Saudi-Egyptian cooperation continues to maintain stability in the region, FM says

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Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan gives a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart at Tahrir Palace in the center of Cairo on September 10, 2024. (AFP)
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Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan gives a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty at Tahrir Palace in the center of Cairo on September 10, 2024. (AFP)
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Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan arrives for a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty at Tahrir Palace in the center of Cairo on September 10, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 10 September 2024
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Saudi-Egyptian cooperation continues to maintain stability in the region, FM says

  • “We anticipate the launch of the Saudi-Egyptian Coordination Council in the coming days”: Prince Faisal
  • He said the Kingdom appreciated Egyptian efforts to bring humanitarian aid into Gaza and that the continued obstruction of aid by Israel is a war crime

RIYADH: Saudi-Egyptian cooperation continues to maintain stability in the region and the world, the Kingdom’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Tuesday.
Speaking during a press conference in Cairo, Prince Faisal said a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty on Tuesday confirmed the Kingdom’s sincere desire to deepen its bonds with Egypt.
“We anticipate the launch of the Saudi-Egyptian Coordination Council in the coming days,” Prince Faisal added according to Al-Ekhbariya.
He said the Kingdom appreciated Egyptian efforts to bring humanitarian aid into Gaza and that the continued obstruction of aid by Israel is a war crime.
“The delay in reaching a ceasefire in Gaza is repeated evidence of the failure of the international security system,” Prince Faisal said.
“We are not asking for the impossible… We are only asking for the implementation of international law,” the Kingdom’s foreign minister added.
Speaking about the war in Sudan, Prince Faisal said that it had “gone on for too long and we must double our efforts.”
During a meeting with Abdelatty, Prince Faisal discussed intensifying work on regional and international issues of common interest, most notably the crisis in the Gaza Strip.


Rebuilding lives: Saudi initiative gives fresh hope to amputees

Updated 08 December 2025
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Rebuilding lives: Saudi initiative gives fresh hope to amputees

  • Baitureh Health Association has provided life-changing support to more than 1,000 people
  • Prosthetic limbs can cost up to $76,000

MAKKAH: The Baitureh Health Association for the Care of Amputees has quickly become one of Saudi Arabia’s most impactful humanitarian initiatives, transforming support for people with lost limbs.

Established in 2020, the association deals with people’s physical, psychological and social needs and fills a long-standing gap in the national health system.

CEO Badr bin Alyan told Arab News that the initiative was created in response to a growing need, driven by amputations linked to accidents, blood disorders, occupational injuries and other causes.

Its operations were “based on service integration rather than fragmentation, enabling beneficiaries to return to their lives with confidence, ability and independence,” he said.

This holistic process covers everything from initial evaluations to psychological and physical rehabilitation, family support, prosthetic fitting and ongoing maintenance.

Its psychological support programs include group sessions led by certified mentors who have undergone similar experiences, as well as field visits to support patients before and after amputation.

More than 1,000 people across the Kingdom have so far benefitted from the association’s work, about 10 percent of them children, whom Alyan said were “the most sensitive and the most in need of intensive psychological and family support.”

Its specialist programs for children — My First Step and Therapeutic Entertainment — help young people adapt to prosthetics, overcome trauma and build confidence in a safe and supportive setting.

The association has completed more than 300 prosthetic fittings, including silicone cosmetic limbs, mechanical, hydraulic, electronic and 3D-printed models. 

Alyan said the type of prosthetic selected depended on a number of factors, such as age, lifestyle, type of amputation, activity level and psychological readiness.

Children also have to undergo frequent adjustments to their new limbs to account for their growth.

Each prosthetic cost between SR20,000 ($5,300) and SR285,000, Alyan said.

The association funds its work through sponsorships, community contributions and strategic partnerships.

Despite its success, Alyan said there were still challenges to be faced, including the lack of a consolidated base for the provision of psychological support and therapy services and prosthetics development and maintenance.

There was also a shortage of local experts, he said.

In response, the association set up a rehabilitation center, which Alyan said would help to localize prosthetics manufacturing, reduce costs and accelerate fitting processes and create opportunities for local experts to develop their knowledge and experience.

But providing prosthetics was only part of the association’s work, he said.

“Rebuilding a human life is the deeper goal.”