professionals worldwide and a presence in over 500 locations through its member firms and collaborating firms.
Andersen Consulting Holdings LP is a limited partnership and provides consulting solutions through its member firms and collaborating firms around the world.

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Founding nations sign Global Water Organization charter in Riyadh
Founding nations sign Global Water Organization charter in Riyadh

Arab News

time2 hours ago

  • Arab News

Founding nations sign Global Water Organization charter in Riyadh

RIYADH: The Global Water Organization officially launched operations from its headquarters in Riyadh on Wednesday, with founding member states signing the organization's charter. The ceremony was attended by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, who highlighted the importance of the GWO in tackling water issues worldwide through a holistic approach, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 'The launch of the Global Water Organization affirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to strengthening international initiatives and addressing global challenges through partnerships based on cooperation between countries and governments,' Prince Faisal said. 'The Kingdom looks forward to the organization becoming an international platform that drives sustainable solutions and supports developing nations in enhancing their water capabilities,' he said. Prince Faisal said that Saudi Arabia would provide financial and logistical support to the GWO for the next five years, emphasizing that collective action was essential to achieving shared objectives. Prince Faisal invited all countries and private-sector entities to join the organization. Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadley took part in the ceremony and emphasized that the signing of the Global Water Organization's charter and the launch of its operations from Riyadh reinforced shared international responsibility to preserve water resources. Al-Fadley added that the importance of the organization stemmed from water being not just a resource, but a source of economic and social development and stability worldwide. He described the organization as 'not just a platform that brings countries together, but a collective global mind working to develop and integrate the efforts of countries and organizations to address water challenges comprehensively.' 'The Global Water Organization will lead international efforts to address water-related challenges and transform traditional water management approaches. These challenges go beyond water scarcity to ensure its availability at the right time and place and recognize its impact on the economy, public health, food security and supply chains, especially in the face of climate change,' he said. He emphasized the importance of having an integrated system that covered all stages of the water cycle, adopting innovative economic models based on cost-benefit analysis, introducing new financing mechanisms, reducing reliance on government subsidies, and actively involving the private sector. The GWO's charter was signed by representatives from founding countries: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Spain, Senegal, Pakistan, Greece and Mauritania. The organization aims to strengthen the efforts of countries and organizations to address water challenges.

Iran may pause enrichment if US unfreezes funds, recognizes nuclear rights: Report
Iran may pause enrichment if US unfreezes funds, recognizes nuclear rights: Report

Al Arabiya

time3 hours ago

  • Al Arabiya

Iran may pause enrichment if US unfreezes funds, recognizes nuclear rights: Report

