Saudi, Palestinian FMs Sign Several Memoranda of Understanding https://english.aawsat.com/gulf/5169945-saudi-palestinian-fms-sign-several-memoranda-understanding%C2%A0
Saudi, Palestinian FMs Sign Several Memoranda of Understanding
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and Palestinian Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustafa meet at the headquarters of the Kingdom's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York on Tuesday. (SPA)
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Saudi, Palestinian FMs Sign Several Memoranda of Understanding
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and Palestinian Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustafa meet at the headquarters of the Kingdom's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York on Tuesday. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustafa at the headquarters of the Kingdom's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York on Tuesday.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution at the ministerial level, chaired by Saudi Arabia and France.
Prince Faisal and Mustafa discussed bilateral relations, developments regarding the situation in Palestine, and ways to boost joint action and coordinate positions on the international stage in support of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
Following the meeting, three memoranda of understanding were signed, reflecting the Kingdom’s ongoing commitment to supporting the Palestinian cause, the Palestinian people, and the reform program launched by the Palestinian government in various fields.
The first MoU covered human capital development, training, and advancement between the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and Palestinian General Personnel Council.
It was signed by Saudi General Manager of Human Capital Growth and Development Engineer Ibrahim Bahammam, and Palestinian Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Dr. Estephan Anton Salameh, representing the General Personnel Council.
The second MoU focused on curriculum development, aimed at leveraging the Kingdom’s experience, between the Ministry of Education in the Kingdom and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in the State of Palestine.
It was signed by CEO of the Saudi National Curriculum Center Dr. Abdulrahman bin Makmi Al-Ruwaili and by Salameh on behalf of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
The third MoU covered communications, information technology, digital transformation, and expertise transfer between the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Palestinian Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
It was signed by Saudi Deputy Minister for International Cooperation and Partnerships Engineer Mansour Saleh Al-Qurashi and Salameh on behalf of the Palestinian Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
These MoUs underscore the Kingdom’s belief in the vital role of education and human resource development in building and empowering Palestinian society, particularly its youth, to lead and realize their independent state.
They also aim to prepare the infrastructure for communications and digital services to provide essential services to the Palestinian people, strengthening their resilience amidst the difficult and unprecedented circumstances they are experiencing. This step also reflects the depth of fraternal relations between the two leaderships and peoples.
The meeting was attended by Saudi Ambassador to the United States Princess Reema bint Bandar Al-Saud; Advisor to the Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Prince Musab bin Mohammed Al Farhan; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic and Development Affairs Abdullah bin Zarah; the Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York Ambassador Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Wasil; Advisor to the Foreign Minister Mohammed Alyahya, and Counsellor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Manal Radwan.
Saudi Arabia Welcomes US Decision to Remove Syria from Terror Listhttps://english.aawsat.com/gulf/5310949-saudi-arabia-welcomes-us-decision-remove-syria%C2%A0-terror-list
Saudi Arabia Welcomes US Decision to Remove Syria from Terror List
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed on Tuesday Washington’s decision to remove Syria from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.
The Kingdom extended its sincere congratulations to the Syrian government and people, wishing Syria further security, stability, and prosperity, and continued progress in its reconstruction and development efforts in a manner that fulfills the aspirations of its people.
The Kingdom reiterated its support for the positive steps taken by the Syrian government to reinforce Syria’s security and stability, contribute to building state institutions, and fulfill the aspirations of the Syrian people for a more stable and prosperous future.
Riyadh and Paris Reach Understanding on Regional Issues, Agree to Strengthen Strategic Partnershiphttps://english.aawsat.com/gulf/5310804-riyadh-and-paris-reach-understanding-regional-issues-agree-strengthen-strategic
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and French President Emmanuel Macron are seen at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Monday. SPA
Riyadh and Paris Reach Understanding on Regional Issues, Agree to Strengthen Strategic Partnership
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and French President Emmanuel Macron are seen at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Monday. SPA
The reception that French President Emmanuel Macron prepared for Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, on Monday strongly reflects the warmth of the relationship between the two countries.
That relationship began in 2017 with the French president's first official visit to Saudi Arabia. Since then, meetings between the two sides have been held regularly.
On Monday, Macron welcomed the Crown Prince at the Elysee Palace in Paris, as part of the Saudi leader's state visit to France.
Earlier, the Crown Prince visited Les Invalides where he was received by French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu in an official welcoming ceremony.
Escorted by cavalry from the French Republican Guard and a motorcycle motorcade, the Crown Prince was greeted with the playing of the Saudi Royal Anthem and the French National Anthem, before inspecting the guard of honor as the unit commander presented the participating military formations.
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's motorcade during his two-day official visit to France, at the Hotel des Invalides in Paris, France, August 24, 2026. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERS
Agreement on Regional Issues
The visit comes at a highly volatile moment for the region, whether regarding Iran, about which sources at the French presidency say that “no one has any clear vision of how to find a way out of it,” or the situations in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, the Red Sea, and Yemen.
All of these crises carry significant risks not only for the region but also for the world as a whole, particularly given the severe disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the threats affecting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea.
A joint statement was issued at the conclusion of the Crown Prince’s visit to Paris. The two leaders affirmed “their mutual aspiration to strengthen the existing strategic partnership between the two countries.”
They also stressed “the historic depth of the relationship between France and Saudi Arabia on the occasion of the centenary of the establishment of political relations between the two countries.”
“They reaffirmed their shared ambition that the strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and France ... gave a new momentum to the friendship, trust, and mutual respect between the two countries, and respond to their common interests and to the challenges facing the world and the Middle East region.”
