Saudi Arabia Reiterates Importance of Ceasefire in Gaza

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Reiterates Importance of Ceasefire in Gaza

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)

The Saudi government reiterated on Tuesday the importance exerting all efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and its surrounding areas.

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

The Kingdom had declared its position on Gaza at the meetings of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). The cabinet underlined this position, calling for working on just and lasting peace and allowing the Palestinian people to obtain their legitimate rights in the establishment of an internationally recognized independent state.

The cabinet reviewed the outcomes of the discussions and meetings held in recent days between the Kingdom and various countries and organizations.

The talks focused on ties of friendship; bilateral and multilateral cooperation relations in all fields, especially international security and stability; and promoting principles of development, progress, and cultural advancement in all areas.

On local issues, the cabinet tackled ongoing programs and initiatives aimed at present development and future readiness.

This includes boosting infrastructure, improving service quality for citizens and residents, developing promising sectors, advancing telecommunications technologies, attracting investments, and stimulating national industries.

Moreover, the cabinet praised efforts aimed at bolstering the participation of Saudi youth in development paths, empowering the labor market to accommodate more national workers, and reducing the unemployment rate, which is close to the target set by the Saudi Vision 2030 at 7 percent.



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.