Iran may pause uranium enrichment if the US releases frozen Iranian funds and recognizes Tehran's right to refine uranium for civilian use under a 'political deal' that could lead to a broader nuclear accord, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing two Iranian official sources. The sources, close to the negotiating team, said on Wednesday a 'political understanding with the United States could be reached soon' if Washington accepted Tehran's conditions. One of the sources said the matter 'has not been discussed yet' during the talks with the United States. The sources told Reuters that under this arrangement, Tehran would halt uranium enrichment for a year, ship part of its highly enriched stock abroad or convert it into fuel plates for civilian nuclear purposes. A temporary pause to enrichment would be a way to overcome an impasse over clashing red lines after five rounds of talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to resolve a decades-long dispute over Tehran's nuclear program. US officials have repeatedly said that any new nuclear deal with Iran – to replace a failed 2015 accord between Tehran and six world powers – must include a commitment to scrap enrichment, viewed as a potential pathway to developing nuclear bombs. The Islamic Republic has repeatedly denied such intentions, saying it wants nuclear energy only for civilian purposes, and has publicly rejected Washington's demand to scrap enrichment as an attack on its national sovereignty. In Washington, a US official told Reuters the proposal aired by the Iranian sources had not been brought to the negotiating table to date. The US State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on this article. Iran's semi-official Fars news agency said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei denied the Reuters report and said 'enrichment in Iran is a non-negotiable principle.' The Iranian sources said Tehran would not agree to dismantling of its nuclear program or infrastructure or sealing of its nuclear installations as demanded by US President Donald Trump's administration. Instead, they said, Trump must publicly recognize Iran's sovereign right to enrichment as a member of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and authorize a release of Iranian oil revenues frozen by sanctions, including $6 billion in Qatar. Iran has not yet been able to access the $6 billion parked in a Qatar bank that was unfrozen under a US-Iranian prisoner swap in 2023, during US President Joe Biden's administration. 'Tehran wants its funds to be transferred to Iran with no conditions or limitations. If that means lifting some sanctions, then it should be done too,' the second source said. The sources said the political agreement would give the current nuclear diplomacy a greater chance to yield results by providing more time to hammer out a consensus on hard-to-bridge issues needed for a permanent treaty. 'The idea is not to reach an interim deal, it would (rather) be a political agreement to show both sides are seeking to defuse tensions,' said the second Iranian source. Western diplomats are skeptical of chances for US-Iranian reconciliation on enrichment. They warn that a temporary political agreement would face resistance from European powers unless Iran displayed a serious commitment to scaling back its nuclear activity with verification by the UN nuclear watchdog. Even if gaps over enrichment narrow, lifting sanctions quickly would remain difficult. The US favors phasing out nuclear-related sanctions while Iran demands immediate removal of all US-imposed curbs that impair its oil-based economy. Asked whether critical US sanctions, reimposed since 2018 when Trump withdrew Washington from the 2015 pact, could be rescinded during an enrichment pause, the first source said: 'There have been discussions over how to lift the sanctions during the five rounds of talks.' Dozens of Iranian institutions vital to Iran's economy, including its central bank and national oil company, have been sanctioned since 2018 for, according to Washington, 'supporting terrorism or weapons proliferation.' Iran's clerical establishment is grappling with mounting crises – energy and water shortages, a plunge in the value of its currency, losses among regional militia proxies in wars with Israel, and growing fears of an Israeli strike on its nuclear sites – all exacerbated by Trump's hardline stance. Trump's revival of a 'maximum pressure' campaign against Tehran since he re-entered the White House in January has included tightened sanctions and threats to bomb Iran if current negotiations yield no deal. Iranian officials told Reuters last week that Tehran's leadership 'has no better option' than a new deal to avert economic chaos at home that could jeopardize clerical rule. Nationwide protests over social repression and economic hardship in recent years met with harsh crackdowns but exposed the Islamic Republic's vulnerability to public discontent and drew more Western sanctions over human rights violations.

Saudi Arabia, a leading powerhouse in renewable energy transforming the Middle East
Saudi Arabia, a leading powerhouse in renewable energy transforming the Middle East

Al Arabiya

time5 hours ago

  • Al Arabiya

Saudi Arabia, a leading powerhouse in renewable energy transforming the Middle East

