Saudi Crown Prince’s Gulf Tour: A New Start for Cooperation

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi - Reuters
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi - Reuters
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Saudi Crown Prince’s Gulf Tour: A New Start for Cooperation

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi - Reuters
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi - Reuters

Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, is gearing up to host the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) summit next Tuesday. The summit’s final communique will likely fall in line with the positions that were launched in the Gulf tour of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The Saudi Crown Prince's tour, which kickstarted in Muscat and ended in Kuwait, has worked to consolidate Gulf views regarding regional and international matters. It also reaffirmed Saudi keenness to preserve unity within the GCC and expand strategic partnerships.

The final statements on the five stops of the tour confirmed the common points agreed upon by the leaders of the six countries to enhance the security and stability of the Gulf region, develop their economies, and achieve Gulf visions.

For years, Saudi Arabia has been keen to establish and strengthen bilateral, regional councils in the Gulf region. This chiefly aimed to develop bilateral relations and raise the level of cooperation in all fields, according to regular and sustainable institutional work in the political, economic, security, military, investment, developmental and cultural fields.

The five concluding statements on the Crown Prince’s tour emphasized the importance of the joint coordination councils with Saudi Arabia.

Muscat had praised the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council for expanding the scope of bilateral relations and achieving integration in all fields to serve the interests of the two countries. It is noteworthy that the Saudi-Omani Coordination Council was established during Sultan Haitham bin Tariq’s visit to Saudi Arabia in July 2021.

The sixth meeting of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council was co-chaired by Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have signed several key agreements following talks held between King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the Saudi Crown Prince.

The agreements were based on the outcomes of the second Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council meeting.



Saudi Arabia Launches Medical Volunteering Program in Over 20 Specialties to Support Syria

 A Saudi delegation from KSrelief tours Syrian hospitals (SANA)
 A Saudi delegation from KSrelief tours Syrian hospitals (SANA)
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Saudi Arabia Launches Medical Volunteering Program in Over 20 Specialties to Support Syria

 A Saudi delegation from KSrelief tours Syrian hospitals (SANA)
 A Saudi delegation from KSrelief tours Syrian hospitals (SANA)

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has announced a call for Saudi medical professionals to volunteer their expertise to support Syria’s health sector, addressing urgent needs across more than 20 specialties. This initiative is part of the Saudi “Amal” (Hope) Volunteer Program, aimed at meeting the healthcare needs of crisis-affected countries.
The center invited specialists interested in volunteering to register for the year-long program, which seeks to provide emergency and medical services across various fields to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people through the contributions of medical volunteers.
Dr. Samer Al-Jutaili, KSrelief’s spokesperson, stated that the center’s external volunteering platform allows professionals to register in critical medical specialties to aid Syria’s health sector, particularly during this challenging humanitarian crisis.
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Jutaili explained that the required specialties were determined in coordination with Syrian health authorities. He emphasized that the program aims to mobilize Saudi medical volunteers to address the health sector’s needs across all Syrian regions. He also praised the dedication of Saudi medical professionals, who have made significant international contributions through the program, supporting humanitarian efforts in 57 countries with over 200,000 operations across various specialties.
KSrelief announced that the “Amal” program was launched under the directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s leadership in humanitarian efforts globally. The initiative seeks to deliver emergency and medical services to reduce human suffering and promote a dignified life with the participation of highly skilled Saudi volunteers.
In parallel with the volunteer program, Saudi Arabia continues its air and land relief operations for Syria. The sixth relief plane from KSrelief arrived in Damascus on Sunday, carrying food, medical supplies, and shelter materials to support the Syrian population during these challenging times.
Additionally, the first convoy of Saudi relief trucks crossed the Jordanian Jaber border on Sunday en route to Syria. The convoy included 60 trucks loaded with over 541 tons of food, medical supplies, and shelter materials as part of Saudi Arabia’s land relief initiative for Syria.
Al-Jutaili noted that the land bridge will complement efforts to distribute aid across Syrian territories, including heavy medical equipment such as MRI, X-ray, and CT scan machines that cannot be transported by air. He emphasized that the Saudi aid bridge to Damascus would ensure comprehensive coverage of Syria’s urgent needs, offering critical support to hospitals and healthcare facilities across the country.