Saudi Arabia envoy to Yemen calls on UN to help boost currency

Saudi Arabia has presented a number of initiatives to support Yemen, said ambassador Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Jaber. (SPA)
Updated 07 October 2018
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Saudi Arabia envoy to Yemen calls on UN to help boost currency

  • The measures include humanitarian assistance and steps to strengthen Yemeni currency
  • The Kingdom has already transferred $1 billion to the Central Bank of Yemen

JEDDAH: Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Jaber has called on UN organizations to help Yemen's central bank to boost the rial and ease prices.

Al-Jaber said the UN can contribute by depositing funds into the central bank, instead of injecting them into Yemeni commercial banks outside the country, which he says do not transfer the money to Yemen.

This, Al Jaber says, has led to increasing the volume of speculations on foreign currencies inside Yemen and the depreciation of its currency. 

The Saudi ambassador, who is also the executive director of the Center for Comprehensive Humanitarian Operations in Yemen, said the center will assist in coordination between international organizations and the Yemeni government.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman ordered a $200 million grant be given to the central bank last week, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Al-Jaber said economic and humanitarian aid to improve the situation in Yemen included a deposit of $2 billion in march from the Kingdom to the Central Bank of Yemen,

The Kingdom has also earlier transferred $1 billion to the bank.

 

 

 

 


King Abdulaziz Foundation reveals rare images from king’s 1916 Basra visit

Updated 20 December 2025
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King Abdulaziz Foundation reveals rare images from king’s 1916 Basra visit

  • Photographs form part of a wider collection documented by British photographer Gertrude Bell

RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz Foundation has revealed archival photographs documenting King Abdulaziz’s tour of the outskirts of Basra in 1916, a visit that came at an early stage of his efforts to build regional relationships.

One of the photographs, taken by British photographer Gertrude Bell, shows King Abdulaziz standing with his men in the Basra desert, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The image reflects his early political and diplomatic engagement in the region, as he sought to strengthen ties with neighboring areas and engage with the wider Arab and international community, SPA added.

The photograph forms part of a wider collection documented by Bell, which records key developments and transformations across the Arabian Peninsula during the early 20th century.

The Basra visit holds particular significance in King Abdulaziz’s journey as a unifying leader. 

Rather than crossing borders in pursuit of power, the visit reflected an approach focused on stability, cooperation and long-term regional harmony, laying the groundwork for a leadership style defined by pragmatism and openness, SPA said.