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Arabs, Int’l Community Welcome Saudi Initiative to End Yemen Crisis

The Saudi foreign minister declared the initiative during a press conference in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi foreign minister declared the initiative during a press conference in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Arabs, Int’l Community Welcome Saudi Initiative to End Yemen Crisis

The Saudi foreign minister declared the initiative during a press conference in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi foreign minister declared the initiative during a press conference in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Several countries and international organizations welcomed on Monday Saudi Arabia’s initiative to end the Yemeni crisis and reach a comprehensive political solution.

The United Nations welcomed the peace initiative, which aligns with the world body’s own efforts, UN spokesman Farhan Haq said.

Kuwait welcomed the initiative, calling on Yemeni parties to fully adhere to it to reach the desired political solution according to the three agreed terms of reference.

The foreign ministry also urged the international community to support the proposal and launch a political process that ends the conflict in Yemen in a way that preserves its security and stability.

Bahrain expressed full support for the initiative, highlighting the essential role played by Saudi Arabia in maintaining regional security, peace and stability, and protecting global interests in the region.

It called on the international community to support the initiative and launch a political process that ends the war in order to restore peace and security to Yemen.

Egypt welcomed the initiative, hailing Saudi Arabia’s efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement in Yemen that ends its political and humanitarian crisis, works to give priority to the interests of the Yemeni people and paves way for the resumption of the political process.

It urged all Yemeni parties to respond to the initiative to the best interest of the Yemeni people.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) welcomed the initiative, stressing the Kingdom's continuous keenness on the security, stability of Yemen and the region.

It called on all parties to accept the initiative to stop the bloodshed in Yemen, tackle the humanitarian and economic situation and prioritize the interests of the Yemeni people.

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Dr. Nayef al-Hajraf welcomed the Saudi initiative, expressing support for starting political consultations among Yemeni parties to reach a comprehensive political solution, according to the GCC Initiative, national dialogue and UN Security Council resolution 2216.

Al-Hajraf emphasized that the initiative reflects the great keenness and the sincere willingness to end the Yemeni crisis, following years of war due to the Houthi militias’ coup against the state.

He called on all Yemeni parties to accept the initiative to overcome the existing hurdles and prioritize the interests of the people.

Al-Hajraf underscored the Kingdom’s efforts to support Yemeni security and stability, while praising the positive role of Oman to end the crisis.

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Gulf

Development Projects at Holy Sites Seek to Improve Services for Pilgrims

Green spaces tripled by planting of 40,000 trees to reduce heat stress (Kidana)
Green spaces tripled by planting of 40,000 trees to reduce heat stress (Kidana)
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Development Projects at Holy Sites Seek to Improve Services for Pilgrims

Green spaces tripled by planting of 40,000 trees to reduce heat stress (Kidana)
Green spaces tripled by planting of 40,000 trees to reduce heat stress (Kidana)

Saudi Arabia’s holy sites are undergoing a wide range of development projects for this year’s Hajj, including infrastructure upgrades as well as service and digital initiatives aimed at ensuring pilgrims can perform their rituals with ease and comfort in a safe and spiritual environment.

The projects include expanding green spaces, upgrading rest areas along pedestrian routes, building new two-story restroom complexes in Mina and improving drinking water systems. Together, they are designed to enhance infrastructure efficiency and service facilities in line with pilgrims’ needs and to deliver a more comfortable Hajj experience to the highest standards.

Kidana Development Company, the executive arm of the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites, announced Sunday the completion of the second phase of a project to build two-story restroom complexes in Mina.

The phase included replacing existing single-story restroom facilities with 18 new two-story complexes in the Al-Shuaibain area, adding to 61 complexes completed and upgraded during last year’s Hajj season.

With the completion of the second phase, the total number of upgraded complexes has reached 79, comprising 7,838 restrooms - a fourfold increase compared with last year - while reducing waiting times by 75 percent without affecting pilgrims’ accommodation space.

Al-Shuaibain, located in the northern part of Mina, is considered a key area that has seen major development projects to expand capacity and improve services. It is a strategic accommodation zone for pilgrims, with both its eastern and western sections featuring housing complexes and upgraded tents.

The two-story restroom project aims to double the capacity of sanitary facilities in line with the number of pilgrims, reducing waiting times and easing pressure on existing infrastructure while ensuring high-quality, clean and sustainable services.

The initiative is part of broader efforts to develop an integrated system of health services capable of meeting the heavy operational demands of the Hajj season, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 and the Pilgrim Experience Program, which aim to improve public facilities and provide a smoother, more comfortable pilgrimage.

Green spaces and integrated facilities

Green areas at the holy sites have also been tripled through the planting of 40,000 trees to reduce heat stress, building on an initial phase that saw more than 20,000 trees planted during last year’s Hajj. The total number of trees has now exceeded 60,000 as part of a project aimed at enhancing vegetation cover, supporting environmental sustainability and improving pilgrims’ experience.

