DHAHRAN: Arab League leaders on Sunday condemned the “criminal” use of chemical weapons in Syria and called for an international investigation, the Saudi foreign minister said.
Adel Al-Jubeir was speaking at a news conference after the end of an Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia, which had not mentioned Syria in a statement read out at the close.
Saudi Arabia and its allies have expressed support for the missile launch by the United States, Britain and France on Saturday against three alleged chemical weapons facilities in Syria, while Arab states like Iraq and Lebanon have condemned them.
The Syrian government denies using or possessing chemical weapons and said the strikes were an act of aggression.
Meanwhile, at a preliminary meeting in Riyadh on Thursday, Arab ministers focused heavily on blocking the embassy move, unanimously condemning US President DonaldTrump’s decision and moving to block Israel’s bid to secure at seat at the UN Security Council this June.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir however insisted Riyadh would maintain “strong, strategic” ties with Washington.
“There is no contradiction with having very strong strategic ties with the US while telling your friends where their policy should change,” Jubeir said.
“That’s what friends are for.”
“The fact that we have very strong ties with the US over history, and the Trump administration in particular, is a positive factor, not a negative factor in trying to help guide them toward a positive engagement in the Middle East,” Al-Jubeir told reporters after the summit.
Saudi Arabia says Arab summit wants international probe into use of chemical weapons in Syria
Saudi Arabia says Arab summit wants international probe into use of chemical weapons in Syria
Riyadh to host final of Global Minerals Innovation Competition
- 350 people in 70 teams to attend ‘boot camp’ next month
- Competition attracted more than 1,800 people from 57 countries
JEDDAH: More than 350 people will take part in the final stage of the inaugural Global Minerals Innovation Competition, to be held next month in Riyadh.
The closing event, titled Future Minerals Pioneers, marks the end of a nationwide tour that began in October to find the best talent in the industry, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The tour was sponsored by Saudi Mining Services Co. and attracted more than 1,800 people from 57 countries. Just over two-thirds of the members of the 70 teams that made it through to the final stage are from Saudi Arabia.
The so-called final boot camp will take place from Jan. 8-10, with the winners announced during the fifth edition of the Future Minerals Forum on Jan. 14.
The camp will comprise workshops and mentoring sessions, after which the teams will make their final presentations to the judges.
Held under the patronage of Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef and led by Vice Minister for Mining Affairs Khalid bin Saleh Al-Mudaifer, the contest was organized by the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program in partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and Saudi Arabian Mining Co.
It features three main tracks: smart technologies, security and safety, and resource sustainability, with the focus on creating practical solutions to challenges across the mining value chain and fostering an integrated innovation ecosystem, the report said.
According to a report by the Canada-based Fraser Institute, the Kingdom rose to 23rd place on the Mining Investment Attractiveness Index in 2024, up from 104th a year earlier. It also rose to 20th (from 82nd) on the Policy Perceptions Index and to 24th (from 58th) on the Geological Potential Index, indicating growing global confidence in the sector.
The indicators also align with national efforts to unlock the country’s vast mineral wealth, estimated at SR9.4 trillion ($2.5 trillion).
That work is being driven by the General Program for Geological Surveying, which aims to stimulate investment and enhance competitiveness through the creation of a national geological database. About two-thirds of the first phase of the program, covering 630,000 sq. km. of the Arabian Shield, has been completed.
