DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, said that efforts to extend the truce in Yemen are ‘still in place’.
“The Kingdom, the Coalition and the Yemeni government are all keen on extending the truce,” said Prince Faisal during a televised interview with Al Arabiya, which aired on Wednesday.
He added that the Houthi militia keeps proposing new conditions, putting their ‘narrow interests’ above that of the Yemeni people.
The United Nations is pushing for the extension and expansion of the truce, which expired on Oct. 2 after being rolled over twice. The truce reportedly achieved the longest stretch of relative calm in the seven-year conflict.
Tim Lenderking, the US Special Envoy for the war-torn country, headed back to the region on Tuesday to support the UN-led negotiations with all Yemeni parties, according to the State Department.
Meanwhile, Prince Faisal reaffirmed the Saudi Arabia’s support of all efforts aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, when asked about the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
He added that the conflict does not only affect the Ukrainian people, but the rest of the world.
“The [conflict’s] economic consequences impact millions across the world. [Hence], it is important for all of us in the international community to work and find a way to end [the crisis],” he said.
Prince Faisal said the Kingdom believes the war will only end once Russia and Ukraine carry out serious negotiations.
Saudi Arabia’s FM says efforts to extend Yemen truce ‘still in place’
https://arab.news/5s4dh
Saudi Arabia’s FM says efforts to extend Yemen truce ‘still in place’
- The UN is pushing for the extension and expansion of the truce, which expired on Oct. 2 after being rolled over twice
Alwaleed Philanthropies allocates $15 million for global polio eradication efforts
- The new contribution will support frontline vaccination campaigns, disease surveillance and rapid outbreak response over three years
DAVOS: Alwaleed Philanthropies, chaired by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Al-Saud, renewed its commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative on Thursday with a $15 million contribution during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland.
The announcement was made by Princess Lamia Bint Majed Al-Saud, secretary general of Alwaleed Philanthropies, and Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation.
The new contribution will support frontline vaccination campaigns, disease surveillance and rapid outbreak response over three years, helping the program reach children in vulnerable and conflict-ravaged areas through the Gates Philanthropy partners.
The donation comes at a pivotal moment for the global effort to end polio, as the program intensifies operations in the last remaining endemic countries and responds to outbreaks worldwide.
With cases of wild poliovirus now confined to just two countries — Afghanistan and Pakistan — sustained political leadership and financing remain essential to protect hard-won gains and ensure that no child is left behind.
The princess said the contribution “builds on Alwaleed Philanthropies’ long-standing support for global health and its partnership with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, reinforcing the critical role of philanthropy in addressing some of the world’s most complex public health challenges.”
Gates said that polio eradication “is within sight, but the last mile is the hardest.” He added: “Alwaleed Philanthropies’ latest commitment is exactly the kind of leadership the world needs to build a future where no family has to live in fear of polio paralyzing their child.”
Mike McGovern, chair of the Polio Oversight Board, said sustained support enables organizations to reach children in vulnerable and remote communities and to preserve the progress made over the past four decades.
Launched in 1988, the GPEI, led by national governments and supported by its core partners, has reduced polio cases by more than 99 percent and protected over 20 million people from paralysis.
The World Health Organization and UNICEF play a leading role, working alongside governments and communities to sustain access, build trust and ensure that polio eradication efforts reach the most vulnerable children.
