عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Gulf

Saudi Interior Minister: The Kingdom in the Lead of States Aware of Illegal Migration Risks

Meloni received the Saudi Interior Minister in Rome on Sunday. (AP)
Meloni received the Saudi Interior Minister in Rome on Sunday. (AP)
TT
TT

Saudi Interior Minister: The Kingdom in the Lead of States Aware of Illegal Migration Risks

Meloni received the Saudi Interior Minister in Rome on Sunday. (AP)
Meloni received the Saudi Interior Minister in Rome on Sunday. (AP)

Saudi Arabia called on the international community to embrace its role in addressing the political, social and economic repercussions of illegal migration, and to confront the challenges related to crimes of exploitation and smuggling and confront cross-border organized crime networks.

On behalf of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif, led Saudi Arabia’s delegation participating in the International Conference on Development and Migration in Rome on Sunday.

The conference, which began under the chairmanship of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, was attended by a number of heads of states and governments, ministers of foreign affairs of the Mediterranean region and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and senior European and international officials.

The Saudi minister expressed the Kingdom’s gratitude to Italy for hosting the conference, which aims to strengthen international cooperation in addressing issues like illegal migration and human trafficking.

The Kingdom, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince, is carrying out comprehensive and ongoing reforms within the framework of implementing the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which made the human being its main pillar, noted the Prince.

Prince Abdulaziz highlighted the Kingdom’s commitment to upholding human rights norms and advancing sustainable development, stating, “the Kingdom's firm stance in favor of international collaboration in addressing all common challenges is unwavering.”

He emphasized the Kingdom's support for developing the regular and institutional structure of the national human rights system, and labor regulations and policies, promoting labor rights, and improving contractual relationships.

He also mentioned the Kingdom’s launch of Saudi Green and Middle East Green initiatives to address climate change.

On the humanitarian and relief side, Prince Abdulaziz drew attention to the Kingdom’s efforts through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), stating: “The Kingdom is actively working to lessen suffering in areas affected by crises, conflicts, and disasters.”

He further shared that the Kingdom has implemented 30 projects to support refugees and migrants at a cost of more than $130 million, and provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine, exceeding $410 million.

Furthermore, the Prince mentioned the directives from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince to provide humanitarian aid worth $100 million and organize a campaign in support of the Sudanese people, who are undergoing a humanitarian crisis that has caused the displacement of large numbers in various regions of the country and neighboring countries.

The Kingdom appreciates the efforts of those working for the stability and security of people around the world.

The Kingdom’s delegation participating in the conference included Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Eng. Waleed El-Khereiji, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior Dr. Hisham Al-Faleh, Director General of Passports and Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Civil Status Lt. Gen. Sulaiman Al-Yahya, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Multilateral Affairs Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Rassi, and representatives from the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs and KSrelief.

Most Viewed

 
 
Gulf

Riyadh Meeting: Sanctions Are Obstructing Growth, Syria’s Future Will Be Decided by Syrians

Officials pose for a family photo at the Riyadh meeting on Syria on Sunday. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
Officials pose for a family photo at the Riyadh meeting on Syria on Sunday. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
TT
TT

Riyadh Meeting: Sanctions Are Obstructing Growth, Syria’s Future Will Be Decided by Syrians

Officials pose for a family photo at the Riyadh meeting on Syria on Sunday. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
Officials pose for a family photo at the Riyadh meeting on Syria on Sunday. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)

Saudi Arabia urged top European diplomats at a gathering Sunday to lift sanctions against Syria to boost rebuilding the country and its economy after last month’s overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad.

European and Middle Eastern diplomats met in the Saudi capital Riyadh to discuss Syria’s future. The US and European countries have been wary over the roots of Syria’s new rulers — the former insurgents who drove Assad out of power — and have said ending sanctions depends on the progress of the political transition.

The interim government led by the former opposition factions has vowed to move to a pluralist, open system. It is looking for international support as the country tries to recover from nearly 14 years of civil war that killed an estimated 500,000 people and displaced half the prewar population of 23 million. The new Syrian foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, attended Sunday’s gathering.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah said international and unilateral sanctions on Syria should be lifted.

Continuing them “will hinder the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people to achieve development and reconstruction,” he said. He praised steps so far by the interim government, including promises to start a political process “that includes various components” of the Syrian people.

Tackling any challenges or sources of concern should take place through dialogue and in a way that respects Syria’s independence and sovereignty, he added. “Syria’s future will be decided by the Syrian people,” he declared.

Saudi Arabia believes that the people have the right to determine their own fate through internal dialogue that ends all of their crises, he went on to say.

The United States, European Union and some Arab nations began imposing sanctions after Assad’s brutal crackdown on the 2011 uprising against his rule and tightened them as the conflict spiraled into war. Some are on individuals in Assad’s government, including freezing of assets. But many target the government in general, including bans on many financial and banking dealings, on oil purchases and on investment or trade in some sectors, crippling the wider economy.

There are exemptions when it comes to humanitarian aid, but relief organizations have said that overcompliance by financial institutions hinders their operations.

At the gathering, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said sanctions against “Assad’s henchmen who committed serious crimes” must remain in place.

But she called for “a smart approach to sanctions, providing rapid relief for the Syrian population. Syrians now need a quick dividend from the transition of power.” She did not elaborate but announced an additional 50 million euros ($51.2 million) in German aid for food, emergency shelters and medical care.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who also attended the meeting, said European countries want to see a government that includes all of Syria’s religious and ethnic communities. “We want to see inclusivity of women also in the process, so these are the things that we are going to discuss,” she said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said his country, which was a strong supporter of the Syrian opposition to Assad, would try to help Syria in normalizing ties with the international community.

He said it was important to establish “a balance between the expectations of the international community and the realities faced by the new administration in Syria.”

He pledged Turkish support to the new government, especially in combating threats from the ISIS group. “As Türkiye, we are ready to do our part to ease the difficult path ahead for the Syrian people,” he said in comments carried by Türkiye’s state-run Anadolu Agency.

Last week, the United States eased some of its restrictions on Syria, with the US Treasury issuing a general license, lasting six months, that authorizes certain transactions with the Syrian government, including some energy sales and incidental transactions.

The US has also dropped a $10 million bounty it had offered for the capture of Ahmad al-Sharaa, a Syrian rebel leader formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, whose forces led the ouster of Assad last month. Al-Sharaa was a former senior al-Qaeda fighter who broke with the group years ago and has pledged an inclusive Syria that respects the rights of religious minorities.

The opposition led a lightning insurgency that ousted Assad on Dec. 8 and ended his family’s decades-long rule.

Much of the world severed ties with Assad and imposed sanctions on his government — and its Russian and Iranian allies — over alleged war crimes and the manufacturing of the amphetamine-like stimulant Captagon, which reportedly generated billions of dollars as packages of the little white pills were smuggled across Syria’s porous borders.

With Assad out of the picture, Syria’s new authorities hope that the international community will pour money into the country to rebuild its battered infrastructure and make its economy viable again.

Sunday’s meeting brought together foreign ministers and representatives from Bahrain, Egypt, France, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Spain, Syria, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, as well as the Secretary-General of the Arab League, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the UN Special Envoy for Syria.

The meeting also addressed concerns over Israel's incursions into the buffer zone and neighboring sites in Mount Hermon and Quneitra Governorate. Participants underscored the need to respect Syria's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

Prince Faisal reiterated the Saudi Arabia’s strong condemnation of Israel's incursions into Syrian territories, calling them violations of international law and the 1974 disengagement agreement. He demanded the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces and renewed the Kingdom's rejection of such actions as acts of aggression and occupation.