Saudi Arabia to Host Arab Summit on May 19

A view shows vehicles driving on the street in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (File photo: Reuters)
A view shows vehicles driving on the street in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (File photo: Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia to Host Arab Summit on May 19

A view shows vehicles driving on the street in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (File photo: Reuters)
A view shows vehicles driving on the street in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (File photo: Reuters)

The 32nd Arab summit will be held in Saudi Arabia on May 19, announced the General Secretariat of the Arab League.

The League’s assistant secretary general, Hossam Zaki, said the decision came after consultations between Sec-Gen Ahmed Aboul Gheit and the Saudi government.

He indicated that Saudi Arabia welcomed hosting the summit on the specified date.

Zaki said that "the summit will be preceded by several preparatory meetings between senior officials and ministers over five days.”

The League indicated that 2023 is expected to witness the Arab development summit in Mauritania and the Arab-African summit in Saudi Arabia.

Aboul Gheit suggested in press statements during his visit to Lebanon that the main topic of the summit should focus on economic issues and helping the neediest Arab regions.

Earlier, spokesperson Gamal Roushdy confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that consultations are underway between the Arab League and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to develop the best possible agenda of issues at the forefront of joint Arab action.

Roushdy explained that the discussions often continue until the summit's date next May to address all the developments.

The official spokesman expected that the Palestinian issue would be at the forefront of the points on the summit's agenda, being a central issue of the Arabs. He also indicated that the recent developments in the occupied territories, including the Israeli violations, would be addressed at the summit.



Saudi Leadership Offers Condolences to Libyan Presidential Council on Death of Chief of Staff

Turkish search and rescue team members arrive to the crash site of a jet carrying Libya's army chief of staff Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad near Kesikkavak village, Türkiye, December 24, 2025. (Reuters)
Turkish search and rescue team members arrive to the crash site of a jet carrying Libya's army chief of staff Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad near Kesikkavak village, Türkiye, December 24, 2025. (Reuters)
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Saudi Leadership Offers Condolences to Libyan Presidential Council on Death of Chief of Staff

Turkish search and rescue team members arrive to the crash site of a jet carrying Libya's army chief of staff Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad near Kesikkavak village, Türkiye, December 24, 2025. (Reuters)
Turkish search and rescue team members arrive to the crash site of a jet carrying Libya's army chief of staff Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad near Kesikkavak village, Türkiye, December 24, 2025. (Reuters)

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud sent on Friday a cable of condolences to President of Libya's Presidential Council Dr. Mohamed Al-Menfi on the death of the Chief of the General Staff of the Libyan Army and his companions following a plane crash in Türkiye earlier this week.

King Salman extended his sincere condolences and sympathy to the president and the families of the deceased.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, sent A-Menfi a similar cable.

Experts have started analyzing the black boxes recovered from the jet crash in Türkiye that killed eight people, including western Libya’s military chief, the Turkish defense ministry said Thursday. The probe was being done in coordination with Libyan officials.

The private jet with Gen. Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, four other military officers and three crew members crashed on Tuesday after taking off from Ankara, killing everyone on board.

Libyan officials said the cause of the crash was a technical malfunction on the plane.


UAE Welcomes Saudi Efforts to Support Security in Yemen

The UAE said it welcomes Saudi efforts to support security and stability in Yemen. (Reuters)
The UAE said it welcomes Saudi efforts to support security and stability in Yemen. (Reuters)
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UAE Welcomes Saudi Efforts to Support Security in Yemen

The UAE said it welcomes Saudi efforts to support security and stability in Yemen. (Reuters)
The UAE said it welcomes Saudi efforts to support security and stability in Yemen. (Reuters)

The United Arab Emirates welcomes Saudi Arabian efforts to support security and stability in Yemen and ​remains committed to backing stability in the country, the UAE’s foreign ministry said on Friday.

"The UAE reaffirmed ‌its ⁠steadfast ​commitment to ‌supporting all endeavors aimed at strengthening stability and development in Yemen," it added.


Yemeni Government Welcomes Saudi Statement on Hadhramaut, Al-Mahra

A view of Yemen's interim capital Aden. (Reuters)
A view of Yemen's interim capital Aden. (Reuters)
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Yemeni Government Welcomes Saudi Statement on Hadhramaut, Al-Mahra

A view of Yemen's interim capital Aden. (Reuters)
A view of Yemen's interim capital Aden. (Reuters)

The Yemeni government welcomed on Thursday the statement by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, praising its "clear and responsible stance on recent developments in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra governorates."

The government acknowledged the Kingdom’s "persistent efforts to contain the escalation, protect the interests of the Yemeni people, and maintain security and stability in the eastern governorates."

In a statement carried by the official news agency SABA, the government commended "the leading role of Saudi Arabia, in coordination with the United Arab Emirates, in supporting the de-escalation process, restoring normalcy, upholding the state’s institutional frameworks, and reinforcing the role of local authorities, all under the supervision of the coalition forces."

The government reiterated "its full support for the Kingdom’s efforts, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing the public interest, exercising restraint, and urgently ending the escalation to restore peace, social security, and national unity."

The stability of Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra and the integrity of their social fabric remain a top national priority, it added.

"Any security or military measures taken outside the state’s constitutional and institutional frameworks, or without coordination with the Presidential Leadership Council, the government, and local authorities, are unacceptable and create unnecessary tension during this sensitive period," it warned.

The government underlined Yemen’s "firm stance on the Southern cause, describing it as a just cause with historical and social dimensions."

It noted that "significant progress has been achieved through national consensus, ensuring justice, partnership, and the preservation of social peace, far from any logic of dominance or escalation."