WASHINGTON: Photos of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Donald Trump meeting at the White House were published on the front pages of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, in what some commentators saw as a public relations coup for Saudi Arabia.
The New York Times headlined its story: “Saudi Prince’s White House Visit Reinforces Trump’s Commitment to Heir Apparent.”
The crown prince has dominated a significant amount of the capital’s attention this week and the glowing headlines would have been warmly welcomed by the Kingdom’s officials.
“The early judgment appears to be that US opinion hopes that MBS’s social and economic reforms will succeed, for the benefit of the Kingdom and the wider Middle East,” said Simon Henderson, director of the Gulf and energy policy program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Trump was effusive in his welcome of the Saudi royal, in remarks that received wide press coverage in the US.
The US president hailed the US-Saudi relationship as “probably the strongest it has ever been.”
“We understand each other,” Trump told reporters. “Saudi Arabia is a very wealthy nation, and they’re going to give the United States some of that wealth, hopefully, in the form of jobs, in the form of the purchase of the finest military equipment anywhere in the world.”
The US public has been suspicious of Saudi Arabia, largely since the attacks of 9/11. In reality, the two countries have long been allies, and working in close cooperation on issues of security and economics.
The Kingdom has been trying to remake its public image in the United States to reflect that fact.
Dov Zakheim, board director at the Atlantic Council, a leading US think tank, said Saudi Arabia would be delighted with the coverage.
“All of this is a clear public relations victory for Saudi and for MBS,” he said.
Zakheim cited an interview with the crown prince on the CBS flagship “60 Minutes” show on Sunday. The show, known for its critical and hard-hitting investigations, gave a highly favorable portrayal.
“There is a change there. It’s not a major change, but it’s enough of a change for American policymakers to feel comfortable doing what America has been doing for years, which is cooperating (with Saudi Arabia),” Zakheim said.
Trump and the crown prince held talks in Washington on Tuesday. Appearing together before the press, Trump talked at length about arms sales and business deals between Saudi and the US, which he said would create jobs for American workers.
The crown prince seemed relaxed and happy as he and the US president fielded questions from the media in a televised appearance.
“The optics are all good,” said Jim Smith, a former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia under President Barack Obama.
But he expressed concern that Trump’s preoccupation with weapons deals was not the best way for the US to support Saudi reform efforts.
“All the White House wanted to talk about was defense sales and the political message of jobs in the US,” he said.
On Tuesday evening, the crown prince had dinner with Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, together with Michael Bell, a senior National Security Council official, and Jason Greenblatt, Trump’s Middle East peace envoy.
They talked about Trump’s hopes to start a new Middle East peace process. Experts agree there is little appetite among the Israelis and Palestinians for talks on terms set by the Trump administration.
Public relations successes aside, confusion remained about the exact outcome of the US-Saudi talks within the US foreign policy establishment and among Middle East watchers in the US capital.
“How does one measure success in Washington? The meeting with President Trump appeared to go well, but the president is fickle,” Henderson, of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said in an emailed response to questions from the Arab News.
Saudi crown prince woos US media with promises of reform
Saudi crown prince woos US media with promises of reform
Green cover in Imam Turki Royal Reserve grows to 8.5%
RIYADH: Green cover in the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve has grown to 8.5 percent, the reserve’s development authority has said, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Covering an area of 91,000 sq. km, the reserve is located in the northeastern part of the Kingdom. It is a popular destination for visitors, particularly people interested in eco-tourism, bird watching, hiking and similar activities.
Based on research and field studies, the authority said that the reserve has experienced significant plant growth since last spring, driven by improved air quality and reduced severity of dust storms in several central regions of the Kingdom.
The reserve has planted more than 600,000 trees through desert forestation projects, in line with the national targets of the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to plant more than 600 million trees by 2030, the SPA reported.
The reserve authority’s efforts focus on protecting wildlife, restoring environmental balance and reviving vegetation cover. The rate of green cover across the reserve has grown from 1.4 percent in 2018 to the 8.5 percent recorded this year.
More than 180 plant species from 38 plant families have been identified in the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve, representing 7.5 percent of the total plant species in the Kingdom, according to the SPA.
The reserve also offers cultural experiences, allowing visitors to interact with the local Bedouin communities, learn about their traditional way of life and enjoy authentic cuisine.
