Latest news with #globalpartnership
Economy ME
15 hours ago
- Business
- Economy ME
FIFA, PIF announced a global partnership for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025
FIFA and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) have officially announced a global partnership for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, with PIF named as an Official Partner of the tournament, which will be held across 11 U.S. cities from June 14 to July 13, 2025. The partnership reflects a shared ambition between FIFA and PIF to expand global access to football, champion innovation, and deepen fan engagement. A key pillar of the collaboration will be youth-focused initiatives, aimed at creating new opportunities for young people and strengthening grassroots development efforts around the world. The FIFA club world champion will be crowned on July 13 Read: FIFA World Cup 2034: Aramco's 47,000-seat Al Khobar Stadium set for completion in 2026 The 2025 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup marks a significant evolution in the tournament's format. Featuring 32 of the world's top clubs, it will unite champions from all six FIFA confederations for the first time in a month-long competition. Romy Gai, chief business officer at FIFA, said: 'We are delighted to welcome PIF as a partner of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. Together, we look forward to delivering a historic tournament that inspires and unites fans from around the world. 'The partners of the first-ever 32-team FIFA Club World Cup believe in our vision to make football truly global. Their support of the tournament will not only be integral to its success but will underpin investment in supporting the development of club football everywhere.' Mohammed AlSayyad, head of corporate brand at PIF Mohammed AlSayyad, head of corporate brand at PIF, said: 'PIF is creating a legacy of transformative impact in sports including through its partnerships, delivering positive and lasting results at every level, from players and fans to host communities. 'PIF is at the forefront of growing football around the world following our Concacaf partnership announced last year and our continued investment in football. We are unlocking opportunities to drive the growth of the sport around the world.' Matches will take place in 12 stadiums across major U.S. cities, culminating in a final at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey on July 13, where the world's top club will be crowned. This global event is seen as a pivotal step in Saudi Arabia's broader strategy to position itself at the forefront of international sport. As the confirmed host of the FIFA World Cup 2034, Saudi Arabia is leveraging major partnerships and high-profile tournaments to support the global growth of football, nurture talent, and bring long-lasting benefits to both domestic and international communities. In a move to make the tournament as accessible as possible, all 63 matches will be streamed live and free of charge on allowing fans worldwide to experience every moment of the first expanded edition of the FIFA Club World Cup. With this landmark collaboration, FIFA and PIF are aiming to shape the future of football — empowering youth, inspiring fans, and reinforcing the sport's global impact. For more news, click here
Khaleej Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
From moonshots to diplomacy: India makes its presence felt
As Chandrayaan-3 gently descended onto the uncharted lunar south pole on August 23, 2023, mission control at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) erupted in celebration. But far from the jubilant engineers and the blinking consoles in Bengaluru, the ripples were felt in foreign ministries across the globe — from Washington to Paris, and beyond. India had just become the first country to land a spacecraft near the moon's south pole, joining an elite club of spacefaring nations. The triumph was scientific, but the implications were profoundly strategic. It signalled, unmistakably, that India's space programme is no longer just about rockets and research; it is now a central pillar of its foreign policy. This is space diplomacy, Indian style: pragmatic, purposeful, and increasingly pivotal to New Delhi's global engagement. For long has India's space programme operated in relative isolation, nurtured by strategic autonomy and limited budgets. But in today's multipolar, tech-driven world, space is no longer the final frontier. It is a geopolitical arena. And India is stepping in with intent. India's evolution from a regional space actor to a global scientific and strategic partner is neither accidental nor cosmetic. It reflects a deliberate recalibration of its foreign policy priorities in the 21st century - one where soft power, science, and strategic technology converge. Take, for instance, the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership with the United States. During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2023 state visit to Washington, space was a dominant theme. The two countries signed agreements enabling ISRO and NASA to collaborate on joint missions, including the launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite in 2024, designed to monitor climate change through high-resolution imagery. This mission, the world's most expensive Earth observation satellite to date at nearly $1.5 billion and weighing close to 3,000 kilos, epitomizes how space cooperation is shaping broader conversations around climate, security, and sustainability. With France, too, India has built one of its most enduring space alliances. For over six decades, the Indo-French space collaboration has ranged from satellite launches to scientific exchange. Today, it extends to joint ventures in Earth observation, maritime surveillance, and even space situational awareness, a reflection of the countries' shared interests in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. The India-Bhutan satellite, jointly developed to enhance remote sensing capabilities in the Himalayan kingdom, is again not just a goodwill gesture but a strategic investment in regional stability, resilience, and trust. What makes India's space diplomacy uniquely effective is its blend of accessibility, credibility, and ambition. Add to it India's affordable launch services and it makes it a win-win for all. The numbers underscore this: Since 1999 until July 2023, ISRO had launched 431 foreign satellites for 34 countries. India's burgeoning private space ecosystem adds another dimension to its diplomatic toolkit. With the liberalisation of the space sector in 2020 and the establishment of Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) to facilitate private participation, several startups are redefining the possibilities of Indian space innovation. As of December 2024, around 330 industries, startups, and MSMEs are associated with IN-SPACe for activities ranging from authorization and data dissemination to technology transfer and access to ISRO facilities. Their agility and cost-efficiency make India an attractive partner not just for state actors but also for global commercial ventures. India's space diplomacy is not merely about prestige. It is about building coalitions of capability, creating a framework for shared technological futures, and asserting strategic autonomy in an interdependent world. By turning space into a conduit for cooperation rather than competition, India is not just launching satellites; it is launching a new era of international engagement.
Telegraph
07-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Abdul Samad Rabiu
Nigeria's reforms have put the country on the global economic map As my country steadies itself, Britain, its Western allies and their companies should deepen this partnership Abdul Samad Rabiu
Malay Mail
27-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Anwar: Stronger Asean-GCC ties vital amid global economic uncertainty
KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — At the second Asean-GCC Summit today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim underscored the importance of strengthening ties between the two blocs amid the current global economic climate. He said the summit plays a crucial role in ensuring the partnership remains dynamic, responsive, and impactful. 'I believe the Asean-GCC partnership has never been more important than it is today, as we navigate an increasingly complex global landscape marked by economic uncertainty and geopolitical challenges. 'A stronger Asean-GCC relationship will be key to enhancing inter-regional collaboration, building resilience, and securing sustainable prosperity for our peoples,' he said in his opening remarks at the summit held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here. 'Today's deliberations will be crucial in ensuring that our partnership remains dynamic, responsive, and impactful. Let us use today's summit to reaffirm our collective ambition and translate our shared vision into concrete and impactful cooperation,' he added. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), established in 1981, comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with the aim of fostering political and economic cooperation among member countries. The first Asean-GCC Summit was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2023. Anwar noted that the GCC was Asean's seventh-largest trading partner, with total trade reaching US$130.7 billion two years ago. 'Investment is also growing, reflecting increasing confidence in the long-term prospects of our partnership,' he added. Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said the partnership anticipates trade between the 16 countries to grow by an average of 30 per cent, reaching US$180 billion by 2026. 'The investment potential between both sides is vast, and the growth in GCC-Asean trade, which exceeded US$128 billion in 2023, along with rising Gulf investments in Asian markets, reflects mutual confidence and deepening economic integration. 'We therefore emphasise the importance of continuing to strengthen cooperation in economic, trade, investment, and technical fields. 'We look forward to achieving positive outcomes in the ongoing negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between both sides, which will boost investment opportunities and support regional supply chains,' he said in his speech. The Asean-GCC Summit is being held alongside the 46th Asean Summit, with Malaysia as the host nation. Later today, it will be followed by the inaugural Asean-GCC-China Trilateral Summit.
