Saudi, Turkish FMs Discuss Preparations for Emergency OIC Meeting

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah arrives at the general assembly of the BIE, Tuesday, June 20, 2023 in Paris. (AP)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah arrives at the general assembly of the BIE, Tuesday, June 20, 2023 in Paris. (AP)
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Saudi, Turkish FMs Discuss Preparations for Emergency OIC Meeting

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah arrives at the general assembly of the BIE, Tuesday, June 20, 2023 in Paris. (AP)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah arrives at the general assembly of the BIE, Tuesday, June 20, 2023 in Paris. (AP)

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held telephone talks on Saturday with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan about the upcoming Organization for Islamic Cooperation emergency meeting that will be held in Jeddah.

The meeting will address the latest Quran-burning incident in Sweden that happened on the first day of Eid al-Adha.

The FMs discussed the preparations for the meeting, cooperation over regional issues and efforts to combat Islamophobia.

On Wednesday, a man who identified himself in Swedish media as a refugee, 37, from Iraq burned a Quran outside a mosque in central Stockholm as 200 Muslims were inside the mosque.

Swedish police had authorized the protest, citing freedom of speech, after a previous decision to ban a similar protest was overturned by a Swedish court.

The act drew widespread condemnation in the Muslim world.

Saudi Arabia strongly denounced the act. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday suggested that the incident would pose another obstacle to Sweden’s bid for NATO membership.

Saudi Arabia had called for the emergency OIC meeting as its president during its current round.



Saudi Arabia Urges Need to End Suffering in Gaza

Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah delivers his remarks at the 17th BRICS Summit 2025 in Rio de Janeiro. (SPA)
Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah delivers his remarks at the 17th BRICS Summit 2025 in Rio de Janeiro. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Urges Need to End Suffering in Gaza

Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah delivers his remarks at the 17th BRICS Summit 2025 in Rio de Janeiro. (SPA)
Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah delivers his remarks at the 17th BRICS Summit 2025 in Rio de Janeiro. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia called on Monday for an end to the “catastrophic” situation in Gaza in wake of Israel’s war on the enclave.

On behalf of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah participated in the first session of the second day of the 17th BRICS Summit 2025 in Rio de Janeiro.

Prince Faisal stressed that the grave crises around the world serve as a reminder of shared responsibilities and the urgent need to avoid escalation to maintain security and prevent the expansion of conflicts.

On Gaza, he condemned the Israeli attacks on health infrastructure and the targeting of civilians, describing them as “blatant violations of international humanitarian law and a direct challenge to the rules-based international order”.

Prince Faisal called on the international community “to shoulder its responsibilities in ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid and the protection of civilians”.

“The humanitarian suffering in Gaza cannot be overlooked,” he said, urging “serious international efforts to end the crisis and achieve a lasting, comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution in accordance with international law.”

The Kingdom is attending the summit as an invited country to join the BRICS group. The session was titled: Environment, United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), and Global Health.

Prince Faisal emphasized the importance of boosting cooperation in the fields of climate and health, reiterating the Kingdom’s commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. He called for a practical and balanced approach that considers the diverse circumstances of different countries.

He further noted that the Kingdom, as one of the countries facing water scarcity, has developed advanced methods and technologies to manage environmental and water resource challenges. He highlighted Saudi Arabia's leadership in establishing the Global Water Organization, which aims to ensure equitable access to this vital resource.

On the health sector, Prince Faisal stated that Saudi Vision 2030 includes comprehensive reforms focused on prevention and integrated care. He also reviewed the Kingdom’s expertise in managing large gatherings such as Hajj and Umrah and in developing planning and early warning systems, reinforcing its position as a regional hub for health emergency preparedness and response in accordance with international standards.