LONDON: The US envoy to Yemen is headed to Saudi Arabia and Oman for talks with senior government officials, the State Department said on Tuesday.
“Attempting to forestall the devastating consequences of the Houthi offensive on Marib, US Special Envoy Lenderking’s discussions will focus on achieving an urgent comprehensive, nationwide, and sustainable cease-fire to ensure the regular and unobstructed delivery of essential commercial goods and humanitarian assistance throughout Yemen and a transition to an inclusive political process,” the statement said.
The Houthis have been mounting a major offensive on the city of Marib since February in a bid to seize control of the government’s last bastion in the northern half of the country. The area contains oil reserves, gas fields and large electricity stations.
Lenderking will also “continue to advocate for the unimpeded flow of goods through all ports and work to build on the international consensus to halt the Houthi offensive on Marib, which is the main obstacle to ongoing peace efforts and threatens one million already vulnerable internally displaced people, as well as countless others who call Marib their home.”
Meanwhile, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Nayef Al-Hajjraf met with UN envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, where both sides called on the international community to pressure the Iran-backed Houthis to prioritize Yemen’s interest and respond to the Saudi peace initiative.
Saudi ambassador to Yemen Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Jaber met Lenderking and Griffiths in Riyadh where they discussed the Yemeni cease-fire and the Houthi militia’s failure to commit to it, as well as their continued offensive in Marib, where more than two million displaced persons have fled the fighting from northern Yemen.
US Yemen envoy Lenderking to hold talks in Saudi Arabia over Houthi Marib offensive
https://arab.news/ppzwf
US Yemen envoy Lenderking to hold talks in Saudi Arabia over Houthi Marib offensive
- GCC chief holds talks with UN envoy to Yemen to pressure Houthis to prioritize Yemen’s interests
- Saudi ambassador to Yemen also met with Griffiths and Lenderking
Saudi Arabia to hold Human Capability Initiative conference in Riyadh in May
- HCI 2026 set to attract over 15,000 leaders, 250 speakers, including policymakers, industry leaders, experts from various sectors
- Program to focus on optimizing learning, working environments to maximize human capability in age of AI
LONDON: Saudi Arabia’s Human Capability Development Program has announced the third edition of the Human Capability Initiative conference, featuring the UK as the country of honor.
The HCI will be held under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh, from May 3-4.
HCI 2026 is set to attract over 15,000 leaders and feature 250 speakers, including policymakers, industry leaders, and experts from various sectors.
Under the theme “The Human Code,” the program will focus on optimizing learning and working environments to maximize human capability in the age of artificial intelligence.
Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Benyan, Saudi Arabia's minister of education and chairman of the Executive Committee of the HCDP, said the conference would showcase the Kingdom’s commitment to investing in people for sustainable economic growth and to enriching a global dialogue.
He added: “Human potential remains the most critical driver of progress in a rapidly changing global landscape, and investing in humans is the most critical pillar in building a competitive economy and a knowledge-based society.”
Majid Al-Kassabi, the Saudi minister of commerce and chairman of the Economic and Social Committee of the Saudi-British Strategic Partnership Council, welcomed the UK as the conference’s country of honor.
He said: “(This) represents a continuation of the strategic cooperation between (Saudi Arabia and the UK), including the launch of the Skills of the Future initiative at the 2025 HCI conference, focused on advancing economic cooperation, educational exchange, and workforce development.”
The last two HCI conferences attracted over 23,000 participants, featured 550 speakers, and announced 156 partnerships, organizers said.
The HCDP aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, focusing on enhancing citizens’ potential and competitiveness, they added.
