GCC Praises Saudi Arabia's New Development Projects in Yemen

ecretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Dr. Nayef Al-Hajraf. Asharq Al-Awsat
ecretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Dr. Nayef Al-Hajraf. Asharq Al-Awsat
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GCC Praises Saudi Arabia's New Development Projects in Yemen

ecretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Dr. Nayef Al-Hajraf. Asharq Al-Awsat
ecretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Dr. Nayef Al-Hajraf. Asharq Al-Awsat

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Dr. Nayef Al-Hajraf praised on Friday Saudi Arabia’s announcement of a new and important set of development projects to be implemented by the Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen (SDRPY).

SDRPY will implement 17 projects, worth $400 million, that cover six sectors, including energy, transportation, education, water, health, and building state institutions.

It will provide $200 million to provide oil derivatives to operate power stations to meet the needs of the Yemeni people and ease their suffering.

The announcement was made on Thursday during a meeting in Riyadh between Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi.

The GCC Secretary-General praised on Friday the Kingdom’s great efforts in all aspects of political, development, and relief support through the projects implemented by the SDRPY to help the Yemeni people in all governorates.

He stressed the solidarity of the GCC countries with the Yemeni people and their support to achieve their aspirations for stability, peace, security and development.

Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hussein Ibrahim Taha also praised the Kingdom's announcement.

The OIC chief said he valued the initiative launched by Saudi Arabia and its leadership to support Yemen and alleviate the suffering of its people.



Turkish Parliament Ratifies Makkah Defense Pact

General view of the Turkish Parliament. (Reuters – File Photo)
General view of the Turkish Parliament. (Reuters – File Photo)
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Turkish Parliament Ratifies Makkah Defense Pact

General view of the Turkish Parliament. (Reuters – File Photo)
General view of the Turkish Parliament. (Reuters – File Photo)

Türkiye's parliament ratified a regional defense pact involving Saudi Arabia and Pakistan overnight, state media reported.

The three countries signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement in August, committing them to come to one another's aid if any member is attacked.

Lawmakers approved the measure by 279 votes to 119, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.

During parliamentary debates, ruling AKP lawmaker Ziya Altunyaldiz said the agreement was not directed against any third country and was intended to prevent conflicts rather than escalate them, Anadolu reported.


Coalition Destroys Drone in Makkah, 2 Ballistic Missiles Fired at Najran

Official Spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Official Spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Coalition Destroys Drone in Makkah, 2 Ballistic Missiles Fired at Najran

Official Spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Official Spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Official Spokesperson for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Malki announced on Friday the interception and downing of a drone over the Makkah Region. 

Saudi defenses had earlier destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by the terrorist Houthi militia at Saudi Arabia's Najran, he added. 

Debris fell as a result of the interception, and an assessment of the damage is currently underway. 


Saudi Arabia and Türkiye Seek to Strengthen Security Cooperation

(L) Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif and (R) his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Ciftci. (SPA)
(L) Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif and (R) his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Ciftci. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia and Türkiye Seek to Strengthen Security Cooperation

(L) Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif and (R) his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Ciftci. (SPA)
(L) Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif and (R) his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Ciftci. (SPA)

Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif met his Turkish counterpart, Mustafa Ciftci, in Ankara on Thursday for talks focused on strengthening security cooperation between the two countries.

Prince Abdulaziz said the directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman emphasized the importance of further developing bilateral security cooperation, building on the close ties between the two countries.

Prince Abdulaziz said the two countries' longstanding historical and fraternal ties had set an example of cooperation and coordination across various fields.

He said the Makkah Defense Agreement, signed by Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, reflects the strength of Riyadh-Ankara relations and their converging strategic interests and priorities amid the current geopolitical landscape. The agreement marks an important step that demonstrates the two countries' leaderships' commitment to addressing regional and international crises, he added.

The talks focused on strengthening security cooperation and coordination, including efforts to combat extremist groups and cross-border crimes such as drug smuggling and trafficking, amid regional and global challenges.

Both sides stressed the importance of further strengthening security cooperation in areas of mutual interest, developing partnership frameworks and coordinating efforts on security issues in line with the aspirations of their countries' leaderships.