Saudi Govt Briefed on Biden’s Visit to Kingdom

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs a cabinet meeting in Jeddah on Tuesday. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs a cabinet meeting in Jeddah on Tuesday. (SPA)
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Saudi Govt Briefed on Biden’s Visit to Kingdom

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs a cabinet meeting in Jeddah on Tuesday. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs a cabinet meeting in Jeddah on Tuesday. (SPA)

The Saudi cabinet was briefed on Tuesday on the visit paid to the Kingdom by US President Joe Biden in mid-July.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the meeting that was held at the al-Salam Palace in Jeddah.

Biden’s official two-day visit to the Kingdom included talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, and his attendance of the Gulf-Arab summit.

Biden and Saudi officials tackled the strategic partnership that binds Riyadh and Washington. American and Saudi officials signed 18 agreements during Biden’s visit.

The cabinet was also briefed on the messages received by King Salman from the leaders of Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and Tajikistan and the telephone call Crown Prince Mohammed received from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The ministers hailed the achievements reached during the Kazak president’s visit to Saudi Arabia where he held talks with Crown Prince Mohammed.

Delegations from both countries signed agreements to expand their bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields.

The cabinet reviewed the outcomes of the meetings of the foreign and finance ministers and central bank governors of the G20, held in Bali, Indonesia.

It reiterated Saudi Arabia’s keenness to boost collective efforts aimed at building bridges with regional and international organizations, in order to increase the effectiveness of joint work towards inclusive and sustainable growth and recovery.

The cabinet highlighted Saudi Arabia’s presidency of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Donor Support Group between July 2022 and June 2023. The presidency consolidates the Kingdom’s position among the world’s leading countries in providing development and humanitarian aid.

The cabinet hailed the outcomes of the Five-Year Committee meeting on Yemen. The committee includes Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and US. The meeting stressed the importance of the continuation of the truce between the Yemeni parties, full support for the efforts of the United Nations Special Envoy and continued support for the UN humanitarian response plan.

Locally, the ministers stressed the state’s keenness on taking into consideration the neediest citizens as they face the impact of the global rise in prices.

They noted the state’s allocation of SR20 billion in financial support and measures to control the availability of products and price levels, protect and encourage fair competition, and combat and prevent monopolistic practices.

The cabinet applauded Crown Prince Mohammed’s announcement regarding the National Aspirations and Priorities for Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) for the next two decades.

The aspirations and priorities are: Health and Wellness; Sustainable Environment and Supply of Essential Needs; Energy and Industrial Leadership; and Economies of the Future. They will boost the Kingdom’s global competitiveness and leadership in line with Saudi Vision 2030, and strengthen the Kingdom's position as the largest economy in the region.

The cabinet highlighted the efforts of workers and volunteers in all governmental and private sectors, who contributed to the success of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.



Saudi-Tunisian Joint Committee Kicks Off 12th Session in Riyadh

Alkhorayef stressed that the convening of the 12th session comes at an important time that requires intensified coordination in growth-driving sectors - SPA
Alkhorayef stressed that the convening of the 12th session comes at an important time that requires intensified coordination in growth-driving sectors - SPA
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Saudi-Tunisian Joint Committee Kicks Off 12th Session in Riyadh

Alkhorayef stressed that the convening of the 12th session comes at an important time that requires intensified coordination in growth-driving sectors - SPA
Alkhorayef stressed that the convening of the 12th session comes at an important time that requires intensified coordination in growth-driving sectors - SPA

The 12th session of the Saudi-Tunisian Joint Committee kicked off Sunday in Riyadh, organized by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and bringing together representatives from government entities of both countries to discuss opportunities for expanding cooperation and developing strategic partnerships across various economic and development sectors.

The committee session was co-chaired by Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef and Tunisian Minister of Economy and Planning Dr. Samir Abdelhafidh, attended by official delegations and government sector representatives from both countries, SPA reported.

In his opening remarks, Alkhorayef emphasized the strength of Saudi-Tunisian relations and the brotherly and economic ties between the two countries, which span more than 70 years. He noted that these ties are reflected today in shared visions and ambitious work programs that align with the aspirations of both countries’ leaderships and peoples, as well as their mutual interests.

