CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi inaugurated the Mohammed Najib military base on Saturday in Al-Hammam area west of Alexandria.
The inauguration was attended by a Saudi delegation headed by Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal as well as delegations from other Arab countries.
In a speech during the ceremony, El-Sisi said: “The presence of Arab brothers at the inauguration of the Mohammed Najib military base highlights the unity of the Arabs and the common destiny of Arab countries and their peoples, as well as their constructive cooperation to face the challenges of the Arab nation.”
He warned countries interfering in Egyptian internal affairs: “You will not be able to undermine Egypt or our brothers in the region. We will not let anyone interfere in our affairs, and similarly, we will not interfere in others’ affairs… Each country should enjoy its own privacy despite shared religion, culture and region.”
El-Sisi said: “We all stand here today to tell the whole world that we are working together to build and not destroy, cooperate and not conspire, maintain peace and not spread strife and conflict between nations and peoples.”
He added that Egypt is engaged in two major battles: Counterterrorism and achieving economic and social development.
El-Sisi said terrorism is a complex phenomenon that has many aspects, the most important of which is perhaps the role of countries and parties sponsoring and financing it.
“It is impossible to forgive those who finance terrorism with billions of dollars, leading to the killing of our citizens, while boasting about the rights of brothers and neighbors,” he said, adding that Egypt will keep promoting peace and will never submit to threats of terrorism.
The Saudi delegation included Interior Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Saud bin Naif; Dr. Essam bin Saad bin Said, minister of state, Cabinet member and acting minister of civil service; and Ambassador to Egypt Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz Qattan.
El-Sisi also attended the ceremony of new graduates from various faculties and military institutes, and inspected, with Arab delegations, troops taking part in the parade.
Participants attended an aerial show of Rafale aircraft, followed by a presentation of two separate F-16 models.
Saudi delegation attends inauguration of Egypt military base
Saudi delegation attends inauguration of Egypt military base
Saudi Arabia advances in Universal Health Coverage index
- Life expectancy in Kingdom rose from 74 in 2016 to 79.7 in 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has made notable progress in the Universal Health Coverage Service Coverage Index, reinforcing its position among leading nations in global health indicators, according to the latest data released by the World Health Organization and the World Bank.
The Kingdom recorded a score of 83 points in the latest UHC update, marking a nine-point increase within two years and placing Saudi Arabia among countries classified as having high-level health service coverage.
The steady rise reflects sustained improvements over the past two decades and underscores the impact of the Kingdom’s Health Sector Transformation Program under Saudi Vision 2030.
The UHC Service Coverage Index is one of the internationally recognized Sustainable Development Goal indicators and measures access to essential health services across key areas, including preventive care, treatment, and system capacity.
Progress in the index is closely linked to broader development outcomes such as improved quality of life, reduced disease burden, and enhanced social well-being.
Saudi Arabia’s advancement has been driven by a strategic focus on preventive healthcare, strengthened primary care services, expanded early screening programs, and increased health system readiness.
The transformation has also been supported by rapid digitalization, including platforms such as Sehhaty and the Seha Virtual Hospital, which have expanded access to care and improved service efficiency nationwide.
These reforms have translated into measurable public health gains. Life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rose from 74 years in 2016 to about 79.7 in 2025, bringing the Kingdom close to its Vision 2030 target of 80 years and highlighting the effectiveness of preventive and treatment programs.
Health Minister Fahad Abdulrahman AlJalajel said the progress reflected the tangible outcomes of Vision 2030 and sustained leadership support.
He said: “The improvements we see today in international health indicators demonstrate the real impact of the Kingdom’s health transformation, which prioritizes prevention, primary care empowerment, and digital health solutions. Raising life expectancy to 79.7 years is the result of an integrated effort focused on improving people’s health and quality of life.”
Saudi Arabia’s progress in the UHC index further strengthens its standing among G20 countries and underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to building a more efficient, resilient, and sustainable health system, with people at the center of national development.