It is one of six royal reserves in Saudi Arabia, established in 2018 by royal order. Within the reserve, there are villages and deserts where about 80,000 to 100,000 people reside.
Saudi authorities arrest 19,662 illegals in one week
RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 19,662 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
According to an official report, a total of 12,436 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 4,464 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 2,762 for labor-related issues.
The report showed that among the 1,233 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 65 percent were Ethiopian, 31 percent Yemeni, and 4 percent were of other nationalities.
A further 96 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and nine were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators.
The Saudi Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom, including providing transportation and shelter, could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000), as well as confiscation of vehicles and property.
Suspected violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.
Muslim World League, Malaysia to host religious leaders forum on May 7
RIYADH: The Malaysian prime minister, in partnership with the Muslim World League, is set to host the largest international conference for religious leaders in Asia.
The event, titled “Promoting Harmony Among Followers of Religions,” will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital, on Tuesday.
The conference is expected to welcome about 2,000 religious and intellectual figures from 57 countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and MWL Secretary-General Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa will take part in the event.
The conference will focus on themes including pluralism, tolerance, moderation, education, building bridges and inclusivity, the SPA said.
It aims to highlight the role of religion in promoting world peace, enhancing solidarity among peoples and exploring civilizational cooperation.
The conference will also launch initiatives based on the Makkah Declaration and promote religious values.
Saudi aid agency assists Yemen, Pakistan, Lebanon and Sudan
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief continues to provide health, food, and shelter assistance to those in need in Yemen, Pakistan, Lebanon, and Sudan, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
In Yemen, KSrelief recently delivered emergency aid to people affected by flash floods in the Al-Abr district of Hadramout governorate. The aid included 146 tents, 200 shelter bags, and 360 food baskets.
KSrelief also launched a measles vaccination campaign for children in Yemen’s Hajjah governorate. Governor Abdulkarim Al-Sunaini urged residents to cooperate with health teams, emphasizing the importance of these campaigns in combating the spread of viral diseases. He also thanked Saudi Arabia for its rapid response to the needs of the Yemeni people.
The vaccination campaign targets children and teens and includes awareness and health education efforts. It will also include monitoring pregnant women to gather data for health-service planning and promote early child immunization.
To achieve these goals, the campaign employs eight permanent centers and seven mobile teams across Midi, Hiran, Abs, and Haradh in Hajjah governorate, and Razih in Saada governorate. The plan is that the campaign will result in the vaccination of more than 15,000 children.
In Pakistan, KSrelief distributed 355 food baskets in the Dera Ismail Khan area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, benefiting 2,485 individuals from vulnerable groups in flood-affected areas.
KSrelief also continues its Al-Amal Charitable Bakery project in Akkar governorate and Miniyeh district in Lebanon, providing 25,000 bundles of bread daily to families in need, including Syrian and Palestinian refugees and local communities in northern Lebanon. This initiative supports 62,500 individuals.
In Sudan, KSrelief distributed 300 food baskets to needy families and displaced groups in the Abu Halima region of Khartoum state, reaching 1,800 people.
The SPA stated that these initiatives “reflect Saudi Arabia’s commitment to humanitarian aid through KSrelief, aimed at alleviating suffering during humanitarian crises worldwide.”
Environment Week events put Saudi Arabia’s leadership role in the limelight
- Riyadh hosts series of discussions focused on the challenges posted by drought, desertification and land degradation
- Unsustainable agricultural practices, overgrazing, deforestation and soil erosion seen contributing to desertification
RIYADH: The region of Middle East and North Africa is known for its hot, dry climate and scarce water resources. The harsh climatic conditions are a contributing factor to the region’s perennial scourge of drought, desertification and land degradation.
These challenges result in imbalances in different ecosystems, harming especially the agriculture sector and imposing economic hardship on local populations. The growing importance of this regional issue has been a motivating factor for Saudi Arabia to host regular discussions.
This week, Environment Week, has been an opportunity to take stock of the challenges ahead and the progress made so far. Events organized during Environment Week highlighted Saudi Arabia’s leadership role in environmental preservation and sustainable development.
Environmentalists were given a forum to exchange on a range of subjects, with the emphasis naturally on drought, desertification and land degradation. For this occasion, Arab News interviewed Ibrahim Thiaw, executive secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Riyadh.
“It has become extremely difficult for humanity to cope with the frequency of challenges,” he said. “Saudi Arabia is playing a very important role of course. It is not a small economy, therefore the demand for support from Saudi Arabia is also growing.”
