Riyadh: According to the Saudi Press Agency, the Kingdom has decided to issue citizenship to people of distinguished expertise and specialization, such as doctors, researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs.
The royal decree aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 which aims to foster a creative and innovative environment to retain global talents in the field of science, culture, sports, and information technology.
The practice began in 2021 when the first group of exceptional talents were awarded Saudi citizenship.
Arabic daily Asharq Al-Awsat learned that the list of names granted Saudi citizenship following the issuance of the royal approval on Thursday.
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Mehmood Khan, an American and the CEO of the Revolution Foundation is recognized for his contributions to the health sciences.
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Jackie Yi-Ru Ying is an American scientist of Singaporean origin. He is the founding Executive Director of the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology in Singapore and currently leads the NanoBio Lab.
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Lebanese scientist Niveen Khashab is the founding member of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). She has been an Associate Professor of Chemical Sciences and Engineering there since 2009.
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Noreddine Ghaffour, a French scientist, has been recognized for his expertise in environmental science and engineering, particularly in desalination technologies. Holding a PhD in membrane separation techniques from the University of Montpellier, Ghaffour is a Professor at KAUST.