UAE's Gargash Asserts Importance of Development for Coming Stage

UAE's Presidential Diplomatic Advisor Anwar Gargash at the Emirati Media Forum (Asharq Al-Awsat)
UAE's Presidential Diplomatic Advisor Anwar Gargash at the Emirati Media Forum (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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UAE's Gargash Asserts Importance of Development for Coming Stage

UAE's Presidential Diplomatic Advisor Anwar Gargash at the Emirati Media Forum (Asharq Al-Awsat)
UAE's Presidential Diplomatic Advisor Anwar Gargash at the Emirati Media Forum (Asharq Al-Awsat)

UAE's Presidential Diplomatic Advisor Anwar Gargash has said the next stage in the region would include development, cooperation, and prioritizing political tools to overcome past differences.

Speaking at the seventh edition of the Emirati Media Forum organized by the Dubai Press Club on Monday, Gargash said the UAE is preparing for a new stage in its ambitious development path during the next fifty years, ending a decade of challenges in the Arab region.

Gargash delivered an address at the Forum's opening session to an audience that included media industry leaders, chief editors of newspapers, heads of television and radio channels, media influencers, and prominent academics, writers, and opinion leaders in the UAE.

He explained that the progress of the UAE is essential for stability and prosperity in the region.

Gargash highlighted the UAE's effective growth model saying the country's remarkable achievements represent the success of an Arab, Islamic nation that has prioritized development over politics.

As the UAE moves into the next 50-year phase of growth, the media must continue to communicate the nation's achievements to the world powerfully, he said.

"We have made great strides in many fields, including women's empowerment, labor rights, religious tolerance, and justice. We also have one of the best judicial systems in the region," he was quoted as saying by WAM.

Gargash highlighted the UAE's focus on diplomacy and soft power, which forms part of its efforts to build strong bridges with other nations.

He stressed the vital role of the UAE media in raising awareness among global audiences about the country's successful development model and its aspirations to drive progress in the country and the entire region.

At the Forum, the Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council, Mona al-Marri, said that UAE stands at the threshold of a new phase of its development journey, which it is undertaking against the backdrop of vast multi-dimensional global transformations taking place in various spheres.

The media can play a significant role in advancing the nation's development journey by disseminating a clear set of unified messages that support the process of sustainable growth, said Marri.

"By raising their competitiveness globally, local media can make significant contributions to realizing the UAE's vision for shaping a better future for the region and the world."

The Forum was held under the patronage of Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and in the presence of Chairman of the Dubai Media Council Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

It stressed the importance of supporting and empowering local media talent to maximize their potential by equipping them with the skills to deliver quality content that can drive positive social change.

The Forum also addressed the importance of using social media platforms to tell engaging stories that highlight the UAE's rich culture and heritage and training social media influencers to convey the national vision and aspirations to broader regional and global audiences.



Saudi Arabia, Arab and Islamic Countries Condemn Israel’s 'State Land' Decision in West Bank 

The West Bank village of al-Ram is pictured behind Israel's controversial separation barrier from the outskirts of Jerusalem on February 16, 2026. (AFP)
The West Bank village of al-Ram is pictured behind Israel's controversial separation barrier from the outskirts of Jerusalem on February 16, 2026. (AFP)
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Saudi Arabia, Arab and Islamic Countries Condemn Israel’s 'State Land' Decision in West Bank 

The West Bank village of al-Ram is pictured behind Israel's controversial separation barrier from the outskirts of Jerusalem on February 16, 2026. (AFP)
The West Bank village of al-Ram is pictured behind Israel's controversial separation barrier from the outskirts of Jerusalem on February 16, 2026. (AFP)

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Türkiye strongly condemned on Tuesday Israel's decision to designate lands in the occupied West Bank as so-called "state land".

They also slammed it for approving procedures for the registration and settlement of land ownership across extensive areas of the occupied West Bank for the first time since 1967.

