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Abe to Asharq Al-Awsat: Saudi Arabia Plays Crucial Role in Middle East Peace

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. (Reuters)
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. (Reuters)
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Abe to Asharq Al-Awsat: Saudi Arabia Plays Crucial Role in Middle East Peace

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. (Reuters)
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. (Reuters)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stressed that Saudi Arabia plays a crucial role in peace and stability in the region and Tokyo supports the internal reform efforts pursued by the Kingdom.

“We are therefore seeking to bolster the strategic partnership between the two countries,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat as Osaka prepares to host the G20 summit on Friday and Saturday.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, is heading Saudi Arabia’s delegation at the summit.

Abe said that he has worked closely with the Crown Prince in bilateral cooperation, as well as on regional and international affairs.

He noted that Tokyo had hosted the third Japanese-Saudi Vision 2030 ministerial meeting on June 17. The discussions underlined the importance of cooperation in various fields, including economy, human resources and cultural exchange.

At the G20 summit, the PM said that he was looking forward to exchanging ideas with Crown Prince Mohammed on how to bolster bilateral ties and cooperation.

Saudi Arabia is scheduled to host the 2020 G20 summit.

Abe told Asharq Al-Awsat that he had held two telephone calls with Crown Prince Mohammed in 2019 and “we are cooperating closely to ensure the success of the Osaka meeting so that we can hand over the presidency of the summit to Saudi Arabia.”

Turning to the situation in the Middle East, Abe said it has become “more complicated” in recent years due to the stalled peace process and war in Syria.

Japan is standing in a neutral position in regards to religion, sect and history and it boasts good ties with all countries in the Middle East. This unique position allows it to exchange ideas with the United States in order to achieve peace and stability in the region, he remarked.

On his visit to Tehran earlier this month, the PM noted that tensions were rising in the Middle East due to Iran, urging the need to avoid armed conflict because peace and stability in the region will lead to prosperity throughout the world, including Japan.

Abe said that he wants Tokyo to play an important role in easing tensions in the region, which is why he made his trip to Iran.

Iran must play a “constructive” role for peace and security to prevail in the region, he stressed. It must respect the nuclear.

The road to easing tensions is riddled with many challenges and Japan will continue its cooperation with concerned parties to achieve this goal.

Addressing the attack on a Japanese oil tanker in the Arabian Gulf while he was visiting Iran, Abe described the development as a “serious threat” to peace and prosperity in his country. He strongly condemned the attack, saying Tokyo will continue to gather information with relevant countries to ensure safe marine navigation in the area.

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FAO Official: Gulf States Shielded Themselves from Major Shocks

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
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FAO Official: Gulf States Shielded Themselves from Major Shocks

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), told Asharq al-Awsat that global hunger increased sharply during the coronavirus pandemic, noting that the GCC countries were able to shield themselves from major shocks affecting food security.
Laborde added that global hunger affected over 152 million people, with no improvement in the past two years.
Today, 733 million people suffer from chronic hunger, and 2.3 billion face food insecurity, according to the UN annual report on “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World.”

Laborde explained that the global economic crisis has worsened food insecurity, keeping hunger levels high.
Alongside this, climate shocks and conflicts are major causes of hunger. He also pointed out that food insecurity is closely tied to inequality, and the economic crisis, rising living costs, and high interest rates are deepening existing inequalities both within and between countries.
On whether economic diversification in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is boosting food security, Laborde said: “A move towards a more diversified economy and enhancing the ability to rely on various sources of food supplies are key drivers of food security resilience and stability.”
“GCC countries have managed to shield themselves from major shocks, primarily due to their high income levels and ability to cover import costs without difficulty,” he explained.
Regarding the FAO’s outlook on reducing global hunger, Laborde insisted that ending hunger will require a significant increase in funding.
When asked for suggestions on how governments could enhance food security, Laborde said: “Despite global figures remaining stable, improvements are seen in Asia and Latin America, showing that the right policies and conditions can reduce numbers.”
“Hunger is not inevitable. Investing in social safety nets to protect the poor, along with making structural changes to food systems to be more environmentally friendly, resilient, and equitable, is the right path forward,” emphasized Laborde.
The annual State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, published on Wednesday, said about 733 million people faced hunger in 2023 – one in 11 people globally and one in five in Africa.
Hunger and food insecurity present critical challenges affecting millions globally.
The annual report, released this year during the G20 Global Alliance for Hunger and Poverty Task Force ministerial meeting in Brazil, warns that the world is significantly lagging in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2—ending hunger by 2030.
It highlights that global progress has regressed by 15 years, with malnutrition levels comparable to those seen in 2008-2009.
Despite some progress in areas like stunting and exclusive breastfeeding, a troubling number of people still face food insecurity and malnutrition, with global hunger levels rising.