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Gulf

Bahrain and Israel Agree to Boost Trade Ties

A handout picture provided by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows Israel's top diplomat Eli Cohen (L) meeting with Bahrain's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa in Manama, on September 4, 2023. (Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs / AFP)
A handout picture provided by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows Israel's top diplomat Eli Cohen (L) meeting with Bahrain's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa in Manama, on September 4, 2023. (Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs / AFP)
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Bahrain and Israel Agree to Boost Trade Ties

A handout picture provided by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows Israel's top diplomat Eli Cohen (L) meeting with Bahrain's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa in Manama, on September 4, 2023. (Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs / AFP)
A handout picture provided by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows Israel's top diplomat Eli Cohen (L) meeting with Bahrain's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa in Manama, on September 4, 2023. (Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs / AFP)

Israel's foreign minister agreed Monday with his Bahraini counterpart to boost trade relations, during his first visit to one of the two Gulf Arab states to establish ties with Israel.

"The foreign minister and I agreed that we should work together to increase the number of direct flights, the tourism, the trade volume, the investment," Eli Cohen said during a ceremony to inaugurate Israel's new embassy.

The embassy in the capital Manama will replace the first embassy Israel opened in 2021, a year after it established diplomatic relations with Bahrain as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords.

Under the accords, Israel also established ties with the United Arab Emirates and Morocco.

Monday's ceremony was attended by Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani, who said the "new embassy assumes a pivotal role" in growing collaboration between the two countries.

Al Zayani said his talks with Cohen on Monday resulted in an agreement on advancing "relations across the broadest range of fields, including, economic, investment, trade and other areas."

Cohen arrived in Bahrain on Sunday, accompanied by a business delegation of more than 30 companies working in high-tech, logistics and real estate.

Earlier on Monday, he met Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa and discussed "the importance of advancing a free trade agreement and projects to connect youths in Israel and Bahrain", Cohen posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Despite now having steady ties with Israel, Bahrain and the UAE have joined other Gulf Arab states in issuing a series of condemnations against it this year.

Raids on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the Jenin Palestinian refugee camp in the occupied West Bank were among Israeli moves that sparked a Gulf outcry.

In Bahrain, Cohen also visited the US Navy's Fifth Fleet base where he discussed maritime security cooperation, according to a statement by US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT).

The visit "underscores our expanding partnership with Israel", NAVCENT commander Vice-Admiral Brad Cooper was quoted as saying.

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Gulf

Makkah Pact Committee to Meet in Riyadh on Monday

The first meeting of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement’s Strategic Political and Defense Committee met in Istanbul on Aug. 31. Photo: Saudi Defense Ministry
The first meeting of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement’s Strategic Political and Defense Committee met in Istanbul on Aug. 31. Photo: Saudi Defense Ministry
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Makkah Pact Committee to Meet in Riyadh on Monday

The first meeting of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement’s Strategic Political and Defense Committee met in Istanbul on Aug. 31. Photo: Saudi Defense Ministry
The first meeting of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement’s Strategic Political and Defense Committee met in Istanbul on Aug. 31. Photo: Saudi Defense Ministry

A committee of the Makkah Defense Pact between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan will hold talks in Riyadh on Monday.

The meeting is expected to bring together the defense and foreign ministers as well as the army chiefs of staff of the three countries.

The official Turkish Anadolu Agency, citing sources in the Turkish Foreign Ministry, reported that the Turkish side is scheduled to present its vision during the meeting regarding the institutionalization process of the alliance and future steps.

It will also offer an assessment of the threats facing peace and stability in the Middle East and emphasize the importance of the progress made in the alliance's work within a short period as an important factor toward achieving lasting stability in the region, in addition to expressing Ankara's stance supporting Riyadh in facing Houthi attacks.

Istanbul hosted the first meeting of the agreement’s Strategic Political and Defense Committee on Aug. 31, bringing together the foreign and defense ministers and military chiefs of staff of Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan.

During the meeting, the three countries reaffirmed their determination to work together under the Makkah agreement to achieve sustainable peace and stability in their region and continue supporting efforts to promote de-escalation and restraint.

They encouraged peaceful solutions to crises in line with their commitment to fulfilling their regional responsibilities.

Political analyst specializing in international affairs, Ahmed Al-Ibrahim, says holding the second meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee in Riyadh less than two weeks after the first meeting in Istanbul clearly demonstrates the transition of coordination among the three countries into a phase of joint action.

Political analyst Faisal Al-Shammeri expects that, in light of new developments - specifically the announcement by Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi on the launch of military operations to liberate the remaining Yemeni territories - the meeting will form a real foundation for the upcoming phase.

Gulf

King Salman Invites Qatar’s Emir to Participate in Second GCC-EU Summit

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani receives the Saudi ambassador in Doha (QNA).
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani receives the Saudi ambassador in Doha (QNA).
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King Salman Invites Qatar’s Emir to Participate in Second GCC-EU Summit

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani receives the Saudi ambassador in Doha (QNA).
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani receives the Saudi ambassador in Doha (QNA).

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud sent a written message to Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, inviting him to participate in the second Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-European Union (EU) Summit, which Saudi Arabia will host in October.

The message was delivered by Saudi Ambassador to Qatar Prince Saad bin Mansour bin Saad during the Emir's reception of him at his office at Lusail Palace, SPA reported.

The ambassador conveyed to the Emir the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, along with his wishes for continued health and happiness and for the Qatari people to enjoy further progress and prosperity.

For his part, the Qatari Emir asked the ambassador to convey his greetings to his brother, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, along with his wishes for continued health and well-being and for the Saudi people to enjoy continued prosperity and progress.

During the reception, the two sides reviewed the fraternal relations between the two countries and ways to develop and strengthen them.

Gulf

Saudi Arabia Provides $59.7 Million to Support Yemen's Budget, Salaries

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Provides $59.7 Million to Support Yemen's Budget, Salaries

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)

Under the leadership's directives, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY), has provided a new financial installment of more than $59.7 million to support the Yemeni state budget.

The funding is designated to cover operational expenses and salaries, reflecting the Kingdom's ongoing commitment to supporting stability and development for the brotherly Yemeni people.

The support aims to ensure the regular flow of government funds and salary payments and to improve the efficiency of fiscal policy, putting economic and social development on a more sustainable path. It is also expected to boost purchasing power, stabilize household incomes, and revive commercial markets.

Saudi Arabia is Yemen's largest supporter across the humanitarian, development, and economic fields. Its development and economic interventions totaled more than $12.6 billion between 2012 and 2026. These interventions include deposits and grants to the Central Bank of Yemen aimed at achieving fiscal balance and supporting macroeconomic stability. They have been a cornerstone in strengthening Yemeni institutions' capacity to continue delivering services and easing economic and social pressures.

To date, SDRPY has implemented 300 development projects and initiatives across eight vital sectors in Yemen, upgrading infrastructure, improving public services, building local institutional capacity, and creating job opportunities.