CAIRO: Uncertainty in Libya and the deadlock in Palestinian reconciliation efforts will be the main concerns of Abdel Fattah El-Sisi as he attends the Arab League Summit in Dhahran.
Buoyed by his recent resounding and controversial election victory, the Egyptian president will have much to discuss with Arab leaders.
Bassam Radi, a presidential spokesman, said El-Sisi would discuss with his Arab counterparts “important issues affecting Arab security” including developments in Syria, Yemen and Palestine.
El-Sisi’s prime concern is the situation in Libya, where fears are growing over the health of the military commander Khalifa Haftar.
Haftar, one of Libya’s key power brokers, is being treated in Paris after feeling unwell during a foreign tour and is expected to return to Libya within days, Ahmed Al-Mismari, a spokesman for Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA), told Reuters on Saturday.
Rumors and contradictory reports about the seriousness of his condition swirled jn the Libyan media last week, especially as Haftar had not made any public appearances recently.
Haftar, 75, is the most powerful figure in eastern Libya and his LNA is aligned with a government based in the east which has opposed a rival government in the capital, Tripoli.
On Friday, UN Libya envoy Ghassan Salame and several Libyan officials said they had spoken to Haftar by phone.
Haftar won the backing of Egypt when he arrived as a stabilizing force confronting Islamist and extremist forces in the country’s east, which borders Egypt.
El-Sisi met the head of the Presidential Council of Libya Fayez Al-Sarraj in Dammam on Saturday and urged all the Libyan political factions to cooperate with the UN envoy to restore peace to the troubled state, according to presidential spokesperson Bassam Radi.
“This is the most important part of the Arab Summit agenda for Egypt since Libya’s situation affects the Egyptian national security. Egypt played a significant role and has invested politically to control the terrorist attacks on its Western borders,” said Mohamed Farahat, a political analyst.
“Haftar is important for Egypt because he believes in the Libyan unity and he also proposed a project to build the Libyan unified army and this is what makes him special as a leader.”
El-Sisi has also invested a lot of political capital in reconciling the two main warring Palestinian factions and a return to peace talks with Israel.
Abbas Kamel, senior political and security aide to El-Sisi, visited both Ramallah, home of the Palestinian Authority, and Tel Aviv last week to lay the groundwork for the Arab Summit to adopt a resolution expressing willingness to engage with a US peace plan.
The aim of the talks is not only to persuade Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to approve the launch of negotiations but to convince Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to exercise restraint before what he sees as the perfect opportunity to deal a blow to Hezbollah and limit Iran’s presence in Syria.
Libya uncertainty key issue for El-Sisi during Arab League Summit in Saudi Arabia
Libya uncertainty key issue for El-Sisi during Arab League Summit in Saudi Arabia
- Haftar is important for Egypt because he believes in the Libyan unity
- UN is leading efforts to reunify the country
Saudi FM receives Iranian counterpart in Makkah
- During the meeting, Saudi-Iranian relations were discussed, as well as the latest developments in the region and efforts to achieve security
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Makkah on Tuesday, the Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry reported.
During the meeting, Saudi-Iranian relations were discussed, as well as the latest developments in the region and efforts to achieve security and stability there.
Earlier, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson had said Araghchi would visit Saudi Arabia on his way back from Brazil to discuss the peace and security of the region.
Golden-backed weaver builds its nest in the mountains of Asir
- Male bird structures the nest by manipulating threads of grass through its claws and beak, resulting in precise geometric shapes
- Opening to the nest is narrow and faces downward to protect the young chicks from predators and other birds or animals
RIYADH: Golden-backed weavers, known for their remarkable nest-building skills, are thriving in the majestic mountains of Asir, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The small yellow bird gets its name from the elaborate nests its constructs using its strong beaks and claws.
Golden-backed weavers (Ploceus jacksoni) first select an area where they want to build a nest, typically choosing the small branches of a tree. They start with a ring of woven straw or grass and then complete the structure by intersecting threads at a specific angle.
The nest usually hangs from the branch to offer safe shelter for the bird’s offspring. The opening to the nest is narrow and faces downward to protect the young chicks from predators and other birds or animals.
Golden-backed weavers are known for their weaving ability, and are one of the most highly skilled species in the wild, according to SPA.
Additionally, the male bird structures the nest by manipulating threads of grass through its claws and beak, resulting in precise geometric shapes.
The bird has unique colors, with either a black or a brown head, and yellow feathers covering its entire body.
