Saudi Arabia will build a farm the size of Belgium

Saudi Arabia has earmarked an area the size of 15 football pitches on the outskirts of the new city of Neom for a large modern European farm. The goal is to transform the desert into a lush green area. This commitment represents a significant step forward in the fight for food security. The goal is to create a "synthetic climate" to make the desert flourish, regardless of the weather. Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement with the Turkish defense company Baykar Tech to start the production of drones, ... confirming the improvement of relations between Riyadh and Ankara. In a post on the X platform, ex Twitter, the Saudi Arabian State-owned Military Industries (SAMI) announced “the signing of a strategic localization agreement with Baykar Tech, to localize the production of 'Bayraktar Akıncı' drones and their systems within the Kingdom.” He added that the agreement, signed under the patronage of Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, "will enhance SAMI's role in supporting the national defense industry and strengthen our local capabilities."

 It comes just weeks after the Saudi Defense Ministry signed historic deals with Baykar, which enabled the kingdom to acquire Turkish drones to bolster its airborne capabilities and enhance the readiness of its military. It was said by Baykar's CEO , Haluk Bayraktar, as “the largest defense and aviation export contract in the history of the Republic of Turkey”. Formerly regional rivals, Riyadh and Ankara have improved their fragile relations over the past two years, with Turkey managing to secure billions of dollars in Saudi deposits and investments in an effort to boost its foreign reserves, and now offers its much-needed defense capability.