Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon calls on leaders to put differences aside

Saudi Arabia's Charge d'Affaires in Lebanon Walid Bukhari. (NNA)
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Updated 08 July 2021
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Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon calls on leaders to put differences aside

  • Bukhari’s visit to Bkirki coincided with the French and US ambassadors to Lebanon’s trip to Saudi Arabia today to discuss ways to push for the government’s formation

DUBAI: Saudi Arabi’s ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari on Thursday urged leaders to put the country’s interest ahead of their own in order to tackle the many challenges facing it. 

Bukhari’s comments came after meeting with Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai in Bkirki, Lebanon’s most senior Christian cleric who has taken a leading role in attempting to safeguard the country.

He has repeatedly urged leaders to agree on a new government and previously called for a UN-sponsored international conference to help break the deadlock.

Speaking from the seat of the Maronite church, Bukhari said: “The relationship between the Kingdom and the Maronite Patriarch is a guarantee to preserve a free and independent Lebanon.”

The ambassador, who has been the envoy since December 2018, vowed that his country would not “allow Lebanon’s identity to be compromised for any reason.” Lebanon has been without a fully functioning government since the immediate aftermath of the August 2020 Beirut port explosion as officials wrangle over ministerial posts. 

Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri was given the task of forming a government in October, but has struggled to come to terms with President Michel Aoun, including Hezbollah, over the makeup of the cabinet.  

"The Kingdom has always respected the choice of the Lebanese, their identity, their pluralism, their system, their traditions and their way of life,” Rai said. 

Bukhari’s visit to Bkirki coincided with the French and US ambassadors to Lebanon’s trip to Saudi Arabia today to discuss ways to push for the government’s formation.

The French Embassy said the trip would seek to push for international pressure on those perceived to be blocking the cabinet’s formation while the US Embassy issued a statement saying the purpose is to “develop our trilateral diplomatic strategy focused on government formation.”


Saudi, Pakistani interior ministers discuss security, anti-drug efforts in Riyadh

Updated 17 December 2024
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Saudi, Pakistani interior ministers discuss security, anti-drug efforts in Riyadh

  • Prince Abdulaziz and Mohsin Naqvi review joint measures against narcotics, agree on boosting cooperation
  • Naqvi visited various sections of the directorate, where Saudi officials briefed him on the Kingdom’s narcotics control efforts

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif recently met Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Mohsin Naqvi in Riyadh to discuss security cooperation and joint measures for combating narcotics.

Prince Abdulaziz welcomed the Pakistani minister and his accompanying delegation to Saudi Arabia, highlighting that the meeting was held under the directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to strengthen security cooperation in light of the distinguished relations between the two countries.

During the meeting, discussions centered on enhancing security cooperation, particularly the fight against drug trafficking. The two sides also addressed various issues of mutual interest.

“The ministers discussed security cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” the Pakistani Interior Ministry said in a statement.

“Prince Abdulaziz and Mohsin Naqvi also reviewed measures to combat drug smuggling and other matters of mutual interest. The meeting included discussions on advancing cooperation in narcotics control,” the statement added.

Naqvi’s meeting with the Saudi interior minister followed a meeting on Monday with Maj. Gen. Mohammed Al-Qarni, head of the Kingdom’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control.

During their meeting, the two officials discussed enhancing mutual cooperation in narcotics control, according to the Pakistani Interior Ministry.

“Both sides agreed on more effective measures under bilateral assistance for narcotics control,” the ministry said in a statement. “The Saudi side offered to assist Pakistan by providing the latest equipment for drug detection.”

Naqvi visited various sections of the directorate, where Saudi officials briefed him on the Kingdom’s narcotics control efforts.

“No country can tackle the menace of drugs alone. This has become a shared challenge for the nations of the world,” Naqvi was quoted as saying by his ministry. “Pakistan will continue to cooperate with Saudi Arabia in anti-narcotics efforts.”

On Sunday, the Pakistani minister also met the Kingdom’s director of Public Security, Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Bassami, and inspected various departments of the state-of-the-art directorate and the Safe City Center.

“During the meeting, it was agreed to activate the joint task force (on public security) between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia soon,” the Pakistani Interior Ministry said, with Naqvi adding that he was glad to see “excellent” public security mechanisms in Saudi Arabia and that both sides could benefit from each other’s experiences in police training.


