Saudi FM Signs Strategic Dialogue MoU with Germany, Holds Calls with UK and Bahrain Counterparts

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met German Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in Berlin. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met German Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in Berlin. (SPA)
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Saudi FM Signs Strategic Dialogue MoU with Germany, Holds Calls with UK and Bahrain Counterparts

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met German Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in Berlin. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met German Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in Berlin. (SPA)

Saudi Foreign Minister met with his German counterpart in Berlin to sign a memorandum of understanding on strategic dialogue, while also holding separate phone talks with the UK foreign secretary and his Bahraini counterpart, the Saudi Press Agency said on Monday.

During his meeting with Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany Johann Wadephul, the two officials reviewed the bilateral and historical relations between the two friendly countries and discussed ways to further develop and strengthen them across various fields.

They also discussed the current situation in the region, stressing the importance of the security and safety of international waterways, ensuring freedom of maritime navigation, and restoring normal conditions in the Strait of Hormuz. They also reaffirmed their support for all efforts to find peaceful and diplomatic solutions to regional and international crises.

The two ministers also discussed economic and trade relations, including bilateral trade volumes and ways to boost them, reflecting the depth of their ties while creating new opportunities to expand cooperation and investment across various sectors.

During the meeting, Prince Faisal and Wadephul signed a memorandum of understanding between the governments of Saudi Arabia and Germany to establish a strategic dialogue at the foreign-minister level, strengthen consultation and coordination, and further advance bilateral relations across various fields.

The meeting was attended by a number of officials.

Earlier, Prince Faisal received a phone call from Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom Edward Miliband where they reviewed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen cooperation and coordination.

They also discussed regional and international developments, particularly the situation in the region and its implications for security and stability.

The two ministers stressed the importance of intensifying diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions, enhance the security of international waterways, and ensure freedom of navigation to help safeguard supply chains and international trade.

Prince Faisal also held a phone call with his Bahraini counterpart, Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, during which they discussed regional developments and efforts to maintain security and stability.



MWL Condemns Israeli Statements on Displacement of Palestinian People

The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
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MWL Condemns Israeli Statements on Displacement of Palestinian People

The Muslim World League (MWL) logo
The Muslim World League (MWL) logo

The Muslim World League (MWL) strongly condemned statements by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz concerning the displacement of the Palestinian people from the Gaza Strip, including proposed plans and mechanisms aimed at forcibly removing Palestinians from their land.

In a statement issued by the MWL General Secretariat, MWL Secretary-General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa denounced the Israeli statements as unacceptable. He stressed that they come amid Israel's violations of international and humanitarian laws and norms in the occupied Palestinian territory and its undermining of peace efforts, the Saudi Press Agency said.

Al-Issa stressed the urgent need for the international community to fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities to bring an immediate end to all Israeli violations and attempts to impose a new demographic or geographic reality in the occupied Palestinian territory.

He also expressed strong support for the statement issued in this regard by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Qatar, and Egypt.

He reaffirmed their unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people and steadfast support for their legitimate rights, including the right to establish an independent Palestinian state in accordance with the two-state solution and relevant international resolutions, as the only path to achieving a just and lasting peace in the region.

Ben-Gvir and Katz on Thursday outlined a seven-year plan for removing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip through what Ben-Gvir described as "voluntary emigration."


Saudi Interior Minister Attends 'Security and History Dialogue 2026' Conference

Organized by the Ministry of Interior, the conference is being held under the theme "Our History and Our Future: Security and Growth" (conference)
Organized by the Ministry of Interior, the conference is being held under the theme "Our History and Our Future: Security and Growth" (conference)
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Saudi Interior Minister Attends 'Security and History Dialogue 2026' Conference

Organized by the Ministry of Interior, the conference is being held under the theme "Our History and Our Future: Security and Growth" (conference)
Organized by the Ministry of Interior, the conference is being held under the theme "Our History and Our Future: Security and Growth" (conference)

Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz attended Sunday the opening of the "Security and History Dialogue 2026" Conference at the Cultural Palace in Riyadh's Diplomatic Quarter.