Thiaw spoke of some of the outcomes of land degradation and drought such as the increase of irregular migration due to land degradation and drought. “You will likely see more competition of land and water, and therefore, more conflict,” he said.
Drought, a major problem in many Middle East countries, has put water resources under stress in tandem with rising temperatures. Both surface water and groundwater reserves are failing owing to declining precipitation and rising evaporation rates.
As a result, rivers and lakes are drying up and water shortages have become a serious problem. Moreover, because of multiple environmental reasons, including drought, the region has been experiencing frequent sandstorms.
“There are around 50 countries that are sources of dust storms, but there are 150 countries that are affected by this phenomenon. Therefore, it has become a global issue,” Thiaw said, speaking about the impact of dust storms in one nation on another.
“You may use one country to shine a spotlight on dust storms, but these constitute a global phenomenon that we all need to address. To do that, you need global treaties like the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, which at the moment has 197 parties. So, it is a universal body and has a summit, a meeting every two years.
“The next meeting will be held here in Riyadh in December 2024, where the 197 countries will come together at the level of heads of state, at the level of ministers and the level of experts, communities and NGOs and civil society organizations, to discuss just that, namely the consequences of land degradation and drought on the lives and livelihoods of communities.”
Furthermore, experts point out that drought and desertification influence each other. Desertification, the process by which fertile land transforms into arid desert, is another significant challenge confronting countries of the Middle East and North Africa. Unsustainable agricultural practices, overgrazing, deforestation and soil erosion all contribute to the problem.
Consequently, arable land is lost and food production decreases, exacerbating the problem of food insecurity. Desertification also leads to the displacement of communities, according to Thaiaw, as people are forced to migrate in search of more habitable areas.
Speaking to Arab News on the occasion of Environment Week in Riyadh, Elizabeth Mrema, deputy executive director of the United Nations Environment Program, offered her views on the crisis of desertification.
“As far as Saudi Arabia is concerned, the country has clearly seen its impact and treated it as a priority for this year. I am saying ‘this year’ because at the UN Environmental Assembly at the end of February, Saudi Arabia took the lead on an initiative to combat degradation. It went through and was adopted, and that was on a global level,” said Mrema.
“Beyond that, this country next month, on June 5, will host World Environment Day. This day is celebrated every year. It is global because it was adopted by the UN General Assembly. This year, it is being hosted by Saudi Arabia.
“This year Saudi Arabia will host the UN Conference to Combat Desertification. It will be hosted here with the theme ‘Our land, our future’ again, Land is the focus.”
Additionally, the combination of drought and desertification in one area leads to land degradation, further compounding the Middle East's environmental crisis. Soil erosion, salinization, and depletion of soil nutrients are some of the results of land degradation.
As agricultural productivity declines worldwide, farmers face key challenges in securing their livelihoods, in addition to the fact that the environmental problems heighten ecosystem vulnerability, which also leads to biodiversity loss and ecosystem imbalance.
“Saudi Arabia is showing the world that this is a global issue. The initiatives which have been taken by the government in recent years demonstrate the commitment in dealing with these issues,” said Mrema.
“I look at the Saudi Vision 2030, I look at the environmental strategies of 2018, I look at the Saudi Green Initiative. I look at the Middle East Green Initiative with a commitment to reach a regional level to plant 50 billion trees, 10 of which Saudi Arabia has committed to plant in this country. And not in committed in words, but put an institution to lead the road, to make sure that this is happening.”
Addressing the three challenges of drought, desertification and land degradation in the Middle East requires a multifaceted approach. Thiaw and Mrema were of the view that governments, international organizations and local communities need to work together to implement sustainable water management strategies, promote efficient irrigation technologies and invest in renewable energy sources.
Additionally, they said, reforestation efforts and the protection of natural habitats can help reduce desertification and land degradation.
Raising awareness about the importance of sustainable land use practices and supporting affected communities is an important step toward long-term solutions for both the Middle East and North Africa region and the world.
To sum up, countries of the Middle East and North Africa are suffering from effects of intensifying drought, desertification and land degradation. Urgent action is required to reverse this trend and ensure regional environmental sustainability.
By adopting sustainable methods, investing in water management, and promoting conservation actions, communities of the region will be able to reduce the severity of these challenges and assure themselves of a more resilient future.
