Saudi Crown Prince blasts international failure to halt Israeli aggression

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has affirmed the Kingdom’s unequivocal rejection and condemnation of Israel’s unjust war on Palestine.

Prince Mohammed described there was a humanitarian catastrophe that exposes the failure of the Security Council and the international community to curb the blatant Israeli violations.

He reiterated the call for an immediate cessation of military operations and the establishment of humanitarian corridors for the relief of civilians.

Crown Prince made his remarks as he chaired and opened the extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh on Saturday, on behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman.

He said, “This summit convened under exceptional and painful circumstances. In this regard, we strongly condemn and reject this unjust war, which our brothers in Palestine are enduring.

“Thousands of innocent civilians, including children, women, and the elderly, have fallen victim, and hospitals, places of worship, and infrastructure have been destroyed.”

“Saudi Arabia has exerted continuous efforts since the beginning of the events to protect civilians in Gaza, consulting and coordinating with its brothers and effective countries in the international community to halt the war.”

He renewed Saudi Arabia’s demands for an immediate cessation of military operations, the provision of humanitarian corridors for civilian relief, and enabling international humanitarian organizations to fulfill their roles.

He also called for the release of hostages and detainees, the preservation of lives, and the protection of the innocent.

“We are facing a humanitarian catastrophe that testifies to the failure of the Security Council and the international community to put an end to the blatant Israeli violations.

“It violates international laws, norms, and humanitarian law, demonstrating double standards and selectivity in their application.

“This threatens global security and stability. Therefore, it requires a coordinated collective effort to address this unfortunate situation.

Prince Mohammed called for working together to lift the blockade by providing humanitarian and relief aid, securing medical supplies for the sick and injured in Gaza.

He emphatically expressed Saudi Arabia’s firm rejection of the ongoing aggression, occupation, and forced displacement of Gaza residents.

The Crown Prince asserted the Saudi position, holding the occupying authorities responsible for the crimes committed against the Palestinian people and their resources.

He reiterated the conviction that the only way to achieve security, peace, and stability in the region is to end the occupation, siege, and settlement, ensuring the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, and establishing their independent state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Saudi Crown Prince stresses importance of ensuring Palestinian rights

According to Saudi Gazette, Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman engaged in a phone conversation with US President Joe Biden, highlighting the imperative for de-escalation in Gaza and a commitment to international humanitarian law in light of the current regional tensions.

The Crown Prince, expressing deep concern over the situation, underscored the necessity to halt the current escalation, preventing any further deterioration that could adversely affect the security and stability of the entire region.

He emphasized the importance of upholding the principles of international law, particularly in protecting civilians and vital infrastructure.

President Biden, in turn, extended his appreciation to Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman for his efforts in reducing and containing escalation in the region.

Furthermore, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman affirmed Saudi Arabia's rejection of all forms of targeting civilians and infrastructure, emphasizing the need for a swift resolution to the crisis.

He stressed the urgency of restoring peace and ensuring the Palestinian people's legitimate rights.

The diplomatic conversation also touched upon the vital need to lift the blockade on Gaza, a move seen as essential for addressing the humanitarian crisis in the region

The Crown Prince asserted that such measures are crucial for fostering a just and comprehensive peace, echoing a sentiment of peace and stability for the entire Middle East.

Saudi Crown Prince calls for Palestinian state on 1967 borders

According to Saudi Gazette, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has called for creating conditions that lead to stability in Gaza and lasting peace that ensures a just solution to the Middle East conflict by establishing a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders.

Prince Mohammed affirmed the Kingdom's categorical rejection of targeting civilians under any pretext and stressed the importance of adhering to international humanitarian law and the need to stop military operations against civilians and their infrastructure that directly affects their lives.

The Crown Prince made the remarks during his opening speech at the GCC-ASEAN summit in Riyadh on Friday.

"As we are holding this meeting, we are pained by the escalation of the ongoing violence in Gaza, the price of which is being paid by innocent civilians," he said.

Deputizing for Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, Prince Mohammed chaired the Riyadh Summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The Crown Prince received the leaders and heads of delegations participating in the summit upon their arrival at the summit's venue.

