Diplomatic Adviser to UAE President Meets UN Special Envoy to Yemen

Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President Dr. Anwar Gargash meets with United Nation Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg in Abu Dhabi. (WAM)
Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President Dr. Anwar Gargash meets with United Nation Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg in Abu Dhabi. (WAM)
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Diplomatic Adviser to UAE President Meets UN Special Envoy to Yemen

Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President Dr. Anwar Gargash meets with United Nation Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg in Abu Dhabi. (WAM)
Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President Dr. Anwar Gargash meets with United Nation Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg in Abu Dhabi. (WAM)

Diplomatic Adviser to the President of the United Arab Emirates Dr. Anwar Gargash held talks with United Nation Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, reported the UAE’s state news agency WAM.

The officials discussed the latest developments in the Yemeni crisis and the efforts to establish favorable conditions for a ceasefire and progress toward a sustainable political solution, which will end the crisis and the humanitarian suffering of the Yemeni people.

Gargash underlined the UAE's support for the international efforts and Grundberg’s work to establish a permanent ceasefire and initiate serious dialogue to reach a sustainable political settlement to the Yemeni crisis, lauding the related efforts of Saudi Arabia.

He highlighted the UAE's solidarity with the Yemeni people, its support for all efforts to end the crisis, and its political and humanitarian repercussions.

Gargash expressed his appreciation for the UN's recent announcement regarding the finalized plan to unload the FSO Safer oil tanker off the coast of Yemen’s Hodeidah province.

He hailed the efforts of the UN and its Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, as well as the contributions of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen and donor countries in facilitating the successful unloading of the floating oil storage, averting an environmental and humanitarian catastrophe.

Grundberg briefed his host on the latest developments in Yemen with international, regional, and local parties.



Saudi Arabia Expands Digital Health System for Hajj Pilgrims

Muslims perform Tawaf in the Grand Mosque during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2025. (SPA)
Muslims perform Tawaf in the Grand Mosque during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2025. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Expands Digital Health System for Hajj Pilgrims

Muslims perform Tawaf in the Grand Mosque during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2025. (SPA)
Muslims perform Tawaf in the Grand Mosque during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2025. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry said it has stepped up efforts this year to expand digital health services as part of a broader strategy to harness advanced technology and ensure safe and efficient medical care for pilgrims during the Hajj.

The ministry said preparations included strengthening digital infrastructure and deploying smart solutions to improve timely access to healthcare, aiming to deliver a safe and healthy pilgrimage for all.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Assistant Deputy Minister for Planning at the Ministry of Health, Eng. Yazeed Alotaibi highlighted a range of advanced digital solutions the ministry has developed, including the implementation of the “Electronic Health Record” system across all medical facilities in the holy sites.

The system allows for seamless, real-time connectivity between healthcare centers, speeding up diagnosis and patient transfers while enhancing medical response readiness in coordination with the command and control center.

Alotaibi added that services on the “Sehhaty” app have been upgraded to offer around-the-clock virtual medical consultations, alongside the 937 unified call center.

He said virtual clinics have also been activated in partnership with the virtual health hospital, enabling patients to receive specialized care remotely without the need to travel, easing pressure on field facilities and improving pilgrims’ access to medical services at any time.

AI integration

On the use of emerging technologies, Alotaibi said the Health Ministry has “extensively integrated artificial intelligence tools into its digital systems.”

These tools are being used to analyze medical conversations and convert them into digital records, while also suggesting accurate diagnoses, boosting the speed and quality of clinical decision-making.

AI is also employed to interpret medical images and identify critical cases that require urgent intervention.

Moreover, Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry has rolled out a series of cutting-edge technologies to strengthen medical services for pilgrims during this year’s Hajj, including the use of drones, artificial intelligence, and cloud infrastructure.

Alotaibi said the ministry is deploying drone technology to deliver medicines and medical supplies swiftly to high-traffic areas, calling it “a fast and efficient solution” to meet urgent healthcare demands.

Cloud infrastructure has also been activated in health data centers to boost system efficiency and accelerate data sharing among relevant authorities, he added.

Digital health passport

Among other innovations, Alotaibi said the ministry has launched a “Digital Health Passport” in collaboration with Malaysia, Oman, and Indonesia. The initiative allows early access to pilgrims’ health status, allowing personalized care and streamlining medical procedures when needed.

On Monday, Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel inaugurated two key initiatives to support medical supply delivery using helicopters and drones.

These systems are designed to cut delivery times for medicines in high-density zones across the holy sites from 90 to just 6 minutes, enhancing emergency response capabilities.

Fahad Al-Buthi, CEO of supply chain and operations at NUPCO, a Saudi healthcare logistics company, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the drone program was launched in coordination with national authorities.

He said pilot tests showed the drone system could slash delivery time from 90 minutes to just six, a move expected to significantly improve access to critical supplies during peak Hajj periods.