海角直播

Saudi FM discusses Middle East issues with Spanish, British counterparts, UNRWA chief

Saudi FM discusses Middle East issues with Spanish, British counterparts, UNRWA chief
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan. (File/SPA)
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Updated 08 January 2025

Saudi FM discusses Middle East issues with Spanish, British counterparts, UNRWA chief

Saudi FM discusses Middle East issues with Spanish, British counterparts, UNRWA chief
  • Prince Faisal meets聽Philippe Lazzarini in Riyadh

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received separate phone calls from Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Wednesday.

He discussed recent developments in the Middle East with his Spanish and British counterparts, and efforts to address them.

The Saudi foreign minister also met the chief of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Philippe Lazzarini, in Riyadh. They discussed 海角直播鈥檚 efforts to cooperate with UNRWA on projects benefiting the Palestinian people.


Saudi Wafi Energy backs Pakistan flood response with fuel to aid rescue, relief efforts

Saudi Wafi Energy backs Pakistan flood response with fuel to aid rescue, relief efforts
Updated 29 sec ago

Saudi Wafi Energy backs Pakistan flood response with fuel to aid rescue, relief efforts

Saudi Wafi Energy backs Pakistan flood response with fuel to aid rescue, relief efforts
  • Saudi-owned company donates 5,000 liters of petrol to NDMA, pledges more support for flood-hit communities
  • Donation follows government aid already delivered to over 200,000 victims by KSrelief in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Saudi oil marketing company Wafi Energy has donated 5,000 liters of petrol to Pakistan鈥檚 National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to support ongoing relief operations, its chief executive said on Thursday, as monsoon floods continue to devastate large parts of the country.

The contribution, made at a ceremony hosted at the Saudi Embassy in Islamabad, comes as part of wider Saudi efforts to assist Pakistan. Riyadh鈥檚 King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has already provided food, shelter and other items for more than 200,000 victims across the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces and the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Since late June, heavy monsoon rains and flash floods have killed more than 929 people and affected over 4 million nationwide, according to NDMA figures.

鈥淭oday we are contributing 5,000 liters of petrol to NDMA, before that we have contributed two separate tranches of fuel,鈥 Zubair Shaikh, CEO of Wafi Energy Pakistan, told Arab News after the ceremony. 鈥淲e plan to do relief item support for the affected communities.鈥

Wafi Energy, which acquired an 87.78% stake in Shell Pakistan Limited last year, operates more than 600 fueling stations and nationwide oil terminals. The company, now rebranded from Shell Pakistan, markets petroleum products, CNG and lubricants across the country.

Fuel supplies are critical during disaster response, enabling the NDMA to run rescue boats, transport relief goods to cut-off communities, power generators at relief camps and keep emergency vehicles operating in flood-hit areas.

Shaikh said Wafi Energy was committed to sustaining its contribution beyond fuel deliveries also.

鈥淭his is part of our values. So, this is a small contribution as part of NDMA, which we are doing as part of fuel contribution,鈥 he said.

鈥淲e will keep on supporting the community in the rain-affected area and make sure we give them the livelihood in the next few months so that this contribution doesn鈥檛 end here.鈥 

海角直播鈥檚 Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki welcomed the Wafi initiative and urged other firms to follow suit.

鈥淚 think this initiative is very important for all the companies which are investing here in Pakistan,鈥 he told Arab News, adding that many parts of Pakistan remained badly affected and people were in urgent need of food, shelter and other items.

The envoy also underlined 海角直播鈥檚 government-level support through KSrelief, pledging that the Kingdom would continue to stand by Pakistan.

鈥淭he kingdom is here to stand with Pakistan, to support Pakistan in the critical situations.鈥 


KSrelief expands efforts in Yemen with eye surgeries in Aden and classrooms in Hadramout

KSrelief expands efforts in Yemen with eye surgeries in Aden and classrooms in Hadramout
Updated 43 min 30 sec ago

KSrelief expands efforts in Yemen with eye surgeries in Aden and classrooms in Hadramout

KSrelief expands efforts in Yemen with eye surgeries in Aden and classrooms in Hadramout
  • KSrelief launched two new initiatives in Yemen aimed at strengthening health care and education as part of 海角直播鈥檚 ongoing humanitarian support,

DUBAI: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has launched two new initiatives in Yemen aimed at strengthening health care and education as part of 海角直播鈥檚 ongoing humanitarian support, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). 
In Aden Governorate, KSrelief inaugurated the Saudi Noor Volunteer Project, which runs from September 7 to 14 and provides advanced eye surgeries for low-income patients.
According to SPA, a volunteer medical team of six specialists has already successfully performed 22 retinal surgeries, 10 strabismus (crossed-eye) corrections, five glaucoma operations, and four orbital procedures, along with 98 retinal injections, 80 laser treatments and 19 minor interventions. 
Meanwhile, in the Hadramout governorate, KSrelief delivered 28 alternative classrooms across the districts of Thamud, Ramah and rural Mukalla. The initiative coincides with the start of the 2025鈥2026 academic year and aims to reduce overcrowding, keep children in school and ensure access to quality education.


