RIYADH: The Saudi Ambassador to Yemen and the Spokesman of Arab Coalition Forces Supporting Legitimacy in Yemen outlined the humanitarian operation there at a meeting at the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.
Ambassador Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Jaber, who is also Director of Comprehensive Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Yemen, and Col. Turki Al-Malki met in the presence of a number of ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps to explain the humanitarian needs of the Yemeni people and the delivery of shipments and oil derivatives to all Yemen regions, including Sana’a and Hodeidah.
Among the most important goals of the plan was consideration of the threat posed by Iranian-backed Houthi coup militias to the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the countries of the region and the waterways of international trade. The Houthi militias had fired more than 250 ballistic missiles, more than 80 of them targeting the Kingdom.
They added that humanitarian contributions amounted to more than $900 million, including direct and indirect aid to Yemeni displaced people and joint programs with the Yemeni government worth more than $8 billion.
The comprehensive humanitarian plan for Yemen includes delivering four mobile cranes for the World Food Programme (WFP) and installing them in Hodeidah port. The plans aim to increase the capacity of the Yemeni ports and to make Yemen capable of receiving imports amounting to 1.4 million metric tons per month compared to 1.1 million metric tons per month in 2017.
It also aims to increase the capacity of the Yemeni ports in Aden, Mukalla and Mokha to 500,000 metric tons per month of oil derivatives as soon as possible, up from 250,000 metric tons per month in 2017.
They said that they plan to increase capacity in these ports by installing four mobile cranes, two in Mokha and one in Aden and Makala, in addition to other logistics’ projects in these ports, such as power generators and warehouses.
Jazan port will be used to receive goods because of its proximity to northern Yemen. The comprehensive humanitarian operation includes establishing an airlift in Marib to deliver key humanitarian aid and medical assistance by C-130 aircraft carriers through three border crossings from Saudi Arabia to Yemen, namely Al-Tuwal, to serve the Hajjah governorate of Yemen and Khadra to serve the governorates of Saada, Al-Jawf and Al- Wadi’ah.
The coalition will establish safe corridors to ensure delivery and distribution of aid and shipments to all Yemeni regions, to be used by United Nations agencies and other humanitarian organizations, they said, pointing out that the coalition will also allow the entry of fuel shipments, food shipments and humanitarian shipments to Hodeidah port for a month.
If the Houthi militias continue to refuse the plan, the port of Hodeidah will remain open exclusively for shipments of humanitarian aid, relief, medical supplies, and trade food shipments, they said.
These measures will also be applied to the port of Salib, as the fuel and non-food cargoes would be transferred to other cities, including Sana’a, Hodeidah and other areas, through safe corridors. The coalition will bear the cost of delivering to Houthi- controlled areas, maintaining the previous price level.
They said that Saudi Arabia will provide oil derivatives to Yemen to support the economy and alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people. The coalition will provide the Central Bank of Yemen with a deposit to maintain control of the exchange rates and improve the living conditions of the Yemeni people.
Yemen humanitarian operation explained at Saudi meeting
Yemen humanitarian operation explained at Saudi meeting
Saudi crown prince receives leaders on sidelines of special WEF meeting
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received the emir of Kuwait and the prime minister of Iraq separately in Riyadh on Sunday.
During the meetings with Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, the crown prince discussed aspects of relations between the Kingdom and Kuwait and Iraq. Opportunities to develop relations in various fields were also discussed.
Leaders and officials are in Riyadh to attend the World Economic Forum’s special meeting on global collaboration, growth and energy for development that is currently taking place in the capital. The meeting will end on Monday.
Saudi FM: Commitment to two-state solution only way to prevent Gaza war reoccurring
- ‘It’s good that we hear most of our partners and the international community support that notion,’ Prince Faisal says
RIYADH: Only a real commitment to a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict can prevent the war in Gaza from reoccurring, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Sunday.
“We in the region are not going to focus only on solving the crisis of the moment, we’re going to look at how we can solve the bigger problem in the context of Gaza. That is, a real commitment to a two-state solution, that is, a credible, irreversible path to a Palestinian state,” he told the World Economic Forum’s special meeting in Riyadh.
“That’s the only reasonable and credible solution that guarantees us from not having to come back to this same situation two, three, four years down the line.”
He added that it was up to the international community, especially those countries that have the most influence, and the UN Security Council to help implement the solution.
“It’s good that we hear most of our partners and the international community support that notion. Now we have to translate that into reality.
“We need to move from talk, to action, to concrete steps. And it can’t be left up to the warring parties. We, the international community, and especially those countries that have the most influence, the most impact, the Security Council have to step in,” he said.
Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Ali Sabry echoed Prince Faisal’s call and said the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would not be resolved until a two-state solution came into effect.
