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Saudi Interior Minister Inaugurates New E-Passport

Photo presenting the features of the new Saudi e-passport. (Saudi Ministry of Interior)
Photo presenting the features of the new Saudi e-passport. (Saudi Ministry of Interior)
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Saudi Interior Minister Inaugurates New E-Passport

Photo presenting the features of the new Saudi e-passport. (Saudi Ministry of Interior)
Photo presenting the features of the new Saudi e-passport. (Saudi Ministry of Interior)

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif inaugurated on Thursday the new version of the electronic passport as he visited the Directorate General of Passports in Riyadh.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Lieutenant-General Sulaiman Al-Yahya, Director General of Passports in Saudi Arabia, said the new passport, which will be disbursed gradually after the inauguration process, contained watermarks and precise security features that make it difficult to forge in any way.

He added that the new passport consisted of 48 pages, each featuring a historical landmark, including the No.7 oil well, which placed the Kingdom on the world oil map, in addition to Saudi Arabia’s airports, modern industries and petrochemicals.

Al-Yahya noted that the new version of the e-passport was achieved with Saudi expertise, and would include all vital information and characteristics, making it easier for the citizen to complete the procedures while traveling to any country in the world.

One of the advantages of the new passport is the “verification with the fingerprint” in the event of theft Al-Yahya stressed that this feature would facilitate the identification of the owner of the passport by matching his fingerprint.

The launching of the e-passport is the result of concerted efforts by the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Finance, and the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), and was designed with the highest technical specifications and modern security features used in global travel documents, in implementation of one of the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

During his visit to the Directorate, the interior minister met with the employees of the command-and-control center, workers at the unified call center 992, and the staff members of the beneficiary services center within the passport directorate.

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Albudaiwi Praises International Coalition for a Two-State Solution to Grant Palestinians Their Legitimate Rights

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi - SPA
Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi - SPA
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Albudaiwi Praises International Coalition for a Two-State Solution to Grant Palestinians Their Legitimate Rights

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi - SPA
Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi - SPA

The Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, praised the launch of the International Coalition for a Two-State Solution, expressing hope that this coalition will help grant the Palestinian people their legitimate rights to establish their state and live in peace and security.
This statement was made during his speech at the ministerial meeting titled "The Situation in Gaza and Implementing the Two-State Solution as a Path to Just Peace," organized by the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the European Union, and Norway, on Thursday, September 26, 2024, on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA.
Albudaiwi noted that holding this important event comes at an extremely critical time, as the situation in Gaza has reached one of the most severe humanitarian crises of our modern era. He emphasised the GCC's commitment to supporting all efforts aimed at alleviating the immense suffering of the Palestinian people, SPA reported.
He called for decisive action from the international community in light of the ongoing crimes committed by Israeli occupation forces in Gaza, whose victims are the beleaguered Palestinian people, suffering from severe shortages of essential supplies, destruction of infrastructure, and loss of innocent lives, the majority of whom are women and children.
"These actions represent a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, and those responsible for these violations must be held accountable," he stated.
During his speech, the GCC Secretary General also commended the ministerial committee formed by the extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit for its significant diplomatic efforts in garnering international support for a ceasefire, ending the Israeli aggression in Gaza, and enhancing recognition of the Palestinian state while ensuring the flow of humanitarian aid to the neediest populations.
He expressed gratitude to all countries that have recognized the State of Palestine, urging other nations to take this step to affirm their commitment to international justice and support the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state. Moreover, he renewed the GCC's call for an international conference that includes all relevant parties to end the occupation and ensure the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the borders of 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. He emphasized that this solution is the only way to achieve peace and stability for both Palestinians and Israelis.
He pointed out that the international community must recognise that the continued expansion of Israeli settlements and repeated violations of Islamic holy sites, particularly Al Aqsa Mosque, exacerbate tensions in the region. "These practices not only threaten the prospects for peace but also constitute violations of international law, complicating the path toward a two-state solution, which remains the only viable option for achieving a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace," Albudaiwi said.
In conclusion, he asserted that the time has come to turn words into actions, and the international community has a moral and legal obligation to take decisive steps, not only to provide immediate relief to Gaza but also to ensure a just and lasting peace. "The GCC stands ready to cooperate with all parties to achieve these goals," he concluded.