First Regional Arab Youth Forum on Man, Biosphere is held in Jazan

Updated 2 min 51 sec ago
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First Regional Arab Youth Forum on Man, Biosphere is held in Jazan

  • Wildlife experts and officials from UNESCO are speaking at the event
  • They will visit Farasan Island Marine Sanctuary, 50 km off the coast

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is hosting the first Regional Arab Youth Forum on Man and the Biosphere, which started on Tuesday in the southern region of Jazan.

The event, which runs until Dec. 19, is being held by the National Center for Wildlife in partnership with the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science.

The center said the forum represented a positive step forward in addressing biodiversity challenges, enhancing sustainable development and fostering climate resilience in the region.

Wildlife and biosphere experts, decision-makers, and officials from UNESCO and its Man and the Biosphere Program in the Arab region are speaking at the forum. They will visit the Farasan Island Marine Sanctuary, 50 km off the coast of Jazan, which is a natural habitat for endangered marine creatures, coral reefs and 230 species of fish.

In 2021, Saudi Arabia successfully registered the Farasan Islands with UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Program which launched in 1971.

Mohammad Ali Qurban, CEO of the National Center for Wildlife, said the forum, which aligned with the environmental goals of Vision 2030, reflected Saudi Arabia’s continued efforts to protect ecosystems and enrich biodiversity.

He added it aimed to enable Arab youth to preserve biodiversity, face environmental challenges and deepen cooperation between the region’s countries in wildlife and biosphere fields.

He said the center, formerly the Saudi Wildlife Authority, led training programs for the Saudi youth and contributed to environmental governance to preserve and improve the life of natural habitats.

The forum in Jazan supports UNESCO’s MAB Program, which enhances the relationship between people and their environments, as well as the Global Youth Biodiversity Network and other initiatives.

The program includes various sessions and workshops, with topics including the governance of the Man and Biosphere Program in Saudi Arabia, and the role and partnerships of youth networks in protecting biodiversity. There will also be the chance for Arab networks to share experiences in areas such as governance, strategies and financing.


UN envoy to Syria warns ‘conflict has not ended yet’

Geir Pederson, the United Nations’ special envoy to Syria, center, listens to a woman who was looking for her missing relative.
Updated 22 min 13 sec ago
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UN envoy to Syria warns ‘conflict has not ended yet’

  • Pedersen called for “broad support” for Syria and an end to sanctions to allow for reconstruction of the war-ravaged country

UNITED NATIONS: Syria’s “conflict has not ended yet,” even after the departure of former president Bashar Assad, the UN’s envoy to the country warned Tuesday, highlighting clashes between Turkish-backed and Kurdish groups in the north.
“There have been significant hostilities in the last two weeks, before a ceasefire was brokered... A five-day ceasefire has now expired and I am seriously concerned about reports of military escalation,” said Geir Pedersen, the UN’s special envoy for Syria.
“Such an escalation could be catastrophic.”
Pedersen also said he had met with Syria’s new de facto leadership following the militants’ lightning takeover, and toured Sednaya prison’s “dungeons” and “torture and execution chambers,” operated under Assad’s government.
He called for “broad support” for Syria and an end to sanctions to allow for reconstruction of the war-ravaged country.
“Concrete movement on an inclusive political transition will be key in ensuring Syria receives the economic support it needs,” Pedersen said.
“There is a clear international willingness to engage. The needs are immense and could only be addressed with broad support, including a smooth end to sanctions, appropriate action on designations, too, and full reconstruction.”
Western countries are wrestling with their approach to Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), which spearheaded the takeover of Damascus, and has roots in the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda. It has largely been designated in the West as a “terrorist” group, despite moderating its rhetoric.


Saudi Cabinet approves standard incentives for industrial sector

Updated 37 min 50 sec ago
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Saudi Cabinet approves standard incentives for industrial sector

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet has approved a set of standardized incentives aimed at boosting the Kingdom’s industrial sector, marking a significant step in the nation’s ongoing efforts to diversify its economy.

The decision was made during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The Cabinet also endorsed several other key measures, including regulatory support for the National Cybersecurity Authority and structural changes for the National Center for Marine Information. These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to strengthen various sectors of the economy and reduce Saudi Arabia’s longstanding dependence on oil revenues.

