Al-Eryani Hails Saudi Development, Reconstruction Program for Yemen

The SDRPY has implemented 263 development projects and initiatives in various Yemeni governorates  - SPA
The SDRPY has implemented 263 development projects and initiatives in various Yemeni governorates - SPA
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Al-Eryani Hails Saudi Development, Reconstruction Program for Yemen

The SDRPY has implemented 263 development projects and initiatives in various Yemeni governorates  - SPA
The SDRPY has implemented 263 development projects and initiatives in various Yemeni governorates - SPA

Yemeni Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Moammar Al-Eryani commended the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) for its substantial contributions to development across various sectors and governorates after visiting several of its projects and initiatives in Socotra Governorate.
Al-Eryani emphasized that SDRPY's projects in Yemen represent more than mere development initiatives; they symbolize the genuine brotherhood and unwavering support extended by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, SPA reported.

During his visit to Qalansiyah District, Al-Eryani inspected several projects undertaken by SDRPY, including a significant initiative to establish a new power station. The project is designed to boost electricity generation capacity in Socotra, ensure reliable and sustainable electricity supply, enhance the resilience of the power infrastructure to withstand challenging weather conditions, such as seasonal cyclones, and improve the skills and expertise of local operators through comprehensive training programs in operation and maintenance.
The project involves the installation of two powerful 1.46-megawatt generators, which will be seamlessly integrated into the existing public electricity grid.
Al-Eryani also visited the Qalansiyah model school, a state-of-the-art facility equipped with science and computer labs, as well as sports courts for volleyball and basketball. The school aims to enhance students' academic performance while fostering a well-rounded education by supporting extracurricular activities.
Al-Eryani emphasized the significant economic support provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Yemen, amounting to $500 million. This aid is crucial for strengthening the Yemeni government's budget, supporting the Central Bank of Yemen, and ultimately achieving stability and prosperity for the Yemeni people.
Al-Eryani commended the SDRPY for its impactful projects in Socotra covering key sectors such as infrastructure, transport, healthcare, economic development, and education.
The SDRPY has implemented 263 development projects and initiatives in various Yemeni governorates across eight vital sectors: education, health, water, energy, transportation, agriculture and fisheries, government capacity building, and development programs.



Italy’s Foreign Minister Heads to Syria to Encourage Post-Assad Transition

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks to the media a he arrives for a meeting at Rome’s Villa Madama, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 on the situation in Syria after the collapse of the Assad regime. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini (Andrew Medichini/AP POOL)
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks to the media a he arrives for a meeting at Rome’s Villa Madama, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 on the situation in Syria after the collapse of the Assad regime. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini (Andrew Medichini/AP POOL)
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Italy’s Foreign Minister Heads to Syria to Encourage Post-Assad Transition

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks to the media a he arrives for a meeting at Rome’s Villa Madama, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 on the situation in Syria after the collapse of the Assad regime. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini (Andrew Medichini/AP POOL)
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks to the media a he arrives for a meeting at Rome’s Villa Madama, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 on the situation in Syria after the collapse of the Assad regime. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini (Andrew Medichini/AP POOL)

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he would travel to Syria on Friday to encourage the country's transition following the ouster of President Bashar Assad by insurgents, and appealed on Europe to review its sanctions on Damascus now that the political situation has changed.
Tajani presided over a meeting in Rome on Thursday of foreign ministry officials from five countries, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the United States.
The aim, he said, is to coordinate the various post-Assad initiatives, with Italy prepared to make proposals on private investments in health care for the Syrian population.
Going into the meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and their European counterparts, Tajani said it was critical that all Syrians be recognized with equal rights. It was a reference to concerns about the rights of Christians and other minorities under Syria’s new de facto authorities of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HT.
“The first messages from Damascus have been positive. That’s why I’m going there tomorrow, to encourage this new phase that will help stabilize the international situation,” Tajani said.
Speaking to reporters, he said the European Union should discuss possible changes to its sanctions on Syria. “It’s an issue that should be discussed because Assad isn’t there anymore, it’s a new situation, and I think that the encouraging signals that are arriving should be further encouraged,” he said.
Syria has been under deeply isolating sanctions by the US, the European Union and others for years as a result of Assad’s brutal response to what began as peaceful anti-government protests in 2011 and spiraled into civil war.
HTS led a lightning insurgency that ousted Assad on Dec. 8 and ended his family’s decades-long rule. From 2011 until Assad’s downfall, Syria’s uprising and civil war killed an estimated 500,000 people.
The US has gradually lifted some penalties since Assad departed Syria for protection in Russia. The Biden administration in December decided to drop a $10 million bounty it had offered for the capture of a Syrian opposition leader whose forces led the ouster of Assad last month.
Syria’s new leaders also have been urged to respect the rights of minorities and women. Many Syrian Christians, who made up 10% of the population before Syria’s civil war, either fled the country or supported Assad out of fear of insurgents.