The two leaders presided over the first meeting of the French-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council, launching new initiatives.
Regional crises
The Crown Prince and Macron “expressed their shared vision for stability in the Middle East, based on the sovereignty of states, respect for international law, and the pursuit of political and diplomatic solutions to conflicts and security threats.”
On Iran, “they emphasized the necessity of a negotiated solution to avoid further escalation and ensure regional security. They reaffirmed their long-standing commitment to a diplomatic solution ensuring the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.”
According to the statement, they also urged Iran to resume full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“The two sides condemned the attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and threats to the security of waterways, and they stressed the importance of restoring navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to its normal state as it was before February 28, 2026, in terms of freedom of navigation, regular shipping traffic, and the absence of any direct or indirect tolls, restrictions on passage, in accordance with international law.”
France's President Emmanuel Macron (R) welcomes Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as he arrives for a State dinner in his honor at the Elysee Palace in Paris on August 24, 2026. (Photo by LOU BENOIST / AFP)
On Palestinian affairs, the Saudi Crown Prince and Macron welcomed the announcement of an agreement on the disarmament of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and called on its implementation.
They stressed “the importance of preserving the unity of the Palestinian territories and rejected any attempt to undermine the Palestinian people's right to establish their independent state within the 1967 borders. Saudi Arabia and France called for an end to the Israeli settlement policy and settlers’ violence that threaten the two-state solution and reiterated their commitments to the full implementation of the New York Declaration.”
On the war in Lebanon, Prince Mohammed and Macron “agreed to intensify their efforts towards a final resolution of the conflict in Lebanon, which must involve strengthening the Lebanese state and its institutions, as well as preserving Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
They also lauded measures taken by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, and the government, headed by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, in rebuilding state institutions and extending the authority of the state.
“They also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces and security forces, with a view to enabling them to fully fulfil their national responsibilities. They stressed the importance of the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the need for the disarmament of all non-state armed groups to be successfully completed. They also stressed the need for Israel to withdraw from all Lebanese territory,” the joint statement said.
On Sudan, both sides emphasized the importance of halting foreign interference in the country, and stressed their commitment to the unity, stability, and economic recovery of Syria.
They specifically welcomed the establishment of a Saudi-Syrian-French business council.
Consolidating defense cooperation
As expected, Riyadh and Paris adopted a declaration strengthening their defense cooperation, including in the field of armaments and training.
In the energy sector, “both sides emphasized the importance of stability in global energy markets, security of supply, and the protection of maritime routes, while commending the Kingdom's role and efforts in enhancing the resilience of supply chains and the sustainability of energy sources.”
“They also stressed the need to strengthen strategic cooperation in oil and petrochemicals, sustainable electricity generation (including energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy storage, peaceful nuclear energy, clean hydrogen, and emission reduction and removal technologies), and capacity building in these areas.”
As France has become a leading investor in Saudi Arabia, particularly in sectors such as energy, water management, transportation, and logistics, the two countries have agreed to strengthen their economic ties and cross-investments.
They welcomed Qiddiya Investment Company’s ambition to develop a major mixed-use, multi-park destination in Cergy-Pontoise, in the Île-de-France region, bringing together entertainment, leisure, hospitality, culture and sport within an integrated new destination.
“Current ambitions include up to three major entertainment anchors, hotels and complementary leisure experiences, for a total amount of around €6 billion over the development lifecycle,” said the statement.
“As a symbol of the strength of this partnership, Saudi Arabia and France reaffirmed the importance of their exceptional cooperation on AlUla, within the framework of Saudi Vision 2030, in particular in the fields of archaeology, heritage, and culture,” it said.
“In this regard, they decided to extend the Saudi-French partnership on AlUla until 2035 and work on an evolved framework that reflects the maturity of cooperation between the two countries and builds on the opportunities AlUla offers as a major cultural and heritage destination of the 21st century,” the joint statement added.
Saudi Arabia Nominates Dr. Hanan Hassan Balkhy for Position of WHO Director-Generalhttps://english.aawsat.com/gulf/5310797-saudi-arabia-nominates-dr-hanan-hassan-balkhy-position-who-director-general
Saudi Arabia Nominates Dr. Hanan Hassan Balkhy for Position of WHO Director-General
Dr. Hanan Hassan Balkhy. (WHO)
Saudi Arabia announced the nomination of Dr. Hanan Hassan Balkhy for the position of Director-General of the World Health Organization for the 2027–2032 term, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Monday.
The nomination reflects the Kingdom’s belief in the pivotal role of the WHO in strengthening global health security and supporting countries in building more efficient, sustainable, and resilient health systems capable of addressing current and future health challenges.
It reflects Saudi Arabia’s firm commitment to supporting multilateral health cooperation and continuing its active contribution to international efforts aimed at strengthening prevention, preparedness, and response to health emergencies, advancing universal health coverage, and ensuring access to health services for communities most in need, in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Balkhy has extensive scientific and leadership experience in public health, infectious diseases, infection prevention and control, health security, health systems and international health. She has substantial leadership experience within the WHO at all three levels, country, regional and global.
She has been elected as Regional Director of the WHO for the Eastern Mediterranean and was the first Assistant Director-General for Antimicrobial Resistance.
Throughout her career, she has contributed to the development and implementation of numerous health initiatives and policies aimed at protecting communities and strengthening health system capacities.
Saudi Arabia’s nomination of Balkhy reflects its aspiration to contribute to the continued development of the WHO, strengthen its ability to respond to the needs of Member States, uphold the principles of equity, transparency, and efficiency, and build effective international partnerships that advance health and well-being worldwide.
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