Riyadh Governor Honors Benefactors at Ehsan Platform’s 3rd Annual Ceremony 

Governor of Riyadh Region Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz honored on Sunday benefactors who used the Ehsan platform for charitable deeds. (SPA)
Governor of Riyadh Region Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz honored on Sunday benefactors who used the Ehsan platform for charitable deeds. (SPA)
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Riyadh Governor Honors Benefactors at Ehsan Platform’s 3rd Annual Ceremony 

Governor of Riyadh Region Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz honored on Sunday benefactors who used the Ehsan platform for charitable deeds. (SPA)
Governor of Riyadh Region Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz honored on Sunday benefactors who used the Ehsan platform for charitable deeds. (SPA)

Governor of Riyadh Region Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz honored on Sunday benefactors who used the National Platform for Charitable Work (Ehsan) for charitable deeds.

In a ceremony held under the patronage of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Faisal expressed his gratitude and appreciation to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and the Crown Prince for their support of charitable and humanitarian work.

He also praised the support accorded by the Crown Prince to the platform and its benefactors.

“This is the perspective of the Saudi individual, who takes the initiative to do good and engage in charitable acts in every field,” he underscored the guidance of the wise leadership that “always directs us towards goodness, aiming to give to those in need.”

Ehsan Supervising Committee head Dr. Majid Al-Qasabi expressed gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed for their continuous support and interest in charity work, while also praising the benefactors on their generosity.

Some 4.8 million people have benefitted from the platform since its launch in 2021. Over SAR4.8 billion were raised through over 100 e-donations. Also contributing to the success of the effort were the more than 1,600 civil society associations spread across the Kingdom.

He also hailed the role of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), government, private and non-profit entities, who ensured the success of the platform.

Also at Sunday’s event, Prince Faisal launched the Istihqaq service, which helps verify the eligibility of beneficiaries, thus complementing the work of government agencies in making reliable, credible choices, helping the charitable sector to work digitally, and ensuring that donations reach the intended beneficiaries.

Also announced at the ceremony was the Waqf Ihsan Fund, which seeks to come up with sustainable waqf (endowment) opportunities and invest money donated for waqf purposes.

The Ehsan Platform carries out awareness campaigns with the aim of promoting the culture of charitable work and community collaboration, in line with the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030.

It lends support to community projects and in humanitarian cases, and enables the community to donate through official, reliable channels.

SDAIA was tasked with establishing the Ehsan platform under a Royal Decree; it receives follow up reports from a supervisory committee composed of 13 strong and credible governmental bodies that aim to digitalize the work of the charitable sector.



Makkah to Host Gulf Ministerial Meeting with Egypt, Syria, Morocco, Jordan

The meeting of the Gulf Ministerial Council in Kuwait on December 26 (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The meeting of the Gulf Ministerial Council in Kuwait on December 26 (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Makkah to Host Gulf Ministerial Meeting with Egypt, Syria, Morocco, Jordan

The meeting of the Gulf Ministerial Council in Kuwait on December 26 (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The meeting of the Gulf Ministerial Council in Kuwait on December 26 (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Makkah is set to host a high-level ministerial meeting at the end of the first week of Ramadan, bringing together the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Egypt, Syria, Morocco, and Jordan, to address key regional developments, particularly the situation in Gaza and Syria.

Scheduled for March 6, the meeting will coincide with the 163rd session of the GCC Ministerial Council. It follows the emergency Arab summit in Egypt on March 4, which will focus on the humanitarian and political crisis in Gaza, in the wake of a plan proposed by former US President Donald Trump regarding the future of the Palestinian territory.

The discussions will primarily focus on the ongoing crisis in Gaza, as well as Syria’s political landscape. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states have strongly condemned Israeli airstrikes on Syria, viewing them as repeated violations of international law that threaten regional stability. They have also reaffirmed their solidarity with Syria, emphasizing the need for the international community to prevent further escalation.

On December 26, the GCC foreign ministers convened in Kuwait to discuss Syria’s situation. They underlined the importance of respecting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, rejecting foreign intervention, and combating terrorism and extremism. The council also reiterated support for a political transition that ensures stability and development for the Syrian people.

Saudi Arabia hosted on February 2 Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, who met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss security, stability, and Syria’s reintegration into the Arab diplomatic sphere.

Gulf nations have also increased engagement with Damascus, with Saudi and Qatari delegations visiting Syria, and UAE’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan holding discussions with his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Hassan Al-Shibani.