Authorities have also developed 36,000 square meters of rest areas along pedestrian routes, adding to more than 30,000 square meters completed in the first phase last year. These areas are equipped with integrated facilities to provide shaded, comfortable environments for pilgrims as they move between ritual sites.

Rest areas include seating zones, service kiosks and modern canopies fitted with misting fans, along with advanced rubber flooring designed to improve comfort. These upgrades are part of broader infrastructure improvements aimed at easing movement and supporting efforts to provide a more comfortable and seamless Hajj journey.

Rubber flooring and modern cooling systems

Traditional misting columns have been replaced with 400 advanced misting fan units in the western plaza of the Jamarat facility, following the replacement of 200 columns last year and the installation of an additional 200 units for this Hajj season.

The new technology provides enhanced cooling capacity, helping to moderate temperatures for up to 180,000 pilgrims per hour as they head to perform the stoning ritual.

Rubber flooring has also been introduced across the holy sites as an innovative engineering solution to improve pilgrims’ comfort, particularly along long pedestrian routes and in high-density areas. The material absorbs shock, reduces strain on ankles and feet, and is designed to be environmentally friendly by lowering surface temperatures, creating cooler and more comfortable walking conditions.

Gulf

Saudi Arabia Hosts 15 Visits by World Leaders, Officials in One Month

A trilateral meeting brought together Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. (SPA)
A trilateral meeting brought together Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Hosts 15 Visits by World Leaders, Officials in One Month

A trilateral meeting brought together Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. (SPA)
A trilateral meeting brought together Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia recorded a striking rise in official visits by world leaders over the past month, amid current security and political developments in the region and their repercussions on the economy and energy sector.

In less than a month, Saudi Arabia hosted 15 visits by leaders and representatives of leaders from 13 countries, with some leaders visiting more than once during the period. The Kingdom hosted two summits — a trilateral meeting with Jordan and Qatar and a consultative Gulf summit — reflecting Riyadh’s importance amid the political and economic shifts facing the region.

The leaders and representatives came from Qatar, Jordan, the United Kingdom, Italy, the European Union, Pakistan, Sudan, Syria, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain.

The series began with a key visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on March 27. During the trip, he met Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, in Jeddah. The visit included the signing of a memorandum of arrangements related to defense procurement.

Zelensky returned to Saudi Arabia on April 24, when he again met the Crown Prince.

Jeddah hosted a trilateral meeting on March 30 between Crown Prince Mohammed, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The meeting discussed the latest regional developments, the repercussions of military escalation in the region, its risks to freedom of international navigation and energy supply security, its impact on the global economy, and coordination of joint efforts to strengthen regional security and stability.

The leaders stressed that Iranian attacks on Gulf Cooperation Council states and Jordan, and the targeting of vital and civilian facilities, were a dangerous escalation threatening regional security and stability.

The second summit was held in Jeddah on April 28 at the invitation of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

According to GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi, leaders discussed current regional conditions, particularly the escalation in the region, the Iranian attacks on GCC states and Jordan, and ways to establish a diplomatic path to end the crisis. They tackled efforts to pave the way for agreements and understandings that address GCC concerns and strengthen long-term security and stability.

Political analyst Ahmed Al-Ibrahim, a specialist in international affairs, said the intense diplomatic activity in Saudi Arabia in recent weeks reflected an increasingly clear reality in the regional and international arenas: Riyadh is no longer merely an influential player in the region’s equations, but has become a political hub where international and regional interests converge at moments of crisis and major transformation.

Al-Ibrahim added that during and after the war, no country had received such a number and level of visiting leaders. He noted that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of 15 visits by leaders and representatives from 13 countries in one month, along with two important regional summits in Jeddah, was neither a matter of protocol nor routine diplomacy.

Rather, he said, it reflected growing international confidence in Saudi Arabia’s role and its ability to manage the most sensitive issues, whether regional security, energy market stability or the protection of international shipping lanes.

Al-Ibrahim continued that the diversity of countries that turned to Saudi Arabia, from Europe to Asia and the Middle East, confirmed that Saudi decision-making had become a key factor in any discussion of the region’s future.

The timing was particularly significant, given rising military tensions and mounting global economic concerns, he remarked.

Gulf

Saudi Crown Prince Receives Written Message from Uzbekistan’s President on Bilateral Ties

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA
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Saudi Crown Prince Receives Written Message from Uzbekistan’s President on Bilateral Ties

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received on Sunday a written message from Uzbekistan’s President, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, regarding relations between the two countries.

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received the message during his meeting with Uzbekistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov at the ministry’s headquarters in Riyadh.