Organized by the Ministry of Interior, the conference is being held under the theme "Our History and Our Future: Security and Growth."

Conference General Supervisor Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Tuwaian delivered a speech thanking the Interior Minister for sponsoring the event.

He said the Security and History Dialogue serves as a national platform bringing together experts and specialists from within and outside the Kingdom to examine its history through the lenses of security and development.

Al-Tuwaian said the conference aims to produce documented content that raises awareness of the Kingdom’s historical journey, reinforces national identity and the values of citizenship and belonging, and conveys the Saudi story to future generations.

He added that the conference reviews the Kingdom’s security journey from the establishment of the First Saudi State to the present day, highlighting security as an established approach and its role in building state institutions, consolidating stability, and supporting development and prosperity.

It also addresses national awareness and cultural security, as well as the role of security in supporting investment, creating opportunities, and improving quality of life.

The minister and attendees watched an introductory film outlining the conference’s objectives and scientific program. The program includes dialogue sessions, interactive meetings, and knowledge and visual experiences documenting the security journey throughout the history of the Saudi state and its role in supporting stability, development, and nation-building.

The Interior Minister also toured the accompanying exhibition, which features pavilions from participating entities, historical and knowledge content, and interactive experiences showcasing nearly three centuries of the Saudi state's security journey.

He was briefed on the exhibition’s main features and accompanying activities.

The conference builds on the "Security and History Dialogue" Forum organized by the Ministry of Interior in 2025. The forum was held in partnership with the King Abdulaziz Foundation "Darah" on scientific and historical content, along with the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of National Guard, Presidency of State Security, and more than 40 academic, media, and cultural entities.

Running until September 8, the conference features more than 65 dialogue sessions and interactive meetings, with over 160 speakers, including senior officials, leaders, experts, researchers, and academics. The program also includes the accompanying exhibition, knowledge and cultural experiences, and other events.


Kuwait Grants Up to 10-Year Residency to Those Whose Citizenship Was Withdrawn

The new Kuwaiti decision grants those whose citizenship was withdrawn and their dependents 10-year residency permits free of charge (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The new Kuwaiti decision grants those whose citizenship was withdrawn and their dependents 10-year residency permits free of charge (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Kuwait Grants Up to 10-Year Residency to Those Whose Citizenship Was Withdrawn

The new Kuwaiti decision grants those whose citizenship was withdrawn and their dependents 10-year residency permits free of charge (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The new Kuwaiti decision grants those whose citizenship was withdrawn and their dependents 10-year residency permits free of charge (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Kuwaiti government has issued a decision amending the executive regulations of the Foreigners' Residency Law, providing a 10-year residency permit free of charge to those whose Kuwaiti citizenship was withdrawn and their dependents, who have returned to their original nationality or acquired another nationality.

The official gazette, Kuwait Al-Youm, published the decision on Sunday. It authorizes the Director General of the General Department of Residency Affairs to determine the conditions and regulations governing the granting and renewal of residency permits.

It also allows beneficiaries to work in Kuwait in accordance with regulations set by the department.

The amendment also introduced rules governing the length of time residents may remain outside Kuwait, setting the period at six months while exempting several categories, including children of Kuwaiti women who have not acquired citizenship by dependency, property owners, investors covered by Law No. 116 of 2013, and holders of residency permits.

The General Department of Residency Affairs may grant permission for an absence of more than six months under specific conditions and regulations, provided that the residency remains valid.

The decision also sets the period domestic workers may remain outside Kuwait at four months unless they obtain prior permission for an extended absence.

The amendment is intended to regulate the legal status and residency arrangements of the categories covered by its provisions, establish rules governing the granting and renewal of residency and employment in the country, and regulate the periods residents may remain outside Kuwait.