“I’ve always advocated the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, because that’s the underlying problem. Until you resolve that … you will probably have a short-term pause, but it will recur with even greater vengeance. So we don’t want that, we want a solution to this once and for all,” he said.
Prince Faisal said the Kingdom would do everything it could to push in the direction of a two-state solution and that he was hopeful the international community would do the right thing and make the concept a reality.
“If we all agree that the Palestinian state and giving the Palestinians their right, is the solution that gives everybody what they need: security, stability, their rights, then we should all decide we’re going to invest all of our resources in making that happen.
“If we make that decision, the pathway will unfold before us, even if there are those that will try to stop it. There are levers clear, there are levers hidden, that can push us in that direction. So I want to be hopeful … and I know that we as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will do everything we can to push in that direction.
“And hopefully, the international community, given everything that has happened and given the risks involved in not doing the right thing, will come along, and we’re working with our partners, the Europeans among them and many others, to try and translate that intent into reality,” Prince Faisal said.
Saudi Environment Ministry honors first female veterinary graduates
- The women honored were from King Faisal University
- Event showcased the ministry’s commitment to supporting and empowering women and would help to create new job opportunities for them
RIYADH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in Al-Ahsa on Saturday honored the Kingdom’s first female veterinary graduates.
The event, held on World Veterinary Day, was staged in cooperation with the National Center for the Prevention and Control of Plant Pests and Animal Diseases and attended by officials and stakeholders from the veterinary field, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The women honored were from King Faisal University.
The report said the event showcased the ministry’s commitment to supporting and empowering women and would help to create new job opportunities for them.
Vets play a vital role in public health as the first line of defense against diseases that affect both humans and animals. Their contributions include diagnosing and preventing the spread of disease and providing care.
The ministry said the national center supported vets in fulfilling that role by providing resources and mechanisms.
The center is also committed to creating an environment that fosters the growth of veterinary work and promotes sustainable development in the agricultural sector.
Saudi FM leads Gaza committee urging sanctions on Israel
- Ministers also addressed the repression faced by peaceful demonstrators in Western nations who advocate for an end to the conflict in Gaza
RIYADH: Ministers gathering in Riyadh to discuss the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip stressed the urgent need for imposing sanctions on Israel, the Saudi Press Agency reported Sunday.
Chaired by Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, the meeting comprising dignitaries from a group formed jointly by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Arab League convened to address developments in Gaza.
The ministers called for international legal mechanisms to hold Israeli officials accountable, alongside decisive action against settler terrorism.
The officials from Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Palestine, Qatar and the OIC advocated for halting arms exports in response to Israel's violations of international law and war crimes in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
It was strongly asserted during the meeting that the Gaza Strip constitutes an inseparable part of the occupied Palestinian territory, rejecting any attempts to displace the Palestinian population from their homeland or to carry out military operations within the city of Rafah.
Ministers also addressed the repression faced by peaceful demonstrators in Western nations who advocate for an end to the conflict in Gaza and condemn Israeli violations against Palestinians.
The meeting also focused on enhancing joint Arab and Islamic efforts to achieve an immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza, with a priority on safeguarding civilian lives and ensuring the consistent delivery of humanitarian aid.
There was a commitment to persist in international endeavors aimed at recognizing an independent Palestinian state. This included the endorsement of a two-state solution, with East Jerusalem as its capital within the borders of June 4, 1967, in alignment with relevant international resolutions.
Saudi deputy minister attends 50th Arab Labor Conference
RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for Labor, Abdullah bin Nasser Abu Thanin, led the Saudi delegation at the 50th session of the Arab Labor Conference, being held from April 27 to May 4 in Baghdad.
Labor ministers, heads and members of delegations from employers’ organizations, and labor unions from 21 Arab countries, along with representatives from the Arab League and other Arab and international organizations, are attending the conference.
The opening session of the conference included the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani; Arab League Secretary-General, Ahmed Aboul Gheit; and Director General of the International Labor Organization, Gilbert Houngbo.
During the plenary session of the conference, Abu Thanin delivered a speech in which he emphasized the importance of early qualification and training to meet the labor market’s needs, highlighting technical, personal, and social skills as well as modern work patterns.
Abu Thanin also highlighted the Kingdom’s significant commitment to investing in and developing human resources through the Vision 2030 programs and labor market strategy, along with its various initiatives.
He also pointed out the ministry’s initiative in holding the Global Labor Market Conference in partnership with the International Labor Organization and the World Bank, with the participation of a group of international experts and specialists with the aim of setting plans for future changes in the labor market.
The conference participants are expected to discuss several issues and reports, including the arrangement and coordination of Arab participation in the activities of the upcoming International Labor Conference organized by the International Labor Organization, scheduled to be held in Geneva.
The Arab Labor Organization is one of the organizations of the Arab League, established in 1965. It is considered the first specialized Arab organization concerned with labor and workers’ affairs at the level of the Arab world.
