RIYADH: The speaker of the Saudi Shoura Council, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Asheikh, welcomed a recent UN Security Council resolution that designated the Houthi militia in Yemen as a terrorist group, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
He is heading a Shoura Council delegation at the meetings of the 11th Congress of the Association of Senates, Shoura and Equivalent Councils in Africa and the Arab World, which began in Morocco on Thursday.
Al-Asheikh reiterated that the Kingdom welcomes the Security Council resolution, which also expands an arms embargo that was previously limited to specified individuals and organizations to include all members of the Houthi militia.
He said that Saudi Arabia hopes the decision will contribute to efforts to end the activities of the terrorist group and its supporters, and to neutralize the resulting threats to the Yemeni people and to international security and peace.
The UN Security Council voted on Monday to impose the expanded arms embargo on the Iran-backed Houthi militia, which it said has threatened the peace, security and stability of Yemen, and is responsible for attacks on civilians, on navigation in the Red Sea, and on targets in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
“The Kingdom is keen to achieve security and stability in Yemen, and to alleviate the suffering of its people,” Al-Asheikh said.
His country “rejected and condemned the attacks launched by the Houthis on civilian objects and vital installations in the Kingdom and the UAE, and international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, with the aim of destabilizing the security of the region,” he added, noting that the Kingdom continues to support all regional and international initiatives and efforts to reach a comprehensive political solution to the crisis.
During the conference, meanwhile, Al-Asheikh that Saudi Arabia is keen to contribute to development and investment in African countries, and support international and regional efforts to lay the foundations for security, stability and conflict resolution in the nations.
He said the great importance the Kingdom attaches to efforts to combat terrorism and extremism, and improve security capabilities, is reflected by the $110 million it has provided to support anti-terrorism initiatives on the African continent.
Al-Asheikh referred to a previous statement by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a summit on financing for African countries in Paris in May last year, in which he stressed the critical importance of the future of the continent, and the need for the rapid and fair global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, especially in low-income countries in Africa and the rest of the world.
He said that the Kingdom, through its Public Investment Fund, has implemented number of projects and activities in the energy, mining, communications and food sectors, among others, worth a total of nearly $4 billion.
In the past four decades, he said, the PIF has provided 580 loans and grants to more than 45 African countries worth about $13.5 billion, and has also announced a €200 million ($221 million) initiative for development in Sahel countries in partnership with the French Development Agency, in addition to future projects, grants and loans that the Kingdom will implement to help developing countries on the continent.
He also said the Kingdom is concerned about the challenges of climate change, along with the economic and social implications, and stressed his country’s commitment to international climate agreements based on its global position and the importance of its influential role in the stability of the global economy. He also spoke about the Kingdom’s efforts to address climate-related challenges through the Middle East Green Initiative summit that was held in October in an effort to develop a regional road map.
Afro-Arab cooperation to face challenges in a number of areas was discussed during the conference, including economic and developmental rehabilitation to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of youth and women in development policies and sustainable investments, and strengthening cooperation with senates in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Sudan also welcomed the UN Security Council’s decision to classify the Houthi militia as a terrorist group and said it hopes this will help to end the hostilities in the country and the widespread violations committed by the Houthis, including threats to security and safety of navigation in the Red Sea, as well as facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians.
The Sudanese Foreign Ministry condemned the Houthi attacks against civilians and civilian targets in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and renewed its support for efforts to peacefully resolve the Yemeni crisis.
Saudi Shoura Council speaker welcomes UN designation of Yemen’s Houthis as terrorist group
https://arab.news/5z2h5
Saudi Shoura Council speaker welcomes UN designation of Yemen’s Houthis as terrorist group
- Sheikh Abdullah Al-Asheikh was heading a delegation at the 11th Congress of the Association of Senates, Shoura and Equivalent Councils in Africa and the Arab World
- Sudan also welcomes the UN Security Council’s decision
Saudi Arabia witnessing comprehensive cultural development, says expert
- Clotilde Entrecanales of Acciona hails pace of change in Kingdom
JEDDAH: Museums, exhibitions and art centers play a crucial role in the development of free and educated societies such as the one now burgeoning in Saudi Arabia, an expert has told Arab News.
