Jordan’s King Abdullah Honors Abu Dhabi Crown Prince with Order of Hussein ibn Ali

King Abdullah II of Jordan honors Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan with the Order of Hussein ibn Ali. (Foreign Ministry)
King Abdullah II of Jordan honors Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan with the Order of Hussein ibn Ali. (Foreign Ministry)
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Jordan’s King Abdullah Honors Abu Dhabi Crown Prince with Order of Hussein ibn Ali

King Abdullah II of Jordan honors Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan with the Order of Hussein ibn Ali. (Foreign Ministry)
King Abdullah II of Jordan honors Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan with the Order of Hussein ibn Ali. (Foreign Ministry)

King Abdullah II of Jordan honored Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan with the Order of Hussein ibn Ali in recognition of his role in supporting brotherly ties and cooperation between Jordan and UAE across multiple sectors.

The Crown Prince was bestowed with the honor during an official visit to Amman where he met the Jordanian monarch and a number of officials.

King Abdullah affirmed the strong ties of friendship and bilateral relations between Jordan and the UAE, praising the great role Sheikh Mohamed plays in further cementing them across all levels of cooperation and coordination.

For his part, Sheikh Mohamed expressed his gratitude to King Abdullah. He stressed that the historical relations between the two countries, founded by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and King Hussein bin Talal, will continue to prosper as a result of the keenness and determination shown by President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and King Abdullah.

Sheikh Mohamed confirmed that the UAE is invested in strengthening relations with Jordan and advancing cooperation in various fields so as to attain sustainable development in the Arab world and overcome regional challenges and threats.

The Crown Prince also praised the role Jordan plays in addressing regional issues and developments, particularly those relating to the Palestinian cause and the Middle East peace process, as well as its concerted efforts in combating terrorism and terrorist organizations.

After the meeting, the two leaders reiterated their keenness to further develop ties and continue their support and cooperation to confront the scourge of terrorism and extremism that threatens the security and stability of nations and peoples.

During the visit, Sheikh Mohamed and King Abdullah attended the signing of a $100 million agreement to finance 22,000 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Hashemite Kingdom.

The agreement was signed between the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development and Jordan's Crown Prince Foundation and aims to support entrepreneurship and underpin the Jordanian government's efforts to ensure a stable and balanced economy.

Sheikh Mohamed will begin a visit to France on Wednesday at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, announced the Crown Prince's twitter account.

The two leaders will "discuss bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, investments, trade and culture, and recent developments in the Middle East," it said.

The Crown Prince will also meet Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and a number of French businessmen and UAE students studying in France.



Al-Wali to Asharq Al-Awsat: Riyadh Talks a Pivotal Moment for Yemen’s Southern Cause

Former Yemeni minister and veteran southern politician Abdel Nasser Al-Wali speaks to Asharq Al-Awsat.
Former Yemeni minister and veteran southern politician Abdel Nasser Al-Wali speaks to Asharq Al-Awsat.
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Al-Wali to Asharq Al-Awsat: Riyadh Talks a Pivotal Moment for Yemen’s Southern Cause

Former Yemeni minister and veteran southern politician Abdel Nasser Al-Wali speaks to Asharq Al-Awsat.
Former Yemeni minister and veteran southern politician Abdel Nasser Al-Wali speaks to Asharq Al-Awsat.

Former Yemeni minister and veteran southern politician Abdel Nasser Al-Wali described the meeting of Yemen’s southern leaders in Riyadh for consultations and dialogue on their cause on Sunday as a pivotal moment in its history, calling for the opening created by Saudi Arabia to be channeled into a political process that delivers lasting peace.

Speaking on the Asharq Al-Awsat podcast with Gulf affairs editor Badr Al-Qahtani, Al-Wali said Riyadh was not merely a diplomatic stop, but a place close to the heart of the Arab and Islamic worlds, offering a chance to correct past shortcomings in conveying the southern voice.

The veteran Yemeni politician said southerners now faced a “huge opportunity” under Saudi sponsorship, noting that Riyadh had taken the initiative to invite discussions on the issue and “left the matter in our hands.”

He pointed to Saudi Arabia’s role in bringing the parties together without imposing guardianship and in supporting whatever they agree upon without interference.

