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RIYADH: Saudi and Dutch climate envoys discussed strengthening bilateral relations between the Kingdom and the Netherlands in a meeting on Monday.
Adel Al-Jubeir and Prince Jaime of Bourbon-Parma discussed the latest developments related to environmental protection and mitigating climate change.
Al-Jubeir highlighted Saudi efforts and initiatives to combat climate change.
The pair met in New York where world leaders are gathering this week for the UN General Assembly
NEW YORK: Advisor to the Royal Court and KSrelief Supervisor General Abdullah Al Rabeeah met with Jorge Moreira da Silva, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Office for Project Services on Monday.
During the meeting, held on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, the two officials discussed ongoing humanitarian and relief efforts.
Moreira da Silva commended Saudi Arabia’s initiatives through KSrelief, highlighting the Kingdom’s impactful projects and programs aimed at alleviating the suffering of people in need worldwide.
NEW YORK: A $2.25m cooperation agreement between KSrelief and the International Organization for Migration will enhance sanitation services for displaced people and their host communities in Yemen’s Marib governorate.
Advisor to the Royal Court and KSrelief Supervisor General Abdullah Al Rabeeah met with IOM Director General Amy Pope on Monday on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.
The two discussed humanitarian and relief efforts, exploring ways to boost cooperation. Pope praised Saudi Arabia’s global humanitarian efforts, particularly through KSrelief.
The meeting resulted in the signing of the agreement, which focuses on providing access to safe sanitation facilities and improving waste management. It includes the construction of 200 household latrines, reconstruction of 600 cesspits, and provision of waste management equipment.
It is expected the initiative will directly benefit 47,598 people, with a further 137,580 benefiting indirectly.
RIYADH: Diriyah made history on Saudi Arabia’s 94th National Day by setting a Guinness World Record for the largest display of artificial-intelligence assistant devices.
The show, featuring over 500 Amazon Echo devices and Alexa voice assistants, was part of Diriyah’s celebrations of the country’s national day, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
The SPA quoted from a Diriyah Gate Development Authority news release which stated that the Echo devices were orchestrated to harmonize Saudi Arabia’s national anthem and other patriotic songs at Bujairi Terrace.
Officials from the Guinness World Records’ authority were on hand to witness the extraordinary feat.
“Congratulations on achieving the Guinness World Records title for the largest display of virtual assistant devices,” said Kanzy El-Defrawy, the Guinness World Records’ senior adjudicator.
“Diriyah has consistently been at the forefront of introducing cutting-edge entertainment to the people of Saudi Arabia, and this achievement reflects your relentless drive to fuse artificial intelligence with cultural celebrations.”
The DGDA’s chief executive Jerry Inzerillo said: “This historic moment underscores Saudi Arabia’s innovative spirit and Diriyah’s commitment to preserving and promoting our rich heritage and culture.”
Raf Fatani, Amazon’s regional general manager of Alexa in the Middle East and North Africa, said the attempt to set a world record was “a celebration of our deep reverence for the Kingdom’s rich culture and heritage.
“Through this collaboration, we weave a tapestry that intertwines artificial intelligence with the timeless threads of Saudi culture.”
The DGDA held several other events including at the historic UNESCO World Heritage Site of At-Turaif, which attracted thousands of visitors.
RIYADH: Arab leaders congratulated Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the 94th Saudi National Day which fell on Monday.
The UAE’s President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Sudan’s army chief General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and the King of Morocco Mohammed VI, congratulated the Saudi leadership on national day.
King Salman, in a post on X, said the day “is a dear memory renewed in the pages of our proud homeland, rooted in the conscience of the great Saudi people.”
He prayed for the security, prosperity, and stability of the Kingdom.
NEW YORK CITY: The UN system must be reformed to create a fairer and more equitable world order, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said on Monday.
Addressing the UN at its headquarters in New York City, Prince Faisal bin Farhan warned that international institutions are “unfit for purpose,” as demonstrated by the UN’s inability to hold Israel accountable for “all the atrocities it has committed.”
He was speaking a day after UN member states voted to adopt the “Pact for the Future,” a campaign to bring multilateralism “back from the brink” and galvanize support for achieving the organization’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Saudi Arabia “spared no effort” in taking part in negotiations over the pact, he said, thanking attendees for their cooperation during intense debate over the outcome document.
“We did this because we’re convinced that we need to do everything to build a better world, a greener world,” he added.
“We must also promote multilateralism so as to effectively confront today’s challenges and future challenges, achieving peace and security for the benefit of future generations.”
The pact is “aligned with fundamental principles,” Prince Faisal said, adding that achieving its objectives requires a “doubling of efforts to confront the various challenges and meet the needs of people all over the world.”
He added: “This pact marks a qualitative step forward in multilateral action. It promises a fair and equitable world order, a world order which promotes the implementation of the SDGs and meets the needs of all states, specifically developing countries.
“It’s a pact which calls for the closing of the digital gap, and which also promotes economic development in developing countries.”
Saudi Arabia has been working intensely to strengthen multilateral cooperation, but achieving a brighter future demands UN reform, Prince Faisal said.
As part of the “pressing matter,” the UN must be reconstructed to shoulder its responsibility in upholding international peace and security, he added.
On climate change, Saudi Arabia is “committed to a diversified approach that is context specific and tailored to the capacities of each and every country,” he said.
Energy security, economic development and mitigation of the effects of climate change are the three pillars that offer a solution to the challenge, Prince Faisal added.
“We need to ensure that our commitments enshrined in the Paris Agreement and the UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) are upheld,” he said.
“We’ll be welcoming the next meeting of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. This will be the 30th anniversary meeting of parties to the convention.”
Saudi Arabia, which is “committed to meeting the SDGs” and the objectives of the “Pact of the Future,” will “make every effort to bolster cooperation,” Prince Faisal said.
“We hope that our collective efforts will allow us to uphold various values such as sovereignty, and to build a better future for current and future generations.”
