French Ambassador Hails Strategic Partnership with Saudi Arabia

Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Tabuk Region, receives French Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Francois Gouyette. SPA
Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Tabuk Region, receives French Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Francois Gouyette. SPA
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French Ambassador Hails Strategic Partnership with Saudi Arabia

Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Tabuk Region, receives French Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Francois Gouyette. SPA
Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Tabuk Region, receives French Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Francois Gouyette. SPA

French Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Francois Gouyette has said bilateral ties between Paris and Riyadh were “at their best”, asserting that France is a strategic partner to the kingdom.

Following his meeting with Governor of Tabuk Region Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Gouyette told the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) Monday that France as a strategic partner seeks to develop fraternal ties via scientific, cultural and commercial exchange.

As part of his mission, he discussed cooperation means with the Kingdom as partners in many fields, mainly on huge projects such as Amala, NEOM, Qiddiya, and the Red Sea Project.

Gouyette hailed the historic stature of Tabuk, saying he visited the University of Tabuk and was briefed on the 16 faculties that host more than 25,000 students who are the country's future.

As part of its quest to strengthen ties, France celebrated the 50th anniversary of late King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s visit to Paris, he said.

It also marked the first anniversary of the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who has introduced a new phase of joint cooperation.

Gouyette commended the Kingdom’s vital and pioneering role in achieving stability in the world politically and economically referring to the Kingdom’s preparations to host the 15th annual G20 Leaders' Summit on Nov 21-22 2020.



Qatar PM Hopes Palestinian Authority Will Return to Gaza When War Ends

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2025. (AFP)
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2025. (AFP)
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Qatar PM Hopes Palestinian Authority Will Return to Gaza When War Ends

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2025. (AFP)
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2025. (AFP)

Qatar's Prime Minister said in Davos on Tuesday he hoped the Palestinian Authority would return to play a governing role in Gaza once the war with Israel comes to an end.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Switzerland, two days after the ceasefire Qatar helped broker came into effect in Gaza, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani cautioned that Gazans -- and not any other country -- should dictate the way the enclave will be governed.

"We hope to see the PA back in Gaza. We hope to see a government that will really address the issues of the people over there. And there is a long way to go with Gaza and the destruction," he said.

How Gaza will be governed after the war was not directly addressed in the deal between Israel and Hamas movement that led to an immediate ceasefire and hostage releases after nearly 15 months of talks mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US.

Israel has rejected any governing role for Hamas, which ran Gaza before the war, but it has been almost equally opposed to rule by the Palestinian Authority, the body set up under the Oslo interim peace accords three decades ago that has limited governing power in the West Bank.

The PA, dominated by the Fatah faction created by former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, faces opposition from rival faction Hamas, which drove the PA out of Gaza in 2007 after a brief war.