Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen Completes 91 Km of Al Abr Road Expansion

Vehicles travel on the Al Abr Road that serves as a crucial link between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Vehicles travel on the Al Abr Road that serves as a crucial link between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen Completes 91 Km of Al Abr Road Expansion

Vehicles travel on the Al Abr Road that serves as a crucial link between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Vehicles travel on the Al Abr Road that serves as a crucial link between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) has completed the second phase of Al Abr Road expansion and rehabilitation project, extending 40 kilometers from Al-Duwaibi to Ghuwariban, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Thursday.

The first phase, covering 50 kilometers from Al-Duwaibi to Al Abr in Hadhramaut, was completed in May 2024, bringing the total completed length to 91 kilometers.

Al Abr Road is a vital part of Yemen's transportation network. It is an important route connecting three major governorates - Marib, Hadhramaut, and Shabwa - and serves as a crucial link between Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

The expansion and rehabilitation project is a significant contributor to bolstering economic and social development in Yemen, improving access to regional and international markets, and facilitating the movement of people and goods between the Kingdom and Yemen.

In a step reflecting the integration of development projects and initiatives offered through SDRPY to support the transportation sector, the program is also working on the rehabilitation of Al-Wadiah Border Crossing, one of the most important land crossings.

These two projects contribute to stimulating commercial and investment activity both through the crossing and in the surrounding areas along Al Abr Road. This underscores the program's vital role in supporting infrastructure, boosting economic activity, creating job opportunities, boosting trade between the two countries, and contributing to sustainable development in Yemen.

The Al-Wadiah Border Crossing rehabilitation project includes the construction of new buildings and the rehabilitation of existing ones, as well as infrastructure improvements such as roads, open spaces, site enhancements, surveillance systems, and strengthened water and power sources at the crossing.

The improvements aim to boost services for travelers and strengthen economic and trade relations between the two peoples.

SDRPY provides support to the transportation sector in Yemen through 31 comprehensive development projects and initiatives. These include the rehabilitation of airports, increasing the capacity of ports, and improving the efficiency of border crossings.

The program also includes the rehabilitation of approximately 150 kilometers of vital roads across various Yemeni governorates, which represent a significant contribution to the country's economy.



New KSrelief Aid Convoy Crosses Rafah to Deliver Food Baskets to Gaza

The latest KSrelief convoy was carrying food baskets for the people of Gaza. (SPA)
The latest KSrelief convoy was carrying food baskets for the people of Gaza. (SPA)
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New KSrelief Aid Convoy Crosses Rafah to Deliver Food Baskets to Gaza

The latest KSrelief convoy was carrying food baskets for the people of Gaza. (SPA)
The latest KSrelief convoy was carrying food baskets for the people of Gaza. (SPA)

A new humanitarian aid convoy from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) crossed the Rafah border into Gaza on Friday with essential food baskets for Palestinians affected by the ongoing crisis, as part of the Saudi fundraising campaign to aid the Palestinian people.

The Saudi Center for Culture and Heritage, KSrelief’s implementing partner, has established several new camps in Al-Qarara area of southern Gaza and Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis in preparation for winter.

Through these efforts, KSrelief aims to alleviate the severe suffering caused by the dire living conditions in Gaza, ensuring that vital food and shelter reach those in the most vulnerable areas.


Joint Military 'Gulf Shield Exercise 2026' Concludes in Saudi Arabia

Flags of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at an event (AFP)
Flags of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at an event (AFP)
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Joint Military 'Gulf Shield Exercise 2026' Concludes in Saudi Arabia

Flags of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at an event (AFP)
Flags of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at an event (AFP)

The joint military "Gulf Shield Exercise 2026" concluded in Saudi Arabia on Friday, with the participation of the air forces and air-defense forces of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, alongside the GCC Unified Military Command, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The exercise was conducted as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen regional defense cooperation and enhance combat readiness.

Its maneuvers included advanced operational scenarios featuring simulations of multidimensional air and missile threats, joint air maneuvers, and integrated field exercises, with a focus on improving operational integration, strengthening command-and-control systems, and enhancing operational efficiency within a joint operational environment.
The exercise seeks to develop qualitative military capabilities, bolster combat readiness to confront current, emerging, and future threats, and entrench the concepts of collective defense and flexible deterrence, thereby contributing to the region's security and stability.

Gulf Shield Exercise 2026 is regarded as one of the key pillars of military cooperation among GCC countries, reflecting ongoing efforts to enhance defense integration and strengthen the capacity to respond to regional and international challenges.

At the conclusion of the exercise, the participating forces carried out a joint aerial display that demonstrated a high level of harmony and operational integration, as well as their ability to plan and execute in accordance with unified operational concepts and advanced professional standards.


Saudi Arabia Expresses Deep Regret over Damage to Qatari Embassy in Kyiv

 Smoke rises in the city after Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 9, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in the city after Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 9, 2026. (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia Expresses Deep Regret over Damage to Qatari Embassy in Kyiv

 Smoke rises in the city after Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 9, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in the city after Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 9, 2026. (Reuters)

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed on Saturday the Kingdom’s deep regret over the damage sustained by the Qatari Embassy in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, as a result of recent shelling.

The ministry stressed the need to protect diplomatic missions and their personnel in line with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The ministry reiterated the Kingdom's support for all diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the Russian-Ukrainian crisis through peaceful means.