At the outset of the summit, verses of the Holy Qur'an were recited, following that the Crown Prince delivered the opening speech.

He said, "On behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, I am delighted to welcome you to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We are pleased to hold this summit that is a testimony to the friendship and cooperation between the GCC states and ASEAN.

"Our meeting today aims to further develop cooperation and partnership in a way that fulfills the interests of peoples, increases opportunities for development, and consolidates security and stability."

He added, "The GCC-ASEAN countries have achieved a milestone in economic development, with the collective GDP of our countries exceeding US$7.8 trillion. We have witnessed economic growth that has increased our countries' contribution to the global GDP; the economies of the GCC and ASEAN countries have grown by 7.3% and 5.7%, respectively in 2022, motivating us to work together toward a more prosperous economy."

The growing GCC-ASEAN trade relations are evident by the volume of trade with the ASEAN countries, amounting to US$137 billion, 8% of GCC's global trade. The GCC exports to the ASEAN countries constitute 9% of its total exports; the GCC imports from ASEAN amount to 6% of the total GCC imports.

Over the past 20 years, the GCC invested 4% of its total foreign investments in ASEAN countries, amounting to US$75 billion. The ASEAN investment in the GCC accounts for 3.4% of the total foreign direct investments in the GCC countries, amounting to US$24.8 billion.

"We look forward to strengthening our economic relations, taking advantage of the available opportunities, and opening new scopes of cooperation in all fields, in light of the human resources, commercial opportunities, and promising investment projects that our countries possess."

Prince Mohammed commended "the level of coordination and cooperation our countries enjoy when it comes to international developments," while reaffirming the keenness to further advance joint action "to realize our goals and meet the aspirations of our peoples."

The Crown Prince appreciated ASEAN countries' support for the Kingdom's bid to host the Expo 2030 in Riyadh.

"The joint GCC-ASEAN action plan for 2024-2028 sets out a clear road map for increasing cooperation and partnership, which we are all keen to do, in various fields in order to serve our interests," he said.

He pledged that GCC countries will continue to be safe and reliable sources of energy, and contribute to maintaining the stability of global energy markets. "We are striving, at an accelerated pace, to meet, in a sustainable way, the requirements for developing clean, low-carbon energy technologies and petrochemical supply chains," Prince Mohammed said.

"We also look forward to achieving the maximum benefit from logistical resources and infrastructure, for expanding cooperation in tourism and cultural activities, enhancing communication among our peoples and establishing partnerships among the business sectors in our countries, to contribute to achieving the goals of our ambitious visions for a better future of prosperity, development and progress."

  

Saudi Crown Prince affirms unwavering support for Palestinian legitimate rights

In a series of diplomatic discussions, Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's unwavering support for the Palestinian people's legitimate rights during a phone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday.

The leaders engaged in a comprehensive dialogue, addressing the military escalation in Gaza and its adjacent areas. They expressed deep concern over the deteriorating situation, recognizing the threat it poses to civilian lives and regional security and stability.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman underscored the Kingdom's proactive efforts to collaborate with international and regional stakeholders, aiming to bring a swift end to the ongoing escalation and prevent its further proliferation in the region.

He emphasized the significance of upholding international humanitarian law and refraining from targeting civilians.

Moreover, the Crown Prince reiterated Saudi Arabia's commitment to standing by the Palestinian people in their pursuit of legitimate rights, advocating for a dignified life, the realization of hopes and aspirations, and the achievement of a just and lasting peace.

President Mahmoud Abbas expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Kingdom's leadership, acknowledging its steadfast stance and dedicated efforts in supporting the Palestinian people and their just cause.

In a separate conversation, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan delved into the escalating situation in Gaza, reiterating concerns about its impact on civilian lives and regional stability.

Additionally, in talks with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt, the leaders concurred on the imperative to intensify both international and regional efforts to halt the escalation in Gaza and its surroundings, emphasizing the need to prevent its expansion in the broader region.

 

Saudi Crown Prince announces economic corridor linking India, Middle East and Europe

According to Saudi Gazette, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for an economic corridor project connecting India with the Middle East and Europe.