Golden-backed weavers, along with many other bird species, thrive in the southern Asir region due to its moderate temperatures, varied plant environment, and biodiversity.
The region has an area of 81,000 sq. km, and borders Yemen in the southeast and the Jazan region in the southwest.
Almost 500 species of birds have been recorded in Saudi Arabia, along with a variety of wildlife and 2,400 flowering plants, according to estimates.
Saudi team joins training on rainwater harvesting in China
- Team includes 12 specialists from the ministry’s water agency, the Saudi Irrigation Organization, and the NCVC
- Course, being held in Lanzhou, China, from July 3-22, focuses on rainwater harvesting technologies and their applications
RIYADH: A Saudi team from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture is taking part in a training program organized by the Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences in cooperation with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
The team includes 12 specialists from the ministry’s water agency, the Saudi Irrigation Organization, and the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
The course, being held in Lanzhou, China, from July 3-22, focuses on rainwater harvesting technologies and their applications. It is attended by representatives from China’s Ministry of Water Resources, along with several water experts and specialists.
The ministry said its participation aligns with efforts to implement international agreements and memoranda of understanding with partner countries. The course provides a unique platform for exchanging expertise in water-related fields, particularly rainwater harvesting, it added.
The course also covers the design of harvesting systems in rural and urban areas, improvement of collected water quality management and advanced purification technologies, the SPA added.
Supplementary irrigation techniques, economic evaluation of harvesting projects, concepts of sponge cities, water reuse, and the role of harvesting technologies in combating desertification and promoting sustainability are also explored.
The ministry said that the training features scientific lectures, practical workshops and field visits to innovative projects in several Chinese provinces.
The visits showcase systems for securing drinking water from rain, irrigated agriculture projects, sponge city initiatives, and integrated environmental models linking water technologies with urban and rural sustainability.
The ministry highlighted the importance of strengthening international cooperation and building national capacity in water management, according to the SPA.
This reflects its integrated approach to developing technical competencies, exchanging expertise with leading countries, advancing the water system and promoting sustainable, innovative solutions to water challenges in line with Vision 2030 goals.
Saudi students compete in global chemistry contest
- The event is being held in Dubai until July 14, with more than 300 students from around the world competing for awards
RIYADH: Saudi students are taking part in the 57th International Chemistry Olympiad, the world’s largest high school chemistry competition.
The event is being held in Dubai until July 14, with more than 300 students from around the world competing for awards.
The scientific team has completed the review and translation of the practical exam for the Saudi students, who are preparing to take their first test, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
This year, the Kingdom is represented by four students who have undergone thousands of hours of intensive training under the supervision of the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, in partnership with the Ministry of Education.
The students are Rand Al-Hassan Awadhah (Riyadh), Haider Yasser Al-Dubaissi (Eastern Province), Ammar Mohammed Al-Turkistani (Jeddah) and Ali Ahmed Baouzir (Riyadh).
Saudi Arabia has earned 45 awards in past International Chemistry Olympiads, held annually since 1968 in different countries. These include 15 silver medals, 28 bronze medals and two certificates of appreciation.
The olympiad promotes international collaboration in chemistry and encourages young talent to solve complex scientific problems through innovative thinking.
It also serves as a platform for cultural exchange and academic excellence, and supports the development of future leaders in science and technology.
Saudi Arabia reaffirms support for Afghanistan’s security, stability
- Envoy highlights Saudi humanitarian aid, calls for global cooperation at UN session in New York
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Abdulaziz Al-Wasil, has reaffirmed the Kingdom’s support for Afghanistan’s security and stability, emphasizing the importance of respect for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Speaking during a UN General Assembly session in New York on the situation in Afghanistan, Al-Wasil expressed the Kingdom’s concern over the humanitarian and economic challenges facing the Afghan people.
He called for intensified international efforts to provide urgent relief and essential support to ease their suffering, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
The envoy highlighted the Kingdom’s humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people through its aid agency, KSrelief. He underscored the importance of empowering Afghan women by promoting their rights in education, employment, and public life.
Al-Wasil also emphasized the critical need to prevent Afghan territory from being used as a base for terrorist activities or drug trafficking, warning of the threats these pose to regional and global security.
He reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to continuing its support for political, humanitarian, and development initiatives aimed at stabilizing Afghanistan.
So far, KSrelief has implemented 57 projects worth almost $54 million in Afghanistan, according to the agency’s website.
The projects cover food security, health, education, water and sanitation, as well as humanitarian emergency relief coordination.
