Saudi Arabia ‘incredibly concerned’ about Red Sea, Gaza security, FM tells WEF

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan speaks next to Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Annalena Baerbock during a panel session at WEF, in Davos, Switzerland. (AP)
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Updated 17 January 2024
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Saudi Arabia ‘incredibly concerned’ about Red Sea, Gaza security, FM tells WEF

  • Prince Faisal bin Farhan: Peace between Israel, Palestinians ‘will resolve many of the challenges’ Mideast faces
  • Riyadh will continue to work with Washington ‘toward a much better future for the region’

LONDON: Saudi Arabia is “incredibly concerned” about regional security following Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and the situation in Gaza, the Kingdom’s foreign minister said on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan told a panel titled “Securing an Insecure World” that de-escalation in the Red Sea is essential, and that Riyadh will continue to “engage with all stakeholders” after US and UK airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen last week.
While “clearly connected with the war in Gaza,” it is important that the conflict in the Palestinian enclave is addressed separately, he said.
“We need to focus on the war in Gaza not because of the Red Sea,” he told the panel. “We need to focus on the war in Gaza because of its impact on the Palestinians, first, but on regional security in general and on the risks it poses for further escalation.”
Prince Faisal said since Israel began military operations in Gaza, nearly 30,000 Palestinians have died and humanitarian aid is still being heavily restricted, but he has “not seen any real sign” that Tel Aviv is achieving its strategic objectives.
He praised parts of the international community for “moving more in the direction” of calling for a cease-fire, adding that peace between the two sides “will resolve many of the challenges that we have in the region.”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called the war “a total disaster” and reiterated that the “only way out” of the ongoing situation is a two-state solution.
However, she said “a cease-fire, unfortunately, doesn’t fall from the sky” and can only be achieved if both sides “are ready.”

Baerbock said a “vicious circle” of blame is preventing a cease-fire from happening, but insisted that first and foremost, Hamas needs to lay down its weapons and release all remaining hostages in Gaza.
“The answer is there on the table,” she said. “But we can’t ignore that the majority of hostages are still (with) Hamas.”
US Sen. Christopher Coons said he is “optimistic” that peace can be achieved based on talks between American senators and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh in 2023, as well as meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv and Egyptian President Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi in Cairo.
However, Coons added that conditions in Gaza are worsening daily, and that Netanyahu has built a political career out of opposing a two-state solution.
Prince Faisal said he is heartened by the “concrete agreement” among major nations that the current situation is untenable, adding: “We need to translate that into action.”
He said Riyadh will continue to work with Washington “toward a much better future for the region,” and raised the possibility of future Saudi recognition of Israel if peace with the Palestinians could be reached.
Coons hinted that a series of elections in Western countries in 2024 could potentially affect the shape of the current set of Middle East crises.
He said Iran’s role in conflicts ranging from Yemen to Ukraine needs to be recognized, but talked down any possibility that a return to the White House for former President Donald Trump would lead to a US withdrawal from NATO. “The US rarely ratifies defense treaties, but when we do, we keep them,” Coons said.
Citing growing concerns about inter-regional conflicts, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said: “What happens in Asia matters for Europe.”
He also noted that Iran is aiding Russia in Ukraine, selling Moscow military drones and helping it construct drone and munitions facilities in Tatarstan.
But he said there is cause for optimism for Ukrainians, noting Russia’s failure to make major progress following the early days of the invasion, and highlighting Kyiv’s success in opening up channels for the export of grain through the Black Sea.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said nobody wants to live in a world “where only the strongest survive,” adding that her country had felt compelled to join NATO because of Russia’s aggression, highlighting Moscow’s use of “hybrid strategies” to push “third-party citizens” from other countries into Europe via Finland’s border.
Pointing to Finland’s right to security, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yussuf Tuggar said: “What the minister says could apply just as much to Palestine — they have the right.”
He said the world needs to see concrete changes in the makeup of global security institutions, bemoaning a decline in international diplomacy, and adding that a country such as Nigeria should have a place on the UN Security Council. The UNSC “needs to democratize,” Tuggar said. “Clearly it isn’t fit for purpose.”
He added: “Nigeria is a large country. It’s the most populous country on the continent of Africa. It has a population of 220 million people — it’s going to be 400 million by the year 2050. It belongs in the UN Security Council.”


