Saudi Arabia Highlights Importance of Global Cooperation to Support World Economy

Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal bin Fadhil Al-Ibrahim addresses the G20 Development Ministers Meeting. SPA
Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal bin Fadhil Al-Ibrahim addresses the G20 Development Ministers Meeting. SPA
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Saudi Arabia Highlights Importance of Global Cooperation to Support World Economy

Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal bin Fadhil Al-Ibrahim addresses the G20 Development Ministers Meeting. SPA
Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal bin Fadhil Al-Ibrahim addresses the G20 Development Ministers Meeting. SPA

Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal bin Fadhil Al-Ibrahim has underlined the Kingdom’s steadfast commitment to renewing global cooperation and achieving the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Al-Ibrahim said the G20 Development Ministers’ Meeting was an opportunity to work more closely and put forward concrete actions to support developing countries and foster inclusive, resilient, socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable recovery efforts and, as the world’s fastest-growing economy, the Kingdom is proud to renew and reaffirm its commitment towards achieving these goals.

“International cooperation is a key priority for the Kingdom, and we remain more committed than ever to work closely with our international partners to achieve the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs,” SPA quoted him as saying.

“To do this, we must restore faith in the multilateral framework. We are fully aligned with the G20 Ministerial vision statement’s claim that multilateralism is not an option but a necessity if we want to create a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable world.”

Saudi Arabia has already taken steps to accelerate its path toward achieving the UN 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.

Rapid and decisive measures taken by the Kingdom’s government have enabled the country to limit the impact of COVID-19 on the economy which set the foundation for today’s robust growth.

In June, the Ministry of Economy and Planning and the United Nations resident Coordinator’s Office in Riyadh signed the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.



Qatar PM Says Gaza Ceasefire Talks Make Some Progress

FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
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Qatar PM Says Gaza Ceasefire Talks Make Some Progress

FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The minaret of the Great Omari Mosque, which was hit in previous Israeli strike during the war, stands damaged in Gaza City, March 17, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas/File Photo

Qatar's prime minister said on Sunday that efforts to reach a new ceasefire in Gaza have made some progress but an agreement between Israel and Hamas to end the war remains elusive.

"We have seen on Thursday a bit of progress compared to other meetings yet we need to find an answer for the ultimate question: how to end this war. That's the key point of the entire negotiations," said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as foreign minister, Reuters reported.

Mossad Director David Barnea traveled to Doha on Thursday to meet Sheikh Mohammed amid efforts to reach a new ceasefire in Gaza, Axios reported last week.

Sheikh Mohammed didn't say which elements of the ceasefire talks had progressed in recent days, but said Hamas and Israel remained at odds over the ultimate goal of negotiations.

He said the militant group is willing to return all remaining Israeli hostages if Israel ends the war in Gaza. But Israel wants Hamas to release the remaining hostages without offering a clear vision on ending the war, he said.

"When you don't have a common objective, a common goal between the parties, I believe the opportunities (to end the war) become very thin," Sheikh Mohammed said at a press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Fidan said talks Turkish officials have held with Hamas had shown the group would be more open to an agreement that goes beyond a ceasefire in Gaza and aims for a lasting solution to the crisis with Israel, including a two-state solution.

Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza on March 18 after a January ceasefire collapsed, saying it would keep up pressure on Hamas until it frees the remaining hostages still held in the enclave. Up to 24 of them are believed to still be alive.

The Gaza war started after Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack. Since then, Israel's offensive on the enclave killed more than 51,400, according to local health officials.