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Saudi Arabia, Pakistan Discuss Boosting Relations, Development

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcoming Pakistani Prime Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcoming Pakistani Prime Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, Pakistan Discuss Boosting Relations, Development

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcoming Pakistani Prime Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcoming Pakistani Prime Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif (SPA)

Saudi Arabia affirmed its continuous support for Pakistan and its economy and increasing investment cooperation with Islamabad.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received Pakistani Prime Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif in Jeddah.

During the visit, the two sides exchanged views on issues of mutual concern at the regional and international levels and agreed on the importance to continue coordinating their positions in a way that serves their interests.

A joint statement issued after the meeting stressed the importance of strengthening work through the Saudi-Pakistani Supreme Coordination Council and diversifying trade exchange.

They agreed to increase communication between the private sector in the two countries to discuss trade and investment opportunities and turn them into tangible partnerships.

Saudi Arabia affirmed its support for Pakistan and will discuss the possibility of supporting the Kingdom's $3 billion deposit in Pakistan's central bank by extending its term or through other options.

Pakistan welcomed Saudi Arabia's decision to extend an agreement to finance crude oil products and oil derivatives exports and support economic reforms in Pakistan.

The two sides also agreed to deepen the investment cooperation between the two countries, stimulate partnerships and enable investment integration opportunities between the private sector of the two countries.

The meeting also reiterated the importance of developing cooperation in the industrial and mining sectors to serve the strategic interests following the vision of the two leaderships aimed at boosting ties.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan intend to hold investment forums to introduce the business sectors from both sides to available opportunities.

The two sides also agreed to deepen the investment cooperation between the two countries, stimulate partnerships and enable investment integration opportunities between the private sector of the two countries.

They decided to join efforts to develop the investment environment in the two countries and support several investment sectors of common interest.

The two sides stressed the importance of cooperation regarding the opportunities of the economic transformation programs that Saudi Arabia is witnessing within its Vision 2030.

They seek to benefit from Pakistani expertise and capabilities in several sectors to achieve mutual economic benefits.

The two sides agreed to enhance media cooperation between them.

Pakistan valued the Kingdom's efforts and initiatives in climate change, addressing environmental challenges, and improving the quality of life, particularly the 'Saudi Green' and 'Middle East Green' initiatives.

The two sides expressed their aspiration to implement the two initiatives, stressing the importance of adhering to the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement and the need to develop climate agreements.

Pakistan welcomed Saudi Arabia's decision to extend the agreement to include financing exports of crude oil products and oil derivatives.

They explored ways of cooperation in several fields, including innovative uses of hydrocarbons, electricity, clean technologies for hydrocarbon resources, energy efficiency, and localization of the energy sector. They also discussed cooperation in renewable energy projects.

Islamabad and Riyadh reiterated support for the efforts made by the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, the initiatives aimed at reaching a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni crisis following Security Council Resolution 2216, Gulf Initiative, and other related mechanisms.

They condemned the Houthi terrorist threat to Saudi Arabia due to the launching of ballistic missiles by Yemeni militants against Saudi facilities and expressed their concern about the threat to global energy supplies.

They stressed the need for the international community to take measures to ensure the Houthis' involvement in political consultations under UN supervision to reach a final and comprehensive political solution.

Saudi Arabia welcomed the statements of the Pakistani PM, asserting his country's keenness to find a solution to all disputes with India, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

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Gulf

Albudaiwi: Water Security is Strategic Priority for Gulf Stability, Energy Security

Part of the "Water as a Strategic Imperative: From Global Challenges to Collective Action" session held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York (GCC)
Part of the "Water as a Strategic Imperative: From Global Challenges to Collective Action" session held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York (GCC)
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Albudaiwi: Water Security is Strategic Priority for Gulf Stability, Energy Security

Part of the "Water as a Strategic Imperative: From Global Challenges to Collective Action" session held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York (GCC)
Part of the "Water as a Strategic Imperative: From Global Challenges to Collective Action" session held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York (GCC)

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi stressed that water security constitutes a strategic priority for GCC member states, directly intersecting with human security, economic prosperity, food security, and energy security as a fundamental pillar of stability.

Albudaiwi made the remarks during a panel titled "Water as a Strategic Imperative: From Global Challenges to Collective Action," organized by the Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, SPA reported.

He noted that enduring regional water scarcity has driven GCC countries to innovate, invest, and build extensive expertise in desalination, wastewater recycling, demand management, and advanced technologies, while strengthening the water-energy-food-climate nexus.

Emphasizing that technology alone cannot guarantee water security, Albudaiwi highlighted ongoing GCC joint initiatives to establish a regional water grid interconnection. The project aims to bolster supply security, regional readiness, and emergency response capabilities during crises.

He also called for leveraging artificial intelligence, smart water management systems, and renewable energy, alongside collaborative financing models linking governments, development institutions, and the private sector to develop scalable infrastructure projects.

Albudaiwi concluded by pointing to the upcoming UN Water Conference, co-hosted by the UAE and Senegal in Abu Dhabi in December 2026, as a pivotal platform to advance multilateral water partnerships and tangible investments.

