Saudi Govt Stresses Need to Preserve Egypt, Sudan’s Nile Water Rights

King Salman chairs a cabinet meeting in Neom. (SPA)
King Salman chairs a cabinet meeting in Neom. (SPA)
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Saudi Govt Stresses Need to Preserve Egypt, Sudan’s Nile Water Rights

King Salman chairs a cabinet meeting in Neom. (SPA)
King Salman chairs a cabinet meeting in Neom. (SPA)

The Saudi cabinet met on Tuesday to review the latest regional and international developments, including the ongoing dispute over the Grand Renaissance Ethiopian Dam (GERD).

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the meeting that was held virtually from Neom amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The government reiterated the Kingdom’s support to Egypt and Sudan in preserving their legitimate water rights amid the ongoing dispute with Ethiopia over the dam.

It called on the international community to establish a clear mechanism to begin negotiations between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia to resolve the crisis in a way that preserves their rights to the Nile water and the future of their peoples. The process should be sponsored by the United Nations and in agreement with the African Union and Arab League.

King Salman was briefed on the security preparations and arrangements to hold this year’s annual Hajj pilgrimage. He also briefed the cabinet on the official discussions he held with Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq during his visit to the Kingdom earlier this week.

The cabinet reviewed a recent International Monetary Fund report that underscored the recovery of the Saudi economy. The report hailed the Kingdom’s unique success on many levels in spite of the pandemic.

It also hailed Saudi Arabia’s presidency of the Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) as an extension of its pivotal and influential role and reflection of its keenness on achieving the organization’s goals.



13 Killed Following Explosion at Qatar’s Barzan Plant

This picture shows the Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar's principal site for production of liquefied natural gas and gas-to-liquid, administrated by Qatar Petroleum, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of the capital Doha, on February 6, 2017. (AFP)
This picture shows the Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar's principal site for production of liquefied natural gas and gas-to-liquid, administrated by Qatar Petroleum, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of the capital Doha, on February 6, 2017. (AFP)
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13 Killed Following Explosion at Qatar’s Barzan Plant

This picture shows the Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar's principal site for production of liquefied natural gas and gas-to-liquid, administrated by Qatar Petroleum, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of the capital Doha, on February 6, 2017. (AFP)
This picture shows the Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar's principal site for production of liquefied natural gas and gas-to-liquid, administrated by Qatar Petroleum, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of the capital Doha, on February 6, 2017. (AFP)

An explosion tore through Qatar's key natural gas export terminal Sunday night following an operational incident, causing a fire that killed 13 people and hurt 66 others.

QatarEnergy announced that the fire, which broke out after an operational incident during the start-up of operations at the Barzan plant in Ras Laffan Industrial City, has been brought under control.

In a statement, it said the incident resulted in an explosion and fire at the plant, which is dedicated to meeting local gas needs, noting that emergency response teams were immediately deployed and were able to contain and extinguish the fire.

“I would like to emphasize that this was an accident and not sabotage or hostile in nature," Energy Minister Saad Sherida al-Kaabi told a news conference Monday afternoon in Doha, Qatar’s capital. 

The minister gave the toll and said the dead came from India and Pakistan. The nationalities of the 66 injured included people from Qatar and a variety of African and Asian nations, al-Kaabi said. 

The incident was caused by a technical malfunction during operation, with no leakage posing a risk to public safety, the Ministry of Interior stressed in a post on the X platform.

The Barzan plant had a capacity of almost 1.4 billion standard cubic feet of sales gas per day.

In March, an Iranian missile hit Ras Laffan, sparking a fire that caused “extensive” damage before it was extinguished, authorities said. Qatar had already halted production there because of Iranian attacks. 


Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, Türkiye Push for Swift Progress in US-Iran Talks

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan and Türkiye pose for a family photo in Cairo on Sunday. (SPA)
The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan and Türkiye pose for a family photo in Cairo on Sunday. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, Türkiye Push for Swift Progress in US-Iran Talks

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan and Türkiye pose for a family photo in Cairo on Sunday. (SPA)
The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan and Türkiye pose for a family photo in Cairo on Sunday. (SPA)

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan and Türkiye pushed for swift progress in US-Iran talks at a meeting in Cairo on Sunday, as negotiations between the two foes began in Switzerland.

In a joint statement, the ministers called for a "swift and successful conclusion" to negotiations aimed at reaching a solution to outstanding issues that is "lasting, verifiable and mutually acceptable", while taking into account regional concerns, particularly the security and stability of Gulf states.

The meeting also addressed the Israeli military escalation against Lebanon and stressed the importance of continued coordination and consultations to sustain the diplomatic track, mitigate the repercussions of the crisis, and restore security and stability across the region.

Present at the meeting were Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Egyptian FM Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Pakistani FM Ishaq Dar and Turkish FM Hakan Fidan.


Saudi FM Attends Meeting with Egyptian and Turkish Counterparts and US Adviser in Cairo

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah.(SPA)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah.(SPA)
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Saudi FM Attends Meeting with Egyptian and Turkish Counterparts and US Adviser in Cairo

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah.(SPA)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah.(SPA)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah took part in a meeting in Cairo with Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty, Türkiye's Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, and Senior Advisor to the US President for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

The participants discussed a range of regional developments, with a particular focus on the situations in Sudan and Libya, and reviewed ongoing joint efforts to promote security, stability, and political solutions in both countries.

The meeting was also attended by Prince Musab bin Mohammed Al Farhan, Adviser to the Saudi Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, and Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Saleh bin Eid Al-Husseini.