Saudi Govt Reiterates Support for Efforts that Bolster Regional, Int’l Peace and Security

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Govt Reiterates Support for Efforts that Bolster Regional, Int’l Peace and Security

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)

The Saudi government reiterated on Tuesday its keenness on bolstering regional and international security and peace.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chaired the cabinet meeting that was held in Riyadh.

The government underscored the Kingdom’s support for efforts to reach political solutions to regional and global conflicts. It also stressed its backing to every effort that could boost cooperation to confront international challenges.

King Salman thanked the leaders of friendly and brotherly countries for their messages of congratulations on the occasion of Saudi Arabia’s National Day, which falls on September 23.

The ministers hailed the Royal speech delivered at the inauguration of the first year of the ninth session of the Shura Council, which outlined the nation's priorities, goals, and achievements, and reiterated the Kingdom's unwavering commitment to promoting peace and prosperity in the world.

The ministers expressed gratitude to King Salman for his Royal Order approving the King Salman Foundation bylaws. They commended the foundation, which is a reflection of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' commitment to building sustainable societies and investing in human development, and an extension of his longstanding tradition of charitable and humanitarian deeds.

The cabinet welcomed the United Nations General Assembly's adoption of a resolution calling for an end to the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.

It stressed the need to take concrete and credible steps to achieve a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in line with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international resolutions.

The cabinet hoped the Pact for the Future, adopted by the UN summit, will mark a significant turning point in multilateral action.

The Kingdom believes that the pact can help establish a modern and equitable international system that fosters rapid progress toward sustainable development goals, addresses the needs of all nations, bridges the digital gap, and supports emerging economies to strengthen the global financial system.

In addition, the cabinet deemed the Kingdom's successful bid for the presidency of the International Coral Reef Initiative as a testament to its international recognition and standing in the field of marine environment protection, biodiversity, and ecosystem conservation.

Moreover, the cabinet expressed pride in the Kingdom's impressive results in the UN indicators concerning e-government development and tourism. They further strengthen the Kingdom's leading position and highlight the significant progress it has made in various fields, conforming with the goals of Vision 2030.



Communications Minister: Saudi Arabia Model of Int'l Cooperation in Bridging Social and AI Gaps

Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha speaks at the panel session on Monday. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha speaks at the panel session on Monday. (SPA)
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Communications Minister: Saudi Arabia Model of Int'l Cooperation in Bridging Social and AI Gaps

Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha speaks at the panel session on Monday. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha speaks at the panel session on Monday. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha said on Monday the Kingdom, under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, presents a model of international cooperation to bridge social, economic and AI gaps.

Alswaha highlighted the Kingdom's efforts, in collaboration with the UN’s International Telecommunication Union, to conduct a study on how to bridge the digital divide, in view of the fact that 2.6 billion people lack access to digital solutions.

He made his remarks at a panel session at the Summit of the Future held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The Kingdom launched the virtual hospital as a pioneering model in healthcare, and performed numerous specialized surgeries, including open-heart operations on patients in various countries, Alswaha continued.

The Kingdom is proud of the growth of its digital economy; it had proposed the establishment of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) to bridge gaps and serve over 800 million people, he added.

This can be done by providing digital platforms and a unified digital market to foster innovative and entrepreneurial models in healthcare, education, and business, thus improving efficiency and helping the digital economy grow, he said.

Through its membership in the AI Advisory Body, led by the UN secretary-general, Saudi Arabia is contributing to bridging social, economic and AI gaps, shaping the future of humanity and empowering individuals, stressed Alswaha.

The Kingdom, he added, presented seven recommendations, among which, to establish an independent international scientific committee focused on AI, launch a multi-government dialogue on AI governance involving stakeholders, create a platform for sharing standards and experience related to AI, and building a global network for capacity development.

"To boost joint efforts and exchange experience, the Kingdom is proud to announce its framework for AI governance in partnership with the UN, the establishment of the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE) in partnership with UNESCO, and the launching of the AI Readiness Framework in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union," the minister said.

"As we celebrate today the launch of the Pact for the Future, we must unite in recognizing that we have only one option: a comprehensive AI that empowers humanity and ensures that no one is left behind in keeping pace with the world," he said.