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High Registration Turnout to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia considers receiving two new vaccines after Pfizer-BioNTech’s (Photo: Bashir Saleh)
Saudi Arabia considers receiving two new vaccines after Pfizer-BioNTech’s (Photo: Bashir Saleh)
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High Registration Turnout to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia considers receiving two new vaccines after Pfizer-BioNTech’s (Photo: Bashir Saleh)
Saudi Arabia considers receiving two new vaccines after Pfizer-BioNTech’s (Photo: Bashir Saleh)

Saudi Arabia has set up large vaccination centers to inoculate residents against COVID-19, as part of its vaccination campaign launched in mid-December.

The campaign has seen a very high registration turnout by citizens and residents who wish to receive the vaccine.

Meanwhile, it inaugurated a new coronavirus vaccination center in the Nojoud Medical Center in Madinah.

The center marked the beginning of the vaccination campaign in Madinah, following several vaccination centers in various cities across the kingdom.

In the coming weeks, the Health Ministry is expected to inaugurate similar centers in Makkah and al-Ahsa (eastern Saudi Arabia).

The Ministry is receiving registration applications by citizens wishing to receive the vaccine in four cities.

The number of registrations through Sehhaty (My Health) app has amounted to more than two million people during the first month of the vaccine distribution.

Notably, the ministry receives 100,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine per week.

The US Food and Drug Administration and joint sectors are conducting research to register and approve other vaccines, including the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines, after authorizing the use of Pfizer vaccine in late 2020.

The US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, John Abizaid, received his first COVID-19 vaccine dose in Riyadh on Monday.

“I assure the American community here that the vaccine is safe and effective. The Saudi organizing and efficiency were very impressive,” Abizaid was quoted as saying after he received the shot.

For his part, German Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Jorg Ranau received his second shot of the vaccine and expressed gratitude it is available in the kingdom.

He urged people to receive the vaccine, being the only safe way to achieve community immunity that would enable the return to normal life.

Regarding the number of coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia, the health ministry announced recording 170 new cases, raising the infection tally to 365,099, including 1922 active cases and 317 critical cases.

It also recorded 161 recoveries, amounting to 356,848 in total, while recording six new deaths to raise the death toll to 6329.

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Gulf

GCC-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue Focuses on Strengthening Cooperation

The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue held in Kuwait. Photo: KUNA
The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue held in Kuwait. Photo: KUNA
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GCC-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue Focuses on Strengthening Cooperation

The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue held in Kuwait. Photo: KUNA
The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue held in Kuwait. Photo: KUNA

Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers and their counterparts from Central Asia discussed in Kuwait on Wednesday consolidating cooperation in several fields.

The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue focused on enhancing the strong relations between the GCC and Central Asian countries and discussed a joint action plan to advance cooperation in the political, economic, cultural, and tourism sectors.
Preparations were also reviewed for the upcoming summit between the GCC and Central Asian countries, scheduled to take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, next month. This summit follows the inaugural one held in Saudi Arabia in 2023.

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah attended the meeting.

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya said the meeting marks a significant milestone in establishing a sustainable partnership based on mutual respect and shared interests.

Speaking at a joint press conference with GCC Secretary-General Jassem Al-Budaiwi after the meeting, Al-Yahya, current President of the GCC Ministerial Council, highlighted the growing historical, cultural, and human ties between the two regions, and emphasized the shared political will to strengthen strategic cooperation.

The meeting focused on several key areas of priority, including enhancing economic and trade cooperation, encouraging investment, and developing sectors such as transport and energy, clean energy transitions, green economies, and modern technologies, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.

Discussions also focused on food and water security, digital infrastructure, and artificial intelligence, aiming to support stability and sustainable development.

On political and security matters, the foreign minister stressed the importance of consultation and coordination on shared challenges, especially in combating terrorism, extremism, and cyber threats, and praised the GCC Secretariat for its role in advancing joint action mechanisms.

Regarding regional and international issues, Al-Yahya reaffirmed the GCC's steadfast support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the establishment of an independent state based on the 1967 border with East Jerusalem as its capital.

On his part, Al-Budaiwi said that both the GCC and Central Asian states are committed to advancing cooperation across various sectors, as outlined in the Joint Action Plan for 2023-27.

He stated that the meeting included an exchange of views on regional and global developments, particularly the Israeli occupation's violations against the Palestinian people, and reiterated the GCC's rejection of these violations and called on the international community to act decisively in support of Palestinian rights, including the establishment of a sovereign state.