Iraqi Ambassador: Riyadh Meetings were Productive

The Saudi-Iraqi coordination council meets in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
The Saudi-Iraqi coordination council meets in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Iraqi Ambassador: Riyadh Meetings were Productive

The Saudi-Iraqi coordination council meets in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
The Saudi-Iraqi coordination council meets in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

The Saudi-Iraqi coordination council proposed ideas to construct industrial cities inside Iraq, said Iraqi Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Qahtan al-Janabi. They also made suggestions on investment in renewable energy.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the meetings, which were held in Riyadh this week, were serious and productive.

He predicted that economic, cultural, trade and investment relations between the two neighbors would witness a great leap forward.

He said that a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Iraqi ministry of health and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority. Another was inked between the Iraqi government and Saudi Development Fund over the financing of some projects in Iraq.

The envoy remarked that this week’s meetings were different than their predecessors because the parties displayed a great desire to begin the implementation of these projects.

Janabi said that one meeting included Saudi Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, and representatives of Saudi Aramco and ACWA Power with the Iraqi ministers of finance, planning, oil and energy. They discussed important projects in Iraq and agreed on a timeframe to implement them.

Agreements include investment in gas, solar power and alternative energy, said the ambassador.

Major Saudi businessmen were also involved in the Saudi-Iraqi coordination council meetings, he continued. They made convincing proposals to Iraq over the construction of industrial cities and an economic free trade zone in Iraq.



Saudi Arabia Stresses Need to Speed up Reform Process at UN Security Council

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet session in Riyadh. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet session in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Stresses Need to Speed up Reform Process at UN Security Council

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet session in Riyadh. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chairs the cabinet session in Riyadh. (SPA)

The Saudi government underlined on Tuesday the Kingdom’s call for speeding up the process of reforming the United Nations Security Council to bolster its credibility and efficiency given the challenges and mounting conflicts in the world and the wavering trust in the international system.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chaired the cabinet session in Riyadh.

The cabinet welcomed the formation of the "International Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution", proposed by the Kingdom in partnership with the Joint Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee, Norway, and the European Union.

It underlined the Kingdom's commitment to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The cabinet reiterated the call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and all violations of international law, demanding accountability for those hindering peace efforts.

Crown Prince Mohammed briefed the cabinet on the recent written message he received from Jordan’s King Abdullah II that covered relations between their countries.

The cabinet reviewed the latest regional and international developments. It commended the Kingdom's delegation at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which delivered Saudi Arabia's unwavering principles and positions on Arab issues, and international peace and security, and its commitment to join efforts to address global challenges.

Minister of Media Salman bin Yousef Al-Dossary said the ministers noted the Kingdom's announcement that it will provide monthly financial support to Palestinians, as well as medical and relief aid to the Lebanese people.

The gestures are proof of the Kingdom's efforts to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza Strip and its surroundings, and to help Lebanon as Israel intensified its attacks on Hezbollah in the country.

Moreover, the cabinet said the Kingdom hopes for active international participation in the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16) that will be held in Riyadh in December.

The Kingdom hopes the event will mark a significant shift in the convention's trajectory and will serve as an important global platform for collaborative efforts to tackle major environmental challenges.

The cabinet also deemed the Kingdom's unanimous victory in the elections for the presidency of the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Agencies (GlobE Network) as a reflection of the international community's appreciation for the Kingdom's efforts to combat transnational corruption, and for its continuous support for achieving international goals in this respect.

On domestic level, the cabinet praised Crown Prince Mohammed’s announcement of the launch of Riyadh Foundation, which reflects the state's efforts to support and develop institutional and social work, and consolidate the community's contribution to the implementation of the non-profit sector programs.

The cabinet reviewed the Pre-Budget Statement for Fiscal Year 2025, which emphasized the government's continuous promotion of spending directed at essential services for citizens and residents, and the execution of strategic projects meant to secure economic growth and achieve sustainable development.