Gulf Countries Congratulate King Salman on Saudi Arabia’s Winning Bid to Host Expo 2030 

A light display created using drones is performed after Riyadh won the right to host the 2030 World Expo at King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, on November 28, 2023. (AFP)
A light display created using drones is performed after Riyadh won the right to host the 2030 World Expo at King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, on November 28, 2023. (AFP)
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Gulf Countries Congratulate King Salman on Saudi Arabia’s Winning Bid to Host Expo 2030 

A light display created using drones is performed after Riyadh won the right to host the 2030 World Expo at King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, on November 28, 2023. (AFP)
A light display created using drones is performed after Riyadh won the right to host the 2030 World Expo at King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, on November 28, 2023. (AFP)

Gulf countries and organizations congratulated on Tuesday Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Saudi Arabia winning its bid to host World Expo 2030 in Riyadh. 

Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a message of congratulations to King Salman on the occasion. 

Sheikh Mishal stressed that this distinguished achievement is a source of pride and honor for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries and the sisterly Arab countries.  

It symbolizes the great confidence of the international community in the competence of the Kingdom and its great capabilities in organizing international events and hosting the World Expo, he added.  

He wished for King Salman continued health, hoping he will achieve all progress and prosperity for the Kingdom and its honorable people under the wise leadership.  

Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah also sent King Salman a similar cable on the occasion. 

Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Deputy Emir Qatar Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani, and Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani also congratulated King Salman on the winning bid. 

In a cable to King Salman, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa described the success as an embodiment of the Kingdom’s significant international standing. 

It is the latest in the series of achievements it has accomplished in all fields, he added. 

King Hamad praised the close historical and fraternal relations between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain and their brotherly peoples and the high level they have reached in all fields. 

He wished the Kingdom and its people continued progress and prosperity under the wise leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. 

Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa sent a similar cable to King Salman and another to Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. 

Oman congratulated Saudi Arabia on its victory in hosting Expo 2030 in the city of Riyadh. 

In a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it expressed its full confidence in the capabilities of the Kingdom in organizing Expo 2030 in a way that will bring more benefits to the entire region and elevate the status of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and their attractiveness in hosting major international events. 

GCC Secretary General Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi congratulated King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed on Riyadh’s successful bid. 

He stressed that the win is a great indication of the Kingdom's distinguished international standing, high ability and professionalism in organizing such global events. 

Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General Hussein Ibrahim Taha echoed Albudaiwi’s remarks, adding that the success was the result of relentless and intense efforts by the Saudi leadership. 

He wished Saudi Arabia further success, stating that selecting Riyadh to host the World Expo is a triumph not only for the Kingdom but the entire Islamic world. 

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) congratulated the Kingdom on its successful bid. 

ICESCO Director-General Dr. Salim M. Al-Malik said the victory is the latest achievement by the Kingdom under the wise leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed. 

He added that the event embodies the success of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which includes among its ambitious goals transforming Riyadh into one of the top 10 cities in the world. 

Riyadh’s hosting of this global event is an opportunity to highlight Islamic culture and its contributions to human civilization throughout history, he remarked. 

Arab Parliament Speaker Adel Al-Asoomi congratulated Saudi Arabia on the winning bid. 

The achievement reflects the progress made under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed, which under their guidance, has steered the march of comprehensive development across various sectors, he noted. 

In a statement, the Arab Parliament described the hosting of Expo 2030 as a significant Arab achievement that enhances the Kingdom’s position as a leading global destination in the fields of trade, culture, and development. 



Saudi Arabia Offers Condolences to Azerbaijan after Plane Crash

A handout photo made available by the press service of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan shows emergency specialists working at the crash site of a passenger plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan, 25 December 2024. (EPA/Kazakhstan Emergencies Ministry handout)
A handout photo made available by the press service of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan shows emergency specialists working at the crash site of a passenger plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan, 25 December 2024. (EPA/Kazakhstan Emergencies Ministry handout)
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Saudi Arabia Offers Condolences to Azerbaijan after Plane Crash

A handout photo made available by the press service of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan shows emergency specialists working at the crash site of a passenger plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan, 25 December 2024. (EPA/Kazakhstan Emergencies Ministry handout)
A handout photo made available by the press service of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan shows emergency specialists working at the crash site of a passenger plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan, 25 December 2024. (EPA/Kazakhstan Emergencies Ministry handout)

Saudi Arabia offered on Wednesday its condolences to Azerbaijan following the plane crash in Kazakhstan.

A Foreign Ministry statement said the Kingdom expressed its condolences to the families of the deceased and to the government and people of Azerbaijan. It wished the injured a speedy recovery.

The Muslim World League (MWL) also extended its condolences to the government and people of Azerbaijan following the crash.

An Embraer passenger jet flying from Azerbaijan to Russia crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, killing 38 people while 29 survivors received hospital treatment, Kazakh authorities said.

Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 had flown hundreds of miles off its scheduled route to crash on the opposite shore of the Caspian Sea, after what Russia's aviation watchdog said was an emergency that may have been caused by a bird strike. But an aviation expert suggested that cause seemed unlikely.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said according to information he had received, the plane changed course due to poor weather, but he added the cause of the crash was unknown and must be fully investigated.