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Saudi Arabia: $2.1 Bn Municipal Projects in Makkah

An aerial view shows the city of Makkah. (FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images)
An aerial view shows the city of Makkah. (FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images)
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Saudi Arabia: $2.1 Bn Municipal Projects in Makkah

An aerial view shows the city of Makkah. (FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images)
An aerial view shows the city of Makkah. (FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images)

The Saudi Minister of Commerce and Investment, Majid al-Qasabi, announced that the total number of projects approved in Makkah municipality during the current year reached $2.1 billion.

The Minister was speaking during the Second Session of Makkah Economic Forum in which he explained Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs is responsible for the infrastructure projects in the cities, starting with design and planning to implementation, supervision and maintenance through supervision and follow-up.

He pointed out that the municipal sector in Saudi Arabia consists of 268 municipalities and 17 secretariats, making the functions of the municipal sector huge and complex.

The sector is now aiming at improving the quality of services, engaging the private sector, encouraging cooperation and partnership with government agencies and raising the efficiency of infrastructure projects, the Minister noted.

The municipal sector is considered one of the most interdependent and interrelated with the private sector in development and investment, but cooperation between the public and private sectors had not yet reached the desired level.

Qasabi announced that the ministry is working to develop the investment and opportunities system through an investment opportunities platform and has established an electronic platform to transform the municipal service into digital.

Projects approved in the municipality during the current year amounted to SR8 billion distributed between Makkah, SR3.5 billions, Jeddah SR2.5 billion, and Taif SR2.2 billion.

The Minister stressed the need to stay up to date with all digital transformation with the adoption of the infrastructure of smart cities, pointing out that the municipal sector is working on developing a full program of partnership in order to improve services provided.

Asked about trade and investment, Qasabi explained that an integrated system and an e-commerce council have been established, adding that there are several initiatives to improve the business environment, including Tayseer and Meras.

Within two or three weeks, the Saudi Council of Economic Affairs will collect all related licenses from all parties under one digital platform, and procedures for licensing have been scaled down.

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Gulf

Saudi Foreign Minister, Slovak Deputy Prime Minister Sign General Cooperation Agreement

The two sides signed a general cooperation agreement aimed at enhancing cooperation and mutual understanding across various fields - SPA
The two sides signed a general cooperation agreement aimed at enhancing cooperation and mutual understanding across various fields - SPA
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Saudi Foreign Minister, Slovak Deputy Prime Minister Sign General Cooperation Agreement

The two sides signed a general cooperation agreement aimed at enhancing cooperation and mutual understanding across various fields - SPA
The two sides signed a general cooperation agreement aimed at enhancing cooperation and mutual understanding across various fields - SPA

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah met in Riyadh Monday Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the Slovak Republic Robert Kaliňák.

They reviewed ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in a manner that serves their mutual interests and discussed regional and international developments, SPA reported.

The two sides signed a general cooperation agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Slovak Republic, aimed at enhancing cooperation and mutual understanding across various fields.

Gulf

Khalid bin Salman Visits Saudi Interior Ministry Pavilion at World Defense Show

Prince Khalid was briefed on the ministry’s operational capabilities to enhance decision-making. SPA
Prince Khalid was briefed on the ministry’s operational capabilities to enhance decision-making. SPA
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Khalid bin Salman Visits Saudi Interior Ministry Pavilion at World Defense Show

Prince Khalid was briefed on the ministry’s operational capabilities to enhance decision-making. SPA
Prince Khalid was briefed on the ministry’s operational capabilities to enhance decision-making. SPA

Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz visited the Ministry of Interior's pavilion at the World Defense Show, held in Riyadh.

Prince Khalid was briefed on the ministry’s operational capabilities to enhance decision-making, command and control, and predictive intelligence, all aimed at protecting residents across the Kingdom.

During his tour, he explored how the ministry is advancing proactive security and efficient emergency management through innovative technical solutions.

The tour also underscored the role of the unified security operations centers (911) in the national response system and the ministry's commitment to international partnerships in security and smart systems.

Gulf

OIC Condemns Israeli Cabinet's Legalization of Settlements

Israeli soldier points his weapon towards the camera, during a weekly settlers' tour in Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, February 7, 2026. (Reuters)
Israeli soldier points his weapon towards the camera, during a weekly settlers' tour in Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, February 7, 2026. (Reuters)
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OIC Condemns Israeli Cabinet's Legalization of Settlements

Israeli soldier points his weapon towards the camera, during a weekly settlers' tour in Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, February 7, 2026. (Reuters)
Israeli soldier points his weapon towards the camera, during a weekly settlers' tour in Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, February 7, 2026. (Reuters)

The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned on Monday the Israeli cabinet’s approval of measures that aim to deepen Israeli control over the occupied West Bank and weaken the already limited powers of the Palestinian Authority.

The OIC said Israel’s “colonial settlement policy constitutes a war crime and a flagrant violation of international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, foremost among which is Security Council Resolution 2334 and the legal opinion issued by the International Court of Justice.”

It renewed its call on the international community, particularly the Security Council, “to shoulder its responsibilities and take immediate action to put an end to all crimes and violations committed by Israel against the Palestinian people, their land, and their holy sites.”

The office of Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in a statement announced the decisions that would make it easier for Jewish settlers to force Palestinians to give up land, adding that “we will continue to bury the idea of a Palestinian state.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in a statement called the decision “dangerous” and an “open Israeli attempt to legalize settlement expansion” and land confiscation. He called for the United States and UN Security Council to intervene immediately.

The decision was announced a few days before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet with US President Donald Trump in Washington about Iran and other matters.

The measures announced Sunday include canceling a prohibition on sales of West Bank land to Israeli Jews, declassifying West Bank land registry records to ease land acquisition, transferring construction planning at religious and other sensitive sites in the volatile city of Hebron to Israeli authorities, and allowing Israeli enforcement of environmental and archaeological matters in Palestinian-administered areas.

The measures also would revive a committee that would allow the state of Israel to make “proactive” land purchases in the territory — “a step intended to guarantee land reserves for settlement for generations to come.”