KSrelief distributes food aid in Afghanistan, Somalia

KSrelief distributes food aid in Afghanistan, Somalia
Updated 50 min 55 sec ago

KSrelief distributes food aid in Afghanistan, Somalia

KSrelief distributes food aid in Afghanistan, Somalia

RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) handed out much-needed food supplies in Afghanistan and Somalia as part of 海角直播鈥檚 ongoing humanitarian efforts.

In Afghanistan, 797 boxes containing basic food needs were distributed to benefit 4,782 Afghans housed at the Omari camp at the Torkham border crossing in Nangarhar Province. They are temporarily being accommodated there upon their return from Pakistan.

In Somalia, 1,300 food boxes were given to vulnerable families in Baidoa as part of 海角直播鈥檚 Food Security Support Project for the country.

Meanwhile, Ahmed bin Ali Al-Baiz, KSrelief鈥檚 Assistant Supervisor-General, earlier met with Mauritanian Ambassador to 海角直播 Mokhtar Ould Dahi where they discussed humanitarian and relief affairs, and ways to further enhance them.

A KSrelief team also participated in a donor delegation from the Lives and Livelihoods Fund on a field visit to a project supporting maternal, newborn, and child health services in Tajikistan鈥檚 Khatlon Province, SPA reported.

They inspected the new medical equipment and patient wards, where improvements have raised antenatal care coverage from 50 percent to 70 percent and supported more than 1,500 safe deliveries.


Saudi, Russian deputy foreign ministers meet in Sochi

Saudi, Russian deputy foreign ministers meet in Sochi
Updated 12 September 2025

Saudi, Russian deputy foreign ministers meet in Sochi

Saudi, Russian deputy foreign ministers meet in Sochi

RIYADH: 海角直播鈥檚 Deputy Minister Abdulrahman Al-Rassi met his Russian counterpart Vershinin Sergey Vasilievich at the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of the Russia-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Strategic Dialogue in Sochi.

The two officials explored ways to enhance Saudi-Russian bilateral relations and also discussed the latest regional and international developments, and efforts made to address them, state news agency SPA reported

The Sochi dialogue is an important platform for strengthening relations between the two sides and exchanging views on regional and international issues of common interest, including threats to regional and global security, according to GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi.

The meeting comes amid circumstances marked by numerous crises facing the region and the world, including political and security challenges that affect security and stability, Albudaiwi said, in a report from SPA.

He emphasized that GCC nations鈥 belief that that the optimal way to resolve all conflicts and disputes is through negotiations and peaceful, diplomatic means, prioritizing dialogue and respecting the rule of law particularly those that align with international laws that ensure the preservation of security and stability and the achievement of greater prosperity and development.

The GCC foreign ministers and Russian foreign affairs minister Sergey Lavrov earlier issued a jointed statement strongly condemning the Israeli attack against Qatar.

In their statement, the ministers considered the 鈥渁ttack a flagrant violation of international laws and norms, a blatant assault on the sovereignty of the State of Qatar, and a deliberate undermining of diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving security and stability in the region.鈥

They also warned that the absence of a serious and decisive international stance will have serious repercussions for regional and international peace and security.


Saudi education minister meets with Singaporean counterpart聽

Saudi education minister meets with Singaporean counterpart聽
Updated 12 September 2025

Saudi education minister meets with Singaporean counterpart聽

Saudi education minister meets with Singaporean counterpart聽

 

SINGAPORE: Saudi Minister of Education Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Benyan met with his Singaporean counterpart Desmond Lee Ti-Seng during his official visit to Singapore.

The meeting explored opportunities to establish academic partnerships between Saudi and Singaporean universities and to develop curricula aligned with the requirements of the knowledge economy.

Discussions also included the launch of joint research centers in the fields of artificial intelligence, clean energy and cybersecurity, as well as encouraging researchers from both sides to jointly apply for scholarships.

Additionally, the meeting addressed ways to benefit from Singapore鈥檚 leading experience in teacher preparation and development through continuing education programs and mutual visits. Further topics included the development of student skills, student exchange programs, and the employment of modern teaching techniques in classrooms.