As part of the country’s push for economic diversification, the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program reported in August that the number of industrial establishments in Saudi Arabia grew by 60 percent from 7,206 in 2016 to 11,549 in 2023.

“The Cabinet’s approval of standard incentives for the industrial sector supports and enables the transformation journey in the Kingdom, which contributes to achieving economic diversification and raising the sector’s contribution to the gross domestic product,” said Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan in a post on the social media platform X.

The Cabinet also commended the recent visits of French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Saudi Arabia, recognizing that such diplomatic engagements will enhance international cooperation in various fields.

Additionally, the Cabinet highlighted Saudi Arabia’s improved credit ratings, noting that recent upgrades by international agencies reflect the progress of the Kingdom’s economic reforms. In November, Moody’s raised Saudi Arabia’s long-term local and foreign currency issuer ratings to Aa3 from A1, signaling strong creditworthiness and the Kingdom's ability to meet its financial obligations.

Another significant development highlighted by the Cabinet was the launch of the Riyadh metro project, which is expected to enhance infrastructure, promote economic growth, and improve the quality of life for citizens.

The Cabinet also approved a memorandum of understanding between Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture and Cuba’s environmental agency to strengthen cooperation in environmental protection. Furthermore, it authorized the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources to pursue a draft memorandum of understanding with Iraq’s Geological Survey to enhance geological and scientific collaboration between the two countries.

These decisions underscore Saudi Arabia’s commitment to advancing its economic and infrastructural development while strengthening international ties and environmental stewardship.


Vaccinating the future: Sanofi drives innovation and impact in Gulf region

Baptiste de Clarens, general manager of Sanofi
Updated 43 min 48 sec ago
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Vaccinating the future: Sanofi drives innovation and impact in Gulf region

When Baptiste de Clarens stepped into the role of general manager for vaccines in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region at Sanofi less than a year ago, he brought with him a wealth of experience, a track record of success, and a vision to transform the region. De Clarens, whose career has spanned continents — from Korea to France and now the Middle East — has embraced this new chapter with a clear mission: to redefine how Sanofi leverages its innovative vaccine pipeline while navigating the unique challenges and opportunities of the Gulf.

The Gulf region is no longer just a market that executes global strategies; it has emerged as a vital area shaping Sanofi’s global agenda. De Clarens sees this shift as a pivotal moment, a chance to “write a new growth story” for the region. And at the heart of this story lies Sanofi’s cutting-edge vaccine pipeline, which includes groundbreaking developments like high-dose flu vaccines and RSV monoclonal antibodies. These innovations, paired with ambitious plans for local vaccine manufacturing as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, position Sanofi as a key player in the Gulf’s healthcare transformation.

One standout milestone is the launch of Sanofi’s RSV monoclonal antibody in Kuwait, with plans to be introduced in Saudi Arabia and the UAE soon. This innovation has already proven its impact in markets like the US and Europe by reducing infant hospitalizations by up to 90 percent. For de Clarens, the introduction of RSV solutions in the Gulf is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in public health outcomes — redefining how infants are protected.

However, driving change in the Gulf comes with its share of challenges. Despite the region’s exceptional success in pediatric immunization — especially in Saudi Arabia, which boasts some of the highest global vaccination rates — adult immunization lags behind. Vaccine skepticism remains a hurdle, particularly for flu and COVID-19 vaccines among older populations. De Clarens recognizes this gap and is laser-focused on strengthening immunization infrastructure and public health awareness to address it.

Localization is another cornerstone of de Clarens’ strategy. Through Sanofi’s partnership with Arabio and other key stakeholders, the company is advancing vaccine manufacturing capabilities in Saudi Arabia. This effort aligns not only with Vision 2030’s goal of achieving healthcare autonomy but also underscores Sanofi’s long-term commitment to the region.

De Clarens views the Gulf as a region of immense potential. “The region has been successful in the past, but now we have access to tools and resources that were not fully utilized before,” he said. With more than 30 vaccine launches planned globally in the next five years, the Gulf stands poised to lead in adoption and innovation.

As the world’s eyes turn to the Middle East, driven by transformative visions like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, de Clarens is clear-eyed about Sanofi’s role in shaping the future of healthcare in the region. With a focus on innovation, public health, and local partnerships, his leadership promises to leave a lasting impact — not just for Sanofi, but for the millions of lives touched by vaccines in the Gulf and beyond.