Saudi Arabia Prepares to Host Historic G20 Summit

A group photo of global leaders is projected on the walls of landmarks in Saudi Arabia's Diriyah. (AFP)
A group photo of global leaders is projected on the walls of landmarks in Saudi Arabia's Diriyah. (AFP)
TT

Saudi Arabia Prepares to Host Historic G20 Summit

A group photo of global leaders is projected on the walls of landmarks in Saudi Arabia's Diriyah. (AFP)
A group photo of global leaders is projected on the walls of landmarks in Saudi Arabia's Diriyah. (AFP)

Riyadh will host on Saturday and Sunday a historic G20 Summit, the first ever to be held in the Arab world and amid Saudi anticipation for reaching international consensus on pressing economic issues.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz will chair the proceedings of the 15th G20 Summit, which will be held virtually due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

World leaders and the heads of international and regional agencies and organizations have been invited to participate.

The summit, the world’s premier economic event, reflects Saudi Arabia’s central role on the regional and international scenes where it is seeking to bolster cooperation with its member state partners to achieve the goals of the G20 in pursuit of global economic stability and prosperity.

The Kingdom’s hosting of the summit will be an opportunity to propose issues that concern the Middle East and North Africa.

The agenda will address economic, financial, social, energy, environment, climate, digital economy, trade, agriculture, health care and education. The summit aims to develop effective policies in order to achieve sustainable and balanced development and provide real job opportunities to raise living conditions throughout the world.

Riyadh has witnessed a flurry of activity ahead of the global event, with working groups holding a series of meetings to tackle pressing economic issues.



GCC Welcomes Agreement between Yemen Govt, Houthis

Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
TT

GCC Welcomes Agreement between Yemen Govt, Houthis

Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)
Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special representative for Yemen, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, on Aug. 28, 2023. (AP)

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi welcomed on Wednesday the agreement between the legitimate Yemeni government and Iran-backed Houthi militias to de-escalate the situation with regard to the Yemeni banking sector and airlines.

The agreement was announced by the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, on Tuesday.

Albudaiwi expressed the GCC's support for all regional and international efforts and the efforts led by the UN special envoy aimed at achieving peace and security in Yemen.

The announcement underscores the importance the international community attaches to the Yemeni crisis, he added, hoping the agreement will pave the way for Yemeni parties to start the political process, under UN auspices, to reach a comprehensive political solution that achieves security and stability in the country.

He reiterated the GCC's continued support and full solidarity with Yemen, its government and people, and its keenness to encourage all efforts to de-escalate and maintain stability in order to reach peace.