Clotilde Entrecanales, the Spanish art historian and cultural executive who heads Acciona Living & Culture, a leading creator of technology-driven interactive museums, exhibits and events, said the Kingdom is making efforts to expand the role of culture development to show the world the greatest possible cultural offer.
She added that the Kingdom has quickly infused new energy into the region, and is rapidly establishing itself as a global cultural hub through massive investment in world-class museums, public art and international events, aligning with its 2030 vision.
She said: “With around 70 percent of the population under 30, cultural consumption looks very different than in Europe or the US. These spaces can’t feel like quiet, isolated institutions … they need to be fast, dynamic, brave and deeply connected to the city, blending into everyday urban life rather than sitting apart from it.”
Asked about the role of these sites in the evolving global cultural landscape, particularly in emerging cultural hubs like Saudi Arabia, Entrecanales said: “Our vision is to be a purpose-led partner for cultural and entertainment institutions, helping them be more relevant, connected, inclusive and sustainable.”
She added: “In emerging cultural hubs like Saudi Arabia, that approach feels especially relevant. The cultural transformation underway is moving fast — with major heritage and cultural destinations being developed and opened to the world.”
Speaking about her impression of the Kingdom’s approach to blending heritage with modernity face, Entrecanales said: “Others who attempt to achieve this balance often end up turning heritage into a theme, a layer of storytelling or a cultural program. What feels different about Saudi’s approach is how much pressure there is to treat heritage as the foundation, not just the surface.
“When you’re building at this speed and scale, there’s always a risk that history becomes a backdrop instead of a backbone. The projects that work best are the ones that slow down just enough to let the past set the rhythm for the present.”
Regarding opportunities and challenges, she said: “The opportunity is nothing less than positioning Saudi Arabia as a global cultural center. The challenge, as always, lies in balancing the speed and scale of that ambition with long-term sustainability and a sense of authenticity that remains credible and rooted.”
She added: “You can really feel this in places like the Islamic Arts Biennale, which shows hundreds of historical artefacts of the Islamic world, while re-framing them through contemporary scenography and designs by some of the best design studios in the world; or in AlUla, a world-class heritage site that hosts a major contemporary platform like Desert X, allowing ancient context and present-day artistic practice to coexist in a way that feels genuine.”
Under her guidance, ACCIONA Cultura aspires to create museums and cultural experiences that function as landmarks while fostering sustainable, inclusive and immersive interactions.
She elaborated on how the company is integrating technology, culture, and sustainability to preserve and promote the region’s cultural heritage: “We always start with human connection and storytelling: what’s the story, what should people leave with? Tech comes later.”
Recently, ACCIONA Cultura has been involved in significant projects in Saudi Arabia and is looking forward for more.
She said: “Right now, for example, we’re designing and curating a museum gallery where the entire space is shaped by the practice of a Saudi artist. Another example is the Net Zero exhibition at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), where we brought together Saudi and international artists to explore sustainability and our relationship with the planet, including voices like Dina Haddadin, Mohammed Al-Faraj, and Zahrah Al-Ghamdi.”
She added: “One of the projects I’m most proud of isn’t a museum, but our NEXT IN Summit, which we’ve hosted in two editions in our ACCIONA Campus in Madrid, highlighting the Kingdom’s unprecedented cultural momentum as it builds future-facing institutions with a startup mindset.”
About further collaboration with Saudi Arabia, she said: “Let’s just say … something’s definitely simmering in the kitchen.”
Commenting on being recognized among the Blooloop 50 Museum Influencers for 2025, she said: “It means a lot. More than anything, it feels like a nod to the years of teamwork and dedication behind Acciona Cultura, rather than to me personally.”
