Saudi Crown Prince to Attend Kingdom’s Official Reception for 'Expo 2030' Bid

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (SPA)
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Saudi Crown Prince to Attend Kingdom’s Official Reception for 'Expo 2030' Bid

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (SPA)

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will participate in the Kingdom’s official reception to present its candidacy to host Expo 2030.

The reception for representatives of 179 member countries of the Bureau International des Expositions, which organizes the expo, will be held on Monday in Paris.

The ceremony is an important part of the nomination procedure for countries to host the expo.

Saudi Arabia aims to showcase Riyadh’s readiness and plans to host the global event.

Voting will take place in November to choose the host city.

According to Saudi sources, the participation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the reception ceremony reflects the keenness of the Saudi leadership to host this global event, emphasizing their interest, support, and dedication to the success of Riyadh as the host city.

Furthermore, this aligns with commitment to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, as the exhibition hosting presents an ideal opportunity for Riyadh to share its journey in achieving an unprecedented national transformation with nations and peoples across the world.

The presence of the Saudi Crown Prince and his attendance at the official reception ceremony for Riyadh’s bid to host Expo 2030 will undoubtedly bolster the capital’s chances of securing votes from various countries.

This is due to the global stature and esteem enjoyed by the Saudi Crown Prince.

Additionally, the meeting between the Crown Prince and the Secretary-General of the Bureau International des Expositions, Dimitri Kerkentzes, during the reception, provides an opportunity to discuss updates regarding Saudi Arabia’s candidacy and offer any necessary support for its success.

The Saudi leadership is tirelessly working towards ensuring that Riyadh’s hosting of Expo 2030 has the greatest possible impact. Their aim is to achieve their objectives, contribute to building a shared global future, and inspire participants to envision their own futures, sharing their aspirations and ambitions in new and exciting ways.

The reception, which is being held by the Royal Commission for the City of Riyadh, includes an exhibition that showcases the cultural depth of the Kingdom and its capital.

The exhibition is set to represent the rich cultural and historical depth of the Kingdom and its capital, highlighting its political and economic significance, as well as its distinctive geographic location and exceptional infrastructure.

These attributes make the Kingdom well-equipped to host major global events and occasions.

Expo 2030 is considered one of the most influential global platforms, and Riyadh is competing with three other cities for its organization. These cities are Rome, Italy, Busan, South Korea, and Odessa, Ukraine.



Saudi Energy Facilities, East-West Pipeline Affected by Attacks Recover and Restore Operational Capacity

The Saudi Ministry of Energy logo
The Saudi Ministry of Energy logo
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Saudi Energy Facilities, East-West Pipeline Affected by Attacks Recover and Restore Operational Capacity

The Saudi Ministry of Energy logo
The Saudi Ministry of Energy logo

The Saudi Ministry of Energy announced on Sunday the success of operational and technical efforts in restoring the full pumping capacity through the East-West pipeline, amounting to approximately seven million barrels per day, and recovering the affected volumes from the Manifa field production of around 300,000 barrels per day, all within a short period of time.

The announcement came after it issued a statement on April 9 regarding the impact on certain facilities of the Kingdom’s energy sector due to attacks, including the loss of approximately 700,000 barrels per day of pumping capacity through the East-West pipeline, and the reduction in production at the Manifa field by about 300,000 barrels per day, in addition to the impact on production at the Khurais field by about 300,000 barrels per day.

With regard to the Khurais field, the ministry said Sunday that work is still ongoing to restore full production capacity, adding this will be announced upon completion.

The quick recovery reflects the high operational resilience and crisis management efficiency of Saudi Aramco and the Kingdom’s energy ecosystem as a whole, thereby enhancing the reliability and continuity of supplies to local and global markets, and supporting the global economy, the statement added.


Saudi Arabia Condemns Attacks by Iran, its Proxies on Kuwait

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo
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Saudi Arabia Condemns Attacks by Iran, its Proxies on Kuwait

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the “heinous” attacks carried out by Iran and its proxies on a number of vital facilities in Kuwait.

A ministry statement said on Saturday that “the Kingdom reiterates its categorical rejection of these attacks,” which undermine Kuwait’s sovereignty and constitute a flagrant violation of international law and the UN charter.

“Such violations erode international efforts aimed at restoring security and stability in the region,” said the statement.

The ministry called on Iran and its proxies to “cease all hostile acts against Arab and Islamic countries” and to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2817.”

The Kingdom also expressed its full solidarity with Kuwait, its government and people, and reaffirmed its full support for all measures undertaken by Kuwait to safeguard its sovereignty, security and stability.


Saudi Crown Prince, France’s Macron Discuss Need to Restore Free Navigation in Hormuz

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and French President Emmanuel Macron meet in Riyadh in December 2024. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and French President Emmanuel Macron meet in Riyadh in December 2024. (SPA)
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Saudi Crown Prince, France’s Macron Discuss Need to Restore Free Navigation in Hormuz

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and French President Emmanuel Macron meet in Riyadh in December 2024. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and French President Emmanuel Macron meet in Riyadh in December 2024. (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, held telephone talks on Saturday with French President Emmanuel Macron on the talks to end the war on Iran. 

In a post on the X platform, Macron said they tackled the situation in the Middle East. He renewed his support for the ceasefire, “which should be respected in full and be expanded to include Lebanon without delay.” 

“We also discussed the need to restore free and safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible,” Macron added. 

“With the negotiations kicking off in Islamabad, we agreed to remain in close contact to help in de-escalation and freedom of navigation and to reach an agreement that ensures permanent peace and security in the region,” stressed Macron. 

Macron also spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, urging ″respect for the ceasefire and its application to Lebanon.” 

The French leader did not mention the negotiations in Pakistan, but said he and Erdogan ″underlined the need for a robust and lasting diplomatic solution.” 

Macron has been speaking regularly with other world leaders about the war and helping lead efforts for a mission to secure shipping in the Strait of Hormuz once the fighting calms.  

He has been particularly active in pushing for peace in Lebanon, a former French protectorate with close ties to France. 

Macron said on Saturday that he had spoken with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, and had highlighted ‌to ‌him the ‌importance ⁠of de-escalating the current ⁠situation through the ceasefire talks in Pakistan. 

"I stressed the need for ⁠Iran to restore ‌freedom ‌of navigation and ‌security in the ‌Strait of Hormuz as quickly as possible, to which ‌France stands ready to contribute. ⁠I ⁠insisted on the importance of fully respecting the ceasefire, including in Lebanon," he said in a post on X. 

“France gives its full support to the Lebanese authorities, who are the only ones who can decide on Lebanon’s destiny.”