UAE, Syria foreign ministers arrive in Riyadh

Updated 11 January 2025
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UAE, Syria foreign ministers arrive in Riyadh

  • Welcomed at King Khalid International Airport by Saudi Deputy FM Waleed Al-Khuraiji

RIYADH: Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the UAE deputy prime minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, arrived in Riyadh on Saturday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

He was welcomed at King Khalid International Airport by Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji.

Sheikh Abdullah is in the Kingdom to attend an expanded ministerial meeting on Syria to be hosted by Saudi Arabia on Sunday, SPA added.

New Syrian foreign minister Asaad Al-Shaibani also arrived in Riyadh on Saturday evening to participate in the ministerial meeting.

He was also welcomed at King Khalid International Airport by Al-Khuraiji.


Saudi Arabia condemns attack on Chad’s presidential palace

Updated 11 January 2025
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Saudi Arabia condemns attack on Chad’s presidential palace

  • The attack, which occurred on Wednesday, involved gunmen attempting to storm the palace

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Saturday strongly condemned the recent attack on the presidential palace in N’Djamena, Chad, which left 19 people dead, including a soldier guarding the complex, and injured others.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement reaffirming Saudi Arabia’s steadfast support for Chad’s security and stability, while rejecting any actions that threaten the country’s peace, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

In its statement, the Ministry extended heartfelt condolences to the family of the fallen soldier and to the government and people of Chad. The Kingdom also wished a swift recovery for those injured in the assault.

The attack, which occurred on Wednesday, involved gunmen reportedly linked to Boko Haram attempting to storm the presidential palace, prompting a fierce battle.

The Chadian government confirmed that 18 attackers from a 24-member commando unit were killed in the fighting, alongside one security personnel. Tanks were deployed to secure the area.


GCC secretary general receives New Zealand’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Updated 11 January 2025
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GCC secretary general receives New Zealand’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia

  • Al-Budaiwi congratulated Kingston on his appointment as New Zealand’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, wishing him success in his duties

RIYADH: Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Al-Budaiwi recently received New Zealand’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Charles Kingston at the General Secretariat’s headquarters in Riyadh.

Al-Budaiwi congratulated Kingston on his appointment as New Zealand’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, wishing him success in his duties, the General Secretariat wrote in a report.

During the meeting, they also discussed a number of topics of mutual interest, notably the progress of negotiations for the free trade agreement between the GCC countries and updates on the joint action plan between the two sides. They also exchanged views on several regional and international issues.​

 

 


Saudi authority issues health warning on food import

Updated 11 January 2025
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Saudi authority issues health warning on food import

RIYADH: The Saudi Food and Drug Authority issued a warning about Country Butcher Boy beef pepperoni, manufactured in the UAE.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the 250-gram packages with an expiration date of March 1, 2025, are contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium posing serious health risks, confirmed by lab tests.

The authority advised the public to avoid consuming the product and dispose of any units they may have.

Steps have been taken to remove the contaminated product from the market, and regulatory action is being pursued against the importing company, the SPA reported.

Violations of food laws can result in severe penalties, including up to 10 years in prison, fines of up to SR10 million ($2.6 million), or both.

The authority reiterated its commitment to food safety and will continue taking action against violators. Consumers can report food safety concerns to the authority’s call center at 19999.


Thai Embassy joins Riyadh greening initiative

Updated 11 January 2025
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Thai Embassy joins Riyadh greening initiative

RIYADH: The Royal Thai Embassy recently took part in a volunteer initiative at Aba Samri National Park in the Murat governorate of Riyadh region, in collaboration with the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification.

Part of the National Greening Season, the activity aims to enhance vegetation, curb land degradation, and plant native and adaptive species, supporting the Saudi Green Initiative, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The embassy’s involvement promotes vegetation restoration and aligns with the center’s call for broader environmental engagement from all sectors. The scheme improves air quality, reduces dust storms and restores ecosystems, the SPA added.

The National Greening Season, a core element of the broader program, fosters public-private partnerships, volunteerism, and awareness about afforestation and combating desertification.

The center leads efforts to protect and restore vegetation sites across Saudi Arabia, addressing challenges such as wildfires, illegal logging and unregulated grazing to safeguard natural ecosystems.