They condemned the moves as “a grave escalation aimed at accelerating illegal settlement activity, land confiscation, entrenching Israeli control, and applying unlawful Israeli sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territory and undermining the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.”

These measures are “a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention, as well as a violation of relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, foremost among them Resolution 2334,” the FMs said in a statement.

“The decision also contradicts the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice concerning the legal consequences arising from Israeli policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which underscored the illegality of measures intended to alter the legal, historical, and demographic status of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the obligation to end the occupation, and the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force,” they added.

“This step reflects an attempt to impose a new legal and administrative reality designed to consolidate control over the occupied land, thereby undermining the two-state solution, eroding the prospects for the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian State, and jeopardizing the attainment of a just and comprehensive peace in the region,” they warned.

The foreign ministers reiterated their “categorical rejection of all unilateral measures aimed at altering the legal, demographic, and historical status of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”

They stressed that such policies are “a dangerous escalation that will further heighten tensions and instability in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the region as a whole.”

They called on the international community “to assume its responsibilities and take clear and decisive steps to halt these violations, ensure respect for international law, and safeguard the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them their right to self-determination, ending the occupation, and establishing their independent and sovereign State based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.”


Saudi Hajj and Umrah Minister Inspects Ramadan Service Readiness at Two Holy Mosques 

Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah and Board Chairman of the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques Tawfig Al-Rabiah during the inspection tour on Monday. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah and Board Chairman of the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques Tawfig Al-Rabiah during the inspection tour on Monday. (SPA)
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Saudi Hajj and Umrah Minister Inspects Ramadan Service Readiness at Two Holy Mosques 

Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah and Board Chairman of the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques Tawfig Al-Rabiah during the inspection tour on Monday. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah and Board Chairman of the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques Tawfig Al-Rabiah during the inspection tour on Monday. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah and Board Chairman of the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques Tawfig Al-Rabiah carried out on Monday a field inspection tour to assess operational and service readiness for the holy fasting month of Ramadan at the Grand Mosque, Prophet’s Mosque, and several other service sites in the holy city of Makkah.

Accompanied by the authority’s CEO Eng. Ghazi Al-Shahrani, the tour included a review of field operations, crowd management plans, and the flow of Umrah performers and worshippers.

It addressed coordination and integration mechanisms among relevant entities, as part of ongoing efforts by the ministry, the authority, and partner organizations serving pilgrims.

Al-Rabiah stressed that these efforts are carried out in line with the directives of the Kingdom's leadership and reflect the country's commitment to caring for the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors.

The level of readiness and the services provided during Ramadan are part of ongoing development efforts and they support the objectives of the Pilgrim Experience Program, part of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to boost the quality of services and the overall experience of pilgrims, he added.


SDRPY, EU Sign Strategic Partnership to Improve Living Conditions in Yemen 

Officials are seen at the signing ceremony in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
Officials are seen at the signing ceremony in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
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SDRPY, EU Sign Strategic Partnership to Improve Living Conditions in Yemen 

Officials are seen at the signing ceremony in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
Officials are seen at the signing ceremony in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) and European Union announced on Monday the alignment of their efforts to improve livelihoods in Yemen.

These efforts focus on investment in economic recovery programs and reforms, job creation, strengthening state institutions, and boosting community resilience, including in the areas of food security, agriculture, electricity, water, and environmental sanitation.

Their strategic partnership is in line with efforts to strengthen international cooperation to support Yemen.

Supporting improved access to water in the Marib governorate is the first outcome of the strategic partnership.

The two parties signed in Riyadh an agreement with the SILA Foundation to implement a SAR9-million project, “Enhancing Water Security in Marib Governorate,” covering nine areas across the districts of Marib Al-Wadi, Marib City, and Harib. Over 350,000 people will benefit from the project.

The agreement reflects the parties’ commitment to joint action and continuous coordination to improve living conditions for all Yemenis.

The SDRPY and EU agreed to continue coordination and explore additional opportunities for cooperation in the water sector, as well as joint development projects and initiatives in other sectors.