The investment in renewable energy is not merely a choice for the Middle East – it is an existential necessity. In a region where economic structures have long been dominated by fossil fuel exports, the global transition to cleaner energy sources presents both a challenge and an change, population growth, and economic diversification imperatives have converged to make renewable energy development a critical priority for the region. For the Middle East to remain economically resilient and geopolitically relevant in a decarbonizing world, it must embrace renewable energy not as a supplement, but as a core component of its future. For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app. This transition is particularly urgent because the Middle East faces some of the world's most extreme climate threats. Rising temperatures, dwindling water supplies, and desertification are already reshaping daily life and threatening agricultural output across the region. Many countries are experiencing record-breaking heatwaves, which strain power grids and increase reliance on air conditioning, thereby intensifying energy demand. In this context, renewable energy offers a path toward stabilizing national economies, reducing environmental risk, and meeting domestic energy needs through sustainable means. Furthermore, it positions the region to become a global player not just in oil markets but in the clean energy economy of the future. Among all the Middle Eastern nations, Saudi Arabia has emerged as the most proactive and ambitious country in embracing the clean energy transition. Often known for its immense oil reserves and status as a global oil exporter, Saudi Arabia is now becoming a symbol of change and innovation in the renewable energy space. The Kingdom has undertaken a dramatic reorientation of its energy policy, not out of necessity alone but as a strategic effort to lead the region in a new direction. With immense financial resources, political will, and geographic advantages – such as vast deserts ideal for solar power generation – Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a model for renewable energy development not only in the Arab world but globally. Its commitment has gone far beyond symbolic gestures; it has taken concrete, large-scale steps that are already reshaping the Kingdom's energy landscape. Saudi Arabia's clean energy investments span across solar, wind, and green hydrogen, making its approach both comprehensive and forward-looking. In the solar sector, the Kingdom has set an ambitious goal of installing 50 gigawatts of solar capacity by 2030. This vision is being realized through massive projects such as the Sudair Solar PV Project, one of the largest solar photovoltaic facilities in the world, with a capacity of 1.5 gigawatts. Another prominent example is the Sakaka Solar Power Plant, a 300-megawatt facility that marked the kingdom's first foray into utility-scale solar power. It currently provides electricity to over 70,000 homes, proving that renewable energy is not a future aspiration but a present-day reality in the Saudi energy mix. Furthermore, the upcoming al-Shuaibah Solar Project – set to produce 2 gigawatts – reaffirms the Kingdom's serious commitment to solar expansion and capacity building. Wind energy has increasingly emerged as a vital component of the global renewable energy mix, particularly for countries seeking to diversify their energy sources, reduce emissions, and enhance energy security. Its scalability, low environmental impact, and declining costs have positioned it as a strategic asset in national clean energy portfolios, especially in regions with favorable wind conditions. In this context, Saudi Arabia has identified wind energy as a key pillar of its renewable transition. Capitalizing on the high wind speeds in its northern and northwestern regions, the Kingdom has undertaken ambitious wind power projects that are reshaping its energy landscape. The Dumat al-Jandal Wind Farm, for example, has become the largest in the Middle East, with a generation capacity of 400 megawatts – enough to power approximately 70,000 homes. More than just an energy facility, it has served as a catalyst for regional economic growth, spurring job creation, advancing infrastructure, and developing local technical expertise. Unlike theoretical ambitions, these projects are already integrated into the national grid, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and enhancing domestic energy resilience. This pragmatic and large-scale deployment of wind energy places Saudi Arabia at the forefront of clean power development in the region. Green hydrogen has also rapidly gained attention as the linchpin of the next phase in global decarbonization, offering a zero-emission energy carrier that can decouple growth from carbon output across multiple sectors. As industries and governments seek scalable alternatives to fossil fuels, green hydrogen – produced using renewable electricity and electrolysis – has become a promising avenue for clean energy storage, long-distance transport, and hard-to-abate sectors like steel and cement. Recognizing this transformative potential, Saudi Arabia has made green hydrogen a centerpiece of its future energy strategy as well. The Kingdom has announced plans to produce 4 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually, using its extensive solar and wind resources to power electrolysis plants. This initiative positions Saudi Arabia not only as a consumer but also as a major global supplier of clean hydrogen. The clean hydrogen will be used domestically and exported, reinforcing Saudi Arabia's shift from a hydrocarbon-based economy to a diversified, sustainable energy powerhouse. Major projects are already underway, including collaborations with international energy firms to develop one of the largest hydrogen production facilities in the world at NEOM – a futuristic megacity on the Red Sea. These developments are not abstract visions; they are backed by multibillion-dollar investments and clear timelines, reflecting the kingdom's intent to anchor its post-oil economy in green energy leadership and play a decisive role in shaping the future global hydrogen economy. All of these unprecedented achievements are rooted in the vision and strategic foresight of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. His leadership has been central to reimagining Saudi Arabia's future, and his launch of Vision 2030 marked a turning point in the kingdom's approach to governance, economics, and environmental responsibility. Vision 2030 is not merely an economic reform plan – it is a comprehensive blueprint for transformation that places sustainability and innovation at the heart of national development. Under the Crown Prince's direction, initiatives such as the Saudi Green Initiative have been introduced, which aim to increase the share of renewables in the energy mix to 50 percent by 2030. These policies reflect a holistic approach to energy, climate, and environmental stewardship. The Crown Prince's ability to secure both domestic and international partnerships, along with his efforts to attract private sector investment, has turned these ambitions into tangible results. In conclusion, Saudi Arabia has decisively emerged as a leading force in renewable energy development, not only within the Middle East but on the global stage. It has moved beyond rhetoric and implemented one of the most aggressive and well-funded clean energy programs in the world, encompassing solar, wind, and green hydrogen. Through its far-reaching investments and innovative vision, the Kingdom is setting new benchmarks for what a hydrocarbon-rich country can achieve in the era of energy transition. Its journey provides a roadmap for other Middle Eastern nations seeking to navigate the dual challenges of climate vulnerability and economic diversification. With the continued support of strong leadership and sustained investment, Saudi Arabia is indeed poised to redefine its legacy – not just as a global oil superpower, but as a pioneer and top player in the clean energy revolution of the 21st century.

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