Saudi human rights chief meets with US, EU envoys in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia's Human Rights Commission (HRC) chief Awwad bin Saleh Al-Awwad, right, receives US Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Martina Strong at his office in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Updated 15 July 2021
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Saudi human rights chief meets with US, EU envoys in Riyadh

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Human Rights Commission (HRC) chief Awwad bin Saleh Al-Awwad met with US Embassy's chargé d'affaires, Martina Strong, at his office on Wednesday.

During the meeting, they discussed the Kingdom’s improved ranking in the US State Department’s annual Human Rights Reports for the second year in a row and the efforts of the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, as well as exploring mutual cooperation in this field.

Al-Awwad also highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts, under the leadership of King Abdullah and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to protect and promote human rights.

Al-Awwad also met separately with the European Union’s ambassador to the Kingdom, Patrick Simonnet to discuss areas of cooperation in terms of human rights.

Al-Awwad again stressed the Kingdom’s efforts and desire to protect human rights, citing some of the pioneering reforms it has adopted as part of Saudi Vision 2030.

 


Saudi Arabia, UAE and allies condemn Gaza ceasefire violations

Updated 34 min 59 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia, UAE and allies condemn Gaza ceasefire violations

  • They joined Qatar, Jordan and Egypt, who on Saturday also condemned ongoing violations

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Sunday led renewed regional condemnation of Israel’s repeated violations of the ceasefire in Gaza, which have resulted in the killing and wounding of more than 1,000 Palestinians.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the Kingdom, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkiye said the breaches represented a dangerous escalation that risked inflaming tensions and undermining efforts to restore calm and stability, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

They joined Qatar, Jordan and Egypt, who on Saturday condemned what they described as ongoing ceasefire violations and warned they threatened de-escalation efforts and regional stability.

The ministers said the latest developments come at a critical moment, as regional and international efforts intensify to advance the second phase of the peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump and implement UN Security Council Resolution 2803, SPA added.

They warned that the repeated violations pose a direct threat to the political process and could derail attempts to create the conditions for a more stable phase in Gaza, both in security and humanitarian terms. They stressed the need for full adherence to the ceasefire to ensure the success of the next phase of the peace plan.

The statement called on all parties to assume their responsibilities during this sensitive period, exercise maximum restraint, sustain the ceasefire, and avoid any actions that could undermine current diplomatic efforts. It also urged steps to facilitate early recovery and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip.

Reaffirming their commitment to a just, comprehensive and lasting peace, the ministers said this must be based on the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state, in line with international law, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.