Saudi Arabia's Kattan Tours Africa to Bolster Ties, Sign Agreements

Saudi Minister of State for African Affairs Ambassador Ahmed Kattan - AAWSAT AR
Saudi Minister of State for African Affairs Ambassador Ahmed Kattan - AAWSAT AR
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Saudi Arabia's Kattan Tours Africa to Bolster Ties, Sign Agreements

Saudi Minister of State for African Affairs Ambassador Ahmed Kattan - AAWSAT AR
Saudi Minister of State for African Affairs Ambassador Ahmed Kattan - AAWSAT AR

Saudi Minister of State for African Affairs Ahmed Kattan will tour several African countries to sign the general cooperation agreement and the memorandum of understanding for political consultation.

He will first visit Uganda, followed by Senegal and Guinea Bissau, as part of Saudi Arabia's efforts to strengthen relations with these countries.

Kattan said this tour comes under the directives of the Saudi leadership to consolidate relations with African countries.

It also complements the tours he made to several African countries at the beginning of this year including Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Ghana, and Cote d'Ivoire.

In December, Kattan visited Central Africa, Congo-Brazzaville, Angola, and Zambia. He also visited Chad, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Madagascar.

Relations between Saudi Arabia and Africa developed more extensively with the start of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz leadership.

Its impact was evident in the boom in relations and initiatives to enhance partnerships. Riyadh assigned a minister for African affairs to establish stronger political ties, new security connections, and institutional frameworks with many African countries.

Saudi-African relations are deepening within the scope of non-diplomatic relations, including all aspects of international economic, financial, scientific, educational, cultural, media, and social ties. They aim to address the imbalance of living conditions, environmental problems, food shortages, and the pandemic affecting African peoples.

Saudi Arabia also launched mediation efforts to resolve the conflicts facing African states.



Fallen Debris in Dubai after Drone Interception

Workers inspect the damage at the Address Creek Harbour hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
Workers inspect the damage at the Address Creek Harbour hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
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Fallen Debris in Dubai after Drone Interception

Workers inspect the damage at the Address Creek Harbour hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
Workers inspect the damage at the Address Creek Harbour hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

Dubai reported an attempted drone attack and fallen debris in two locations on Thursday.

The Dubai government's media office reported "a minor incident caused by debris from a successful interception that fell onto the facade of a building on Sheikh Zayed Road.”

Earlier, the media office reported "a minor drone incident in the Al Bada'a area.”

Both incidents caused no casualties, it said in the statements on X.


Kuwait Reports Material Damage after Drone Attack on Airport

A man fishes in the Gulf waters off Kuwait City on March 10, 2026. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)
A man fishes in the Gulf waters off Kuwait City on March 10, 2026. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)
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Kuwait Reports Material Damage after Drone Attack on Airport

A man fishes in the Gulf waters off Kuwait City on March 10, 2026. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)
A man fishes in the Gulf waters off Kuwait City on March 10, 2026. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)

Drone strikes caused damage at Kuwait's international airport, authorities said Thursday, after the facility came under fire again during Iran's attacks against the Gulf.

"The civil aviation announces that Kuwait International Airport was targeted by several drones, resulting only in material damage," authorities said in a statement, adding that there were no casualties.

Also Thursday, Kuwait's electricity ministry said that six power transmission lines ⁠went out of service ⁠after debris from ⁠intercepted drones fell on them.

The ministry added that the electricity and ⁠water situation is ⁠under control.


Saudi Arabia Intercepts Drones Headed to Shaybah Oil Field

Saudi Ministry of Defense logo
Saudi Ministry of Defense logo
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Saudi Arabia Intercepts Drones Headed to Shaybah Oil Field

Saudi Ministry of Defense logo
Saudi Ministry of Defense logo

Saudi Arabia intercepted drones headed towards the Shaybah oil field on Thursday, marking ⁠the third such incident reported on the same day.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense Major General Turki Al-Maliki also stated Wednesday that a hostile drone was shot down while attempting to approach the Diplomatic Quarter.

Al-Maliki further stated that drones were intercepted and destroyed in the Eastern Region.