Saudi Arabia, Qatar Agree on Boosting Bilateral Ties

The first meeting of the Executive Committee of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)  
The first meeting of the Executive Committee of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)  
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Saudi Arabia, Qatar Agree on Boosting Bilateral Ties

The first meeting of the Executive Committee of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)  
The first meeting of the Executive Committee of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)  

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan stressed Sunday that Saudi Arabia and Qatar agreed on upscaling the aspirations to advance bilateral ties.

The Saudi minister and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman co-chaired the first meeting of the Executive Committee of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council.

At the beginning of the meeting, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister welcomed the Saudi minister and his accompanying delegation.

Working groups of the council's general secretariat presented their progress on preparatory work and the outcomes achieved recently by the subcommittees and their respective working groups.

The outcomes encompassed targets, initiatives, and memoranda of understanding that are to be signed during the forthcoming meeting of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council.

During the meeting, they commended the cooperation and coordination demonstrated by the subcommittees and the working groups of the council's general secretariat in both countries.

They also stressed the importance of continuing coordination between the two sides in a way that meets the aspirations of the leadership and serves the interests of the peoples of the two countries.

The Saudi FM arrived in Doha on Sunday to participate in the 158th ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which will be attended by foreign ministers.

The meeting serves as preparation for the 44th session of the Supreme Council of the GCC to take place on Tuesday.

For his part, the Qatari FM said in a post on X that the first meeting of the Executive Committee discussed ways “to develop bilateral relations within the framework of the Executive Committee," and "to deepen cooperation through initiatives that would advance relations in ways that meet the aspirations of the leadership of our countries and achieve the interests of our two brotherly people.”



GCC Welcomes Agreement between Yemen Govt, Houthis

Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
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GCC Welcomes Agreement between Yemen Govt, Houthis

Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi welcomed on Wednesday the agreement between the legitimate Yemeni government and Iran-backed Houthi militias to de-escalate the situation with regard to the Yemeni banking sector and airlines.

The agreement was announced by the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, on Tuesday.

Albudaiwi expressed the GCC's support for all regional and international efforts and the efforts led by the UN special envoy aimed at achieving peace and security in Yemen.

The announcement underscores the importance the international community attaches to the Yemeni crisis, he added, hoping the agreement will pave the way for Yemeni parties to start the political process, under UN auspices, to reach a comprehensive political solution that achieves security and stability in the country.

He reiterated the GCC's continued support and full solidarity with Yemen, its government and people, and its keenness to encourage all efforts to de-escalate and maintain stability in order to reach peace.