He said Saudi assurances had been explicit: “The opinion is yours, the decision is yours. We are sponsors and will not impose anything on you. Raise your ceiling to the sky.”

Al-Wali said a message from Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman was clear and direct.

“The southern cause is just, with historical and social dimensions, and the Kingdom will not abandon the people of the south and will stand with their will,” he remarked.

“It is enough for the southern voice to reach Saudi Arabia, and for it to understand the justice of the pain that has accumulated since unification,” he stressed.

On preparations for the Riyadh Conference for Yemeni southern dialogue, Al-Wali said discussions would address the shape of the state and its system “with an open ceiling,” to be decided by consensus without exclusion.

The focus was on restoring the state as a path toward dignity, security, stability, development, and prosperity for people, he went on to say.

“The South has room for everyone. There are no intentions of marginalization or exclusion. Any other projects are not sidelined, but discussed,” he assured.

Al-Wali addressed a message to the southern people, saying: “Trust us. We represent in Riyadh those who authorized us,” in a reference to not compromising the cause or taking decisions that contradict popular will.

In another message, he said: “The Saudis will find from the southerners only what pleases God and pleases them, while preserving the bonds of neighborhood, blood, kinship, and shared interests.”

Turning to the roots of the issue, Al-Wali said Yemeni unity had not been an “invasion” or imposed by force, but a voluntary move toward Sanaa “with open hearts,” in the hope of a larger state, a broader economy, and deeper development.

He said that if the price of stability, calm, and development were Yemen’s return to two states, then it would be better, in his view, to have two neighboring states bound by affection, with flexible and smooth economic and social relations and strong fraternal ties, rather than antagonism that “paralyzed both peoples.”

Outlining his vision for a future state, Al-Wali presented the contours of a “federal southern state” that would grant governorates room to contribute to development, investment, and wealth, with equality in rights and duties and fairness in the distribution of resources so that they reach all who deserve them.

He reiterated the centrality of Saudi Arabia’s role, saying the Kingdom’s weight was “very balanced” regionally and globally, and that its engagement represented a historic opportunity to achieve peace “without it being followed by war.”

Asked how he found Riyadh, Al-Wali replied: “As I have always known it. A country of security and stability. Calm and serenity. Love and peace. You come to it, your soul settles, and you feel reassured.”

“Their promises are sincere and are not broken,” he stressed.


Saudi Arabia and Ecuador Sign General Cooperation Agreement

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Ecuadorian counterpart Gabriela Sommerfeld meet in Davos on Wednesday. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Ecuadorian counterpart Gabriela Sommerfeld meet in Davos on Wednesday. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia and Ecuador Sign General Cooperation Agreement

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Ecuadorian counterpart Gabriela Sommerfeld meet in Davos on Wednesday. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Ecuadorian counterpart Gabriela Sommerfeld meet in Davos on Wednesday. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held talks on Wednesday with his Ecuadorian counterpart Gabriela Sommerfeld on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.

They reviewed relations between their countries and ways to boost them in various fields. They also exchanged views on a number of topics of mutual interest.

Following the meeting, the ministers signed a general cooperation agreement between their respective governments aimed at strengthening relations between their countries and advancing them toward broader horizons.


Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief Delivers Winter Clothing to Students in Gaza’s Khan Younis

KSrelief distributes winter clothing to school students in the Al-Mawasi area of southern Gaza’s Khan Younis. (SPA)
KSrelief distributes winter clothing to school students in the Al-Mawasi area of southern Gaza’s Khan Younis. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief Delivers Winter Clothing to Students in Gaza’s Khan Younis

KSrelief distributes winter clothing to school students in the Al-Mawasi area of southern Gaza’s Khan Younis. (SPA)
KSrelief distributes winter clothing to school students in the Al-Mawasi area of southern Gaza’s Khan Younis. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) distributed winter clothing to school students in the Al-Mawasi area of southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

The gesture is part of the Saudi campaign to support the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Field teams from the Saudi Center for Culture and Heritage, the implementing partner of KSrelief in Gaza, carried out the distribution alongside interactive and recreational activities for the students.

The campaign reflects Saudi Arabia’s unwavering commitment, through KSrelief, to supporting the Palestinian people during crises and hardships, embodying the Kingdom’s noble humanitarian mission.