Saudi FM: Security Council Must Fulfill its Responsibility to Lift Gaza Siege

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud chairs the Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, October 18, 2023. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud chairs the Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, October 18, 2023. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
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Saudi FM: Security Council Must Fulfill its Responsibility to Lift Gaza Siege

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud chairs the Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, October 18, 2023. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud chairs the Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, October 18, 2023. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS

Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah made on Thursday a telephone call with his Swiss counterpart, Ignazio Cassis.

During the call, they discussed the latest developments in Gaza and its surroundings, as Prince Faisal stressed the importance of stopping all forms of targeting civilians in that region and the commitment of all conflicting parties to what is stipulated in international humanitarian law.

The Saudi Foreign Minister urged the Swiss Confederation, in its role as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, to work to ensure that the council fulfills its responsibility to maintain international peace and security, including pushing for an immediate cessation of ongoing military operations and lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip.

The Minister stressed the importance of the council’s work to implement its decisions regarding the Palestinian issue, specifically Resolutions No. 242 (1967), No. 338 (1973), No. 1515 (2003), and No. 2334 (2016), in order to establish a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue in a way that achieves the aspirations of the Palestinian people.



Saudi Arabia Underscores its Continued Efforts to Resolve Sudan Crisis

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet meeting that was held in Jeddah. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet meeting that was held in Jeddah. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Underscores its Continued Efforts to Resolve Sudan Crisis

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet meeting that was held in Jeddah. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet meeting that was held in Jeddah. (SPA)

The Saudi government underscored on Tuesday its ongoing efforts to resolve the crisis in Sudan and restore security and stability in the country.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chaired the cabinet meeting that was held in Jeddah.

The government welcomed the outcomes of the second consultative meeting on boosting coordination on initiatives and peace efforts in Sudan.

The cabinet added that Saudi Arabia will continue to stand by Yemen and its people and encourage de-escalation efforts and preserve calm, hoping that this would pave the way for a comprehensive political solution under the UN-sponsored roadmap.

The ministers reviewed the contacts Saudi Arabia held over the past week with world countries with the aim of developing relations and cooperation in various fields.

The cabinet reviewed several periodic performance reports on the programs of the Saudi Vision 2030, whose many goals have already been realized.

It commended the swift advancement of housing and health sector transformation programs, notably in increasing homeownership rates among Saudi families, delivering thousands of housing units to developmental housing beneficiaries, and improving healthcare accessibility, quality, and life expectancy through efforts dedicated to public health and community vitality.

The cabinet discussed the Kingdom's high rankings in labor-market indicators issued by the World Economic Forum (WEF), highlighting the record-breaking increase in Saudis employed in the private sector. The number of Saudi workers in the private sector rose from 1.7 million in 2019 to over 2.3 million in 2024, while the unemployment rate decreased to 6.7% in the first quarter of 2024.

Moreover, the cabinet discussed the submission to FIFA of Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2034 World Cup, reiterating the Kingdom's commitment to delivering an exceptional edition of the tournament.

It also praised UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee to add the "Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area" in the Riyadh region to the World Heritage List. This is the eighth site in Saudi Arabia to be listed, achieving one of the goals of the Vision 2030.

It reviewed the outcomes of the Kingdom’s participation in the meetings held under the Group of Twenty (G20) framework, which highlighted its efforts and initiatives supporting the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs), continued economic progress, and the enhancement of global responses to humanitarian issues.

Reviewing the outcomes of the second Baghdad International Regional Conference on Combating Drugs, the Cabinet underlined the Kingdom's commitment to reinforcing international cooperation in this area and highlighted the success of the security campaign in confronting the threat of drugs and related crimes.