The project aims to enhance economic connectivity, develop and upgrade infrastructure, and boost trade between the involved parties.

Speaking at the occasion of the launch of the corridor on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders' Summit in Delhi on Saturday, the Crown Prince said, “I am pleased today that we are gathered in this friendly country to sign an MoU for an economic corridor project connecting India with the Middle East and Europe.”

“This project is the culmination of our joint efforts over the past few months.

“It is built on principles that serve the common interests of our countries by enhancing economic connectivity and positively impacting our partners in other countries and the global economy as a whole.”

He added, “This project will contribute to the development and upgrading of infrastructure, including railways, port connections, and increased flow of goods and services, thus enhancing trade between the parties involved.

“It will also extend pipelines for the export and import of electricity and hydrogen to enhance global energy supply security, in addition to high-efficiency, reliable cross-border data transmission cables.”

The Crown Prince highlighted that the MoU also supports clean energy development efforts and will create new, high-quality employment opportunities along the corridors for all parties.

"To achieve what we have agreed upon in this memorandum, it requires the continuation of our collective efforts and the immediate commencement of developing the necessary mechanisms for its implementation within the agreed-upon timeframe," he said.

He also expressed profound gratitude to all those who worked together to take these foundational steps towards establishing this significant economic corridor.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of the India-Middle East-Europe connectivity corridor, which is the first of its kind initiative on cooperation on connectivity and infrastructure involving India, UAE, Saudi Arabia, EU, France, Italy, Germany, and the United States.

The governments of Saudi Arabia and United States announced that they had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries. The bilateral MoU provides a framework for developing a protocol for establishing intercontinental green transit corridors through the Kingdom to connect the continent of Asia with the continent of Europe.

This project aims to facilitate the transit of renewable electricity and clean hydrogen via transmission cables and pipelines as well as constructing rail linkages.

It is also intended to enhance energy security, support efforts for the development of clean energy, promote digital economy through digital connectivity and transmission of data via fiber cables, and promote trade and transport of goods by rail and through ports.

Saudi Arabia welcomed the role of the United States to facilitate and support the negotiation, establishment, and implementation of the green corridors transit protocol with the relevant countries.

Saudi Arabia launches plan to become global logistics hub

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, who is also chairman of the Supreme Committee for Transport and Logistics, has launched the master plan for logistics centers to make Saudi Arabia a global logistics hub.

The master plan aims to develop the infrastructure of the Kingdom’s logistic sector, as well as to diversify the local economy, and enhance the status of the Kingdom as a leading investment destination and a global logistics hub, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Crown Prince stressed that the plan is part of a package of ongoing initiatives set as targets by the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS) with the aim of developing the logistical sector to support the economy, as well as to increase the local, regional and international connections of the international trade networks and global supply chains. It also aims to boost the partnership with the private sector, and thus increase the opportunity to generate jobs, and make Saudi Arabia a global logistics hub, given its geographical location among three important continents: Asia, Europe and Africa.

The master plan for logistics centers stipulates 59 centers with a total area of more than 100 million square meters, including 12 in Riyadh region; 12 in Makkah region; 17 in the Eastern Province, and 18 distributed in the rest of the Kingdom. There are currently 21 centers under various phases of implementation and all centers will be completed by 2030.

The centers will also enable local industries to export Saudi products with high efficiency, support e-commerce by facilitating a rapid link between logistics centers and distribution centers in the Kingdom’s various regions, cities and governorates, as well as to provide high traceability and facilitate the issuance of licenses to practice logistic activity. This is especially after the launch of the unified logistics license and the licensing of more than 1,500 local, regional and international logistics companies, and the launch of the Fasah initiative, which is an e-system integrated in Saudi customs, in cooperation with the concerned government agencies.

The logistics services sector represents one of the promising pillars of economic diversification and development in the Kingdom. It is currently witnessing many important initiatives and major developments aimed at developing the sector and expanding its economic and developmental contributions. The Ministry of Transport and Logistics seeks to develop the logistics industry, enhance the export strategy, expand investment opportunities, and seal partnerships with the private sector.