He pointed out that the Saudi-Tunisian Joint Committee, launched in 1998, represents an institutional framework aimed at translating cooperation into executable programs and initiatives. He expressed his hope that this session would serve as a new starting point for joint strategic projects and more impactful agreements that contribute to the economic development of both countries.

Alkhorayef stressed that the convening of the 12th session comes at an important time that requires intensified coordination in growth-driving sectors. The minister called on companies in both countries to build practical partnerships in promising industries and value chains. He also highlighted the outcomes of the third meeting, held in Tunisia in July 2025, namely the agreements on mutual recognition of product conformity certificates, which positively contributed to a 38% growth in trade exchange through September 2025 compared with the same period last year.

The committee’s current session focused on boosting cooperation mechanisms, discussing investment opportunities, and exchanging expertise in key sectors, including industry, mining, tourism, transport and logistics, and the judiciary and justice sectors. These efforts aim to enhance trade efficiency, support the access of Saudi products to international markets, and strengthen economic and investment cooperation.


77th Saudi Relief Plane for Palestinian People in Gaza Arrives in Egypt

This assistance is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian support to alleviate the difficult living conditions faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza - SPA
This assistance is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian support to alleviate the difficult living conditions faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza - SPA
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77th Saudi Relief Plane for Palestinian People in Gaza Arrives in Egypt

This assistance is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian support to alleviate the difficult living conditions faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza - SPA
This assistance is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian support to alleviate the difficult living conditions faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza - SPA

The 77th Saudi relief airplane, operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center in coordination with the Ministry of Defense and the Kingdom’s Embassy in Cairo, arrived Sunday at El Arish International Airport in Egypt.

The airplane carried food baskets and shelter kits destined for those affected in the Gaza Strip, SPA reported.

This assistance is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing humanitarian support, provided through the center, to alleviate the difficult living conditions faced by the Palestinian people in Gaza.


Saudi Defense Minister: Time for STC to Withdraw from Yemen's Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Defense Minister: Time for STC to Withdraw from Yemen's Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said on Saturday it “was time for the Southern Transitional Council in Yemen to listen to reason and prioritize public interest and unity of ranks and respond to the Saudi-Emirati mediation to end the escalation.”

In a post on the X platform, he called on the STC to withdraw its forces from the eastern Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces and restore control to the National Shield and local authorities.

Prince Khalid said Saudi Arabia formed the Arab coalition to restore legitimacy in Yemen to help the country reclaim control over all of its territories.

The liberation of southern provinces was a pivotal development towards that goal, he stressed.

Saudi Arabia “views the southern issue as fundamental” to Yemen and it will not “exploit it in conflicts that do not serve” the nation, he added.

The Kingdom had brought together all Yemeni components to the Riyadh conference to come up with a clear path for a comprehensive political solution, including the southern issue, he went on to say.

The conference paved the way for a “just solution to their cause through dialogue and without the use of forces.”

“Saudi Arabia approved the decision to move the base of power so that the southerners could have a greater role in state institutions. It consolidated partnership instead of elimination or imposing a status quo through forces. Saudi Arabia also presented Yemen with economic support, as well as development and humanitarian initiatives that helped ease the suffering of the people,” Prince Khalid added.

“Saudi Arabia and its partners in the coalition offered sacrifices with their Yemeni brothers in liberating Aden and other provinces,” he noted. “The Kingdom has always sought that these sacrifices be made in the name of reclaiming territories and restoring the state, not as a path towards new conflicts.”

It had hoped that these sacrifices would have been “invested in the security of all Yemeni people, not exploited for petty gains, whereby the unfortunate developments in Hadhramaut and al-Mahra since the beginning of December 2025 have led to the division in ranks that should be united against the enemy.”

“The developments have laid waste to the sacrifices of our sons and Yemeni people and have harmed the just southern issue,” stressed Prince Khalid.

He noted that several southern leaderships and figures have exhibited “awareness and wisdom in supporting efforts to end the escalation in Hadhramaut and al-Mahra and prevent the secure southern provinces from being dragged into futile conflicts.”

“They are aware of the major challenges facing Yemen and will not allow saboteurs to achieve their goals in the country and the region,” he remarked.

He declared that the “southern issue will remain part of any comprehensive political solution. The cause will not be neglected or marginalized. It should be resolved through consensus, adhering to commitments and building trust between all Yemeni segments, not through adventures that only serve everyone's enemy.”