Gulf

Türkiye: 'Makkah Agreement' a Strong Step Toward Regional Solutions

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed the "Makkah Joint Defense Agreement" with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on August 7 (Turkish Presidency).
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed the "Makkah Joint Defense Agreement" with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on August 7 (Turkish Presidency).
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Türkiye: 'Makkah Agreement' a Strong Step Toward Regional Solutions

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed the "Makkah Joint Defense Agreement" with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on August 7 (Turkish Presidency).
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed the "Makkah Joint Defense Agreement" with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on August 7 (Turkish Presidency).

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the "Makkah Joint Defense Agreement" as a strong step in the right direction toward finding solutions to the region's problems from within the region.

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus said he expects the agreement to be submitted to parliament for discussion and ratification when its new session begins on October 1.

Meanwhile, Türkiye's Defense Ministry announced that Chief of General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu would take part in an urgent meeting in Riyadh with his Saudi counterpart, General Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, and Pakistan's Field Marshal Asim Munir, as part of the "Makkah Joint Defense Agreement."

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry said earlier Friday that the three chiefs of staff would hold an urgent meeting to discuss ways to support Saudi Arabia under the "Makkah Joint Defense Agreement," which stipulates that an armed attack on any one of the parties constitutes an attack on all of them.

Talks in New York

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Türkiye discussed in New York on Thursday preparations for the urgent meeting of the chiefs of staff, aimed at discussing ways to support the Kingdom under the "Makkah Joint Defense Agreement" and its provision that an attack on any one party constitutes an attack on all parties, according to a statement by the Saudi Foreign Ministry.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a meeting in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The three ministers strongly condemned the "heinous attacks" by the Houthis targeting Makkah and civilian and economic facilities in Saudi Arabia, and praised the vigilance of the Saudi Armed Forces and their ability to defend the country's security.

The ministers affirmed Saudi Arabia's right to take the measures it deems appropriate to defend its security under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

Sources at the Turkish Foreign Ministry said the meeting also discussed the final stages of ongoing technical negotiations aimed at institutionalizing cooperation to be implemented under the agreement, which was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on August 7. The agreement aims to enhance regional and international security, peace, stability, and prosperity, and increase joint deterrence capabilities in response to growing instability in the region.

The agreement stipulates that an attack on one of the member states constitutes an attack on all parties.

According to the sources, the ministers also discussed preparations for the next meeting of the Political and Defense Strategic Committee established under the agreement. The committee held its first meeting in Istanbul on August 31, attended by foreign and defense ministers and chiefs of staff. The parties agreed to establish a general secretariat in Riyadh, headed by Pakistan for three years.

Erdogan: We Trust Our Brothers

Speaking to Turkish journalists upon his return from New York late Thursday after attending the UN General Assembly meetings, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the "Makkah Agreement" as "a strong step in the right direction."

He said that when undertaking an initiative of such importance in a challenging geographical region, it is not surprising to face some challenges. He said it is natural for some to reject a new idea or a new will when it emerges, adding that Türkiye has enough experience to avoid being drawn into provocations or falling into traps.

Erdogan said he had no doubt that the three countries would move forward more strongly with their efforts to complete the agreement's institutional framework. He said the agreement had established a foundation for finding solutions to the region's problems from within the region, after everyone had seen how those who come from outside to prescribe security solutions for the region often leave behind greater instability.

He concluded: "This seed we have planted, the Makkah Agreement, will grow and expand in a short time to become a deeply rooted tree. We trust our country and our people, and we trust our brothers."

In the same context, Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus said the "Makkah Agreement" had not yet been submitted to parliament for ratification. He said he expects it to be presented when parliament resumes after its summer recess and begins its new session on October 1.

Kurtulmus said Friday that the "Makkah Agreement" does not target any country, but is primarily intended to ensure the security of the countries of the region amid ongoing conflicts and what he described as "Israeli hostile policies." He added that "the agreement is not directed against Iran, and it should not be. Rather, we hope it will become a broader agreement for the Muslim world, and Iran can join it. We also hope the agreement will become stronger with the participation of other countries in the region."

Gulf

UN Security Council Condemns Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia

A side of a UN Security Council meeting (United Nations)
A side of a UN Security Council meeting (United Nations)
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UN Security Council Condemns Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia

A side of a UN Security Council meeting (United Nations)
A side of a UN Security Council meeting (United Nations)

The United Nations Security Council on Friday condemned escalating attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemeni Houthis.

The Houthis have imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, hitting its tankers and territory and seizing swathes of Yemen's Red Sea coast, which is vital for Saudi oil exports, causing energy prices to jump.

"The members of the Security Council condemned, in the strongest terms, continued Houthi attacks against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including attacks impacting civilian and energy infrastructure, which have resulted in the injury of civilians, including women and children," said the rotating president of the Council, French UN envoy Jerome Bonnafont, delivering a joint statement.

The Security Council "further stressed the importance of acting in accordance with international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and of upholding navigation rights and freedoms."

The body "demanded the Houthis immediately cease their military escalation and their attacks impacting civilians and civilian objects," according to the statement.