GCC Ministerial Council Demands Int’l Protection for Palestinian People

The GCC foreign ministers meet in Riyadh on Sunday. (SPA)
The GCC foreign ministers meet in Riyadh on Sunday. (SPA)
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GCC Ministerial Council Demands Int’l Protection for Palestinian People

The GCC foreign ministers meet in Riyadh on Sunday. (SPA)
The GCC foreign ministers meet in Riyadh on Sunday. (SPA)

The foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) demanded on Sunday an immediate ceasefire and end to Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.

Speaking at the 159th GCC Ministerial Council in Riyadh on Sunday, the FMs also called for ensuring the delivery of aid to the Palestinian people, calling for providing international protection for them.

The closing statement of the meeting urged the international community to take a decisive stance to implement a ceasefire and protect civilians.

The necessary measures must be taken in line with international law to counter the Israeli government’s practices and collective punishment against the people of Gaza.

The ministers hailed efforts exerted by several countries and organizations to stop the Israeli assault, while expressing their disappointment with the veto of the ceasefire draft proposal that was submitted at the United Nations Security Council. The draft was submitted by Algeria on behalf of Arab countries.

The FMs rejected any Israeli justifications to continue the attack on Gaza, condemning the ongoing targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, such as camps and hospitals.

Moreover, they underscored their support for the Palestinian people in remaining on their land, rejecting Israeli measures aimed at the forced displacement of the residents of Gaza.

The statement praised the outcomes of the consultative meeting hosted by Saudi Arabia in February to discuss the war on Gaza.

It also expressed support for Qatar and Egypt’s efforts to reach a humanitarian ceasefire in the enclave.

It hoped these efforts would succeed so that the siege could be lifted off Gaza. Furthermore, it urged the international community to assume its responsibility towards the Palestinian-Israeli conflict without double standards.

The FMs praised South Africa for filing a genocide complaint against Israel before the International Court of Justice, welcoming the preliminary ruling that held Israeli legally responsible before the international community for its violations against innocent civilians.

They condemned the statements made by extremist Israeli ministers about the forced displacement of the Palestinian people from Gaza and their support for the re-occupation of the enclave.

They reiterated that the Palestinian cause and ending the Israeli occupation remain at the heart of Arab affairs. They renewed the GCC’s support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with east Jerusalem as its capital.



Saudi Arabia Offers Yemen’s Central Bank New Support to Bolster Economic Stability

The Central Bank of Yemen in the interim capital Aden. (Government media)
The Central Bank of Yemen in the interim capital Aden. (Government media)
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Saudi Arabia Offers Yemen’s Central Bank New Support to Bolster Economic Stability

The Central Bank of Yemen in the interim capital Aden. (Government media)
The Central Bank of Yemen in the interim capital Aden. (Government media)

Saudi Arabia has provided new support to the Central Bank of Yemen as part of its ongoing efforts to stabilize the country's economy and financial sector, following directives from the Kingdom's leadership.

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) said the assistance aims to strengthen economic, financial, and monetary stability. It is also designed to build the capacity of government institutions while improving governance and transparency.

The support further aims to enable the private sector to contribute to sustainable economic growth, create job opportunities, and drive socio-economic development.

The SDRPY noted that this assistance will contribute to boosting purchasing power, improving living standards, and stimulating commercial activity. Additionally, it aims to create an environment conducive to sustainable economic recovery and development in Yemen.

The new support builds on Saudi Arabia's continuous economic and developmental assistance to Yemen. In February, the Kingdom provided 1.3 billion riyals to support the Yemeni budget for operational expenses and salaries, followed by another installment of over 224 million riyals in June for the same purpose.

The SDRPY, established in 2018, implements projects and initiatives across various development sectors, in addition to providing institutional and technical support to build the capacity of Yemeni government institutions.


Saudi Arabia Advances Gulf Food Security Cooperation at 38th GCC Committee Meeting in Bahrain

The committee commended Saudi Arabia for its role in developing the GCC Food Security Strategy  - SPA
The committee commended Saudi Arabia for its role in developing the GCC Food Security Strategy - SPA
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Saudi Arabia Advances Gulf Food Security Cooperation at 38th GCC Committee Meeting in Bahrain

The committee commended Saudi Arabia for its role in developing the GCC Food Security Strategy  - SPA
The committee commended Saudi Arabia for its role in developing the GCC Food Security Strategy - SPA

Saudi Arabia participated in the 38th Meeting of the GCC Committee for Agricultural Cooperation and Food Security in Bahrain, with a delegation led by General Food Security Authority President Eng. Ahmad Alfares, where it reviewed progress in implementing the GCC Food Security Strategy, as part of efforts to deepen coordination and integration among member states and build a more resilient regional food security system capable of maintaining stable agricultural and food supply chains.

The committee commended Saudi Arabia for its role in developing the GCC Food Security Strategy and preparing a comprehensive framework for a regional plant genetic resources bank. It also recognized Saudi Arabia's efforts to establish early-warning mechanisms to monitor and analyze indicators linked to food supply chains, SPA reported.

The meeting addressed a range of issues affecting agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and food security across the GCC. Officials also reviewed a report on a consultancy project examining modern technologies and artificial intelligence applications in farm management and agricultural productivity across the Gulf states.

The project is being carried out in cooperation with the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

The committee also followed up on decisions from its 34th meeting and reviewed the implementation of resolutions adopted at its 37th meeting. Several unified regulations, laws, and implementing rules were approved during the session.

Saudi Arabia's participation underscores its efforts to strengthen an integrated Gulf food security framework and enhance coordination among GCC members as regional and global developments affect agricultural production and food supply chains.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Saudi Arabia announced that it will host and chair the committee's 39th meeting and continue working with GCC partners to expand cooperation. Saudi Arabia also thanked Bahrain for hosting the meeting and commended efforts to ensure its success.


Saudi FM, Vice President of Seychelles Discuss Boosting Ties

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice President of the Republic of Seychelles  - SPA
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice President of the Republic of Seychelles - SPA
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Saudi FM, Vice President of Seychelles Discuss Boosting Ties

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice President of the Republic of Seychelles  - SPA
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice President of the Republic of Seychelles - SPA

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah met on Thursday at the ministry's headquarters in Riyadh Vice President of the Republic of Seychelles Sebastien Pillay.

The two sides discussed bilateral relations, reviewed opportunities to enhance cooperation across various fields, and explored ways to expand economic and tourism partnerships.

They also discussed the latest regional and international developments and several topics of common interest.