GCC defense ministers inaugurated united military command in Nov
Kuwait-based Arab Fund, Bahrain signed loan agreement to establish a control center for electricity and water networks
The following is the continuation of the main events in the GCC countries through the year 2021. – Editor
Sept 22: Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih announces that Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement with the official Trade and Investment Promotion Agency of Greece (Enterprise Greece) to improve Saudi investments in Greece.
Sept 23: Forces of the coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen announces the interception and destruction of three booby-trapped aircraft launched by the “terrorist” Houthi militias to target civilians and in Saudi Arabia.
Sept 23: Saudi Arabia celebrates the anniversary of the 91st National Day for its unification by the founding King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al-Saud.
Sept 24: Forces of the coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen announces the interception and destruction of a booby-trapped plane launched by the “terrorist” Houthi militia in a systematic and deliberate manner to target civilians in the southern city of Abha.
Sept 25: Saudi Literature, Publishing and Translation Authority launches the second edition of the Riyadh International Book Fair 2021 award, which aims at Saudi, Arab and international publishing houses participating in the exhibition, which will be held from October1st to 10th.
Sept 25: Forces of the coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen announces the interception and destruction of a ballistic missile fired by Houthi militias to target civilians in the southern Saudi city of Najran.
Oct 4: Saudi MoI announced that travelers who did not receive vaccines approved by Saudi Arabia would be home quarantined.
Oct 5: Saudi Sport Ministry increased to 100 percent capacity of stadium hosting a game between Saudi Arabia with Japan and China, part of qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup.
Oct 7: English Football Association approved the Saudi sovereign fund’s acquisition of New Castle Football Club for 300 million Pounds (USD 408 million).
Oct 8: Coalition forces said 15 persons injured when a projectile and a drone fired by the Houthis hit King Abdullah Airport in Jazan.
Oct 9: Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umra said people who took two doses of Covid-19 vaccines could perform Umra and prayers at the two holy mosques in Makka and Madinah.
Oct 10: Saudi MoI said only people who received two Covid-19 doses could board airplanes and public transportation.
Oct 11: Coalition forces said they executed 338 operations to protect civilians in Maareb.
Oct 11: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman announced a national investment strategy.
Oct 15: Saudi non-oil exports rose 37 percent in the first half 2021 to register USD 4.33 billion.
Oct 16: Coalition forces killed over 160 terrorists in attacks on the Houthi militias in Maareb.
Oct 17: Sport Ministry allowed full fan capacity at all venues.
Oct 20: Chairman of the public authority for entertainment Turki Al Al-Sheikh launched Riyadh Tourism Season.
Oct 25: Leaders participating in the Middle East Green Initiative called for a systematic regional roadmap to confront common environmental challenges.
Oct 26: Saudi Investment Fund announced depositing of USD three billion into Pakistan’s Central Bank to help the government in Islamabad support its foreign currency reserve as well as impacts of coronavirus.
Oct 26: Aramco signed five MoUs with Saudi and international investors to explore investment opportunities in manufacturing of hydrogen and green energy, as well as digital technology in industries.
Oct 27: The Foreign Ministry summoned the Lebanese ambassador to protest against the Lebanese Information Minister George Qerdahi’s offensive statements regarding the coalition’s efforts in Yemen.
Oct 29: Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador to Lebanon and told the Lebanese Ambassador to leave the country in 48 hours.
Oct 29: Saudi Arabia submitted an official request to host Expo in 2030.
Oct 31: Public Authority for military industries signed a contract with the Saudi company for military industries to develop a drone.
Oct 31: Finance Ministry said the budget registered a surplus amounting to USD 1.782 billion in the third quarter.
Nov 1: Saudi Arabia and Oman signed a land and air transportation agreements.
Nov 3: Saudi Food and Drug Authority approved the use of PfizerBioNTech vaccine on 5-11 years old.
Nov 3: Saudi Arabia and Oman signed an MoU on communications, information technology and post.
Nov 9: Statistics authority said GDP registered a 6.8-percent increase in third quarter 2021 compared with same period 2020.
Nov 13: Saudi football association launched the first women football league.
Nov 14: Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman launched the Prince Mohammad bin Salman City, the first non-profit city in the world.
Nov 19: Saudi Arabia donated USD 56,000 to contribute to establishment of a center for chemistry and technology
for the Organization on prohibition of chemical weapons.
Nov 22: GCC defense ministers inaugurated the united military command in Riyadh.
Nov 26: Saudi Arabia suspended flights from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho an Eswatini due to spread of coronavirus.
Nov 27: Interior Ministry allowed entry of people who got at least one Covid-19 vaccine done but would have to be quarantined for three days. The new measure started December 4.
Nov. 28: Interior Ministry suspended flights from Malawi, Zambia, Madagascar, Angola, Seychelles, Mauritius and Comoros for spread of coronavirus.
Dec. 1: Saudi Arabia signed a cooperation agreement with the UN to implement an international initiative to stop deterioration of land.
Dec. 1: Saudi MoH announced the first Omicron variant case of a citizen who came from a North African country.
Dec. 1: Coalition forces destroyed a booby-trapped boat before it was launched by the houthis in the south of the Red Sea.
Dec. 2: Coalition forces attacked an arms depot and other weapons in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.
Dec. 3: Coalition forces destroyed a rocket launcher by the Houthis in southern Sanaa.
Dec. 4: Aramco signed five agreements with French companies on hydrogen-fueled vehicles. Saudi Arabia and France signed cooperation agreements on space, culture, tourism and technology, on sidelines of French President Emannuel Macron’s visit to the Kingdom.
Dec. 5: Saudi Arabia and France signed an agreement to establish a company in the Kingdom to build aircraft parts.
Dec. 6: Saudi Arabia and Oman signed 13 MoUs over economic cooperation.
Dec. 7: Aramco signed a lease and re-lease contract of gas pipelines with a value of KD 15.5 billion.
Dec. 8: Saudi Arabia and Greece signed sea transport cooperation agreement.
Dec. 12: Saudi government approved the 2022 budget, which included
expenditure of around USD 254.666 billion and revenues at USD 278.667 billion with a surplus of USD 24 billion.
Dec. 12: King Salman relief authority signed two agreements with the global coronavirus vaccines alliance (GAVI) to allocate USD 5.333 million to support least-developed Muslim countries with Covid-19 vaccines.
Dec. 14: GCC summit reiterated importance of regional stability and security, rejected terrorism and extremism, supported Palestinian people’s sovereignty over all lands occupied since June 1967 to ultimately establish the independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Dec. 14: The GCC summit called on Lebanese parties to work towards security, stability and development, urged Iraq to address sticky issues with Kuwait namely demarcation of marine borders beyond Mark 162, supported legitimate Yemeni government and a political end to the conflict based on GCC initiative, its implementation mechanism and the outcome of national dialogue, as well as UNSC resolution 2216.
Dec. 17: Coalition forces carried out 29 operations against the Houthi militias in Maareb.
Dec. 19: The coalition bombed two booby-trapped drones fired by the Houthis towards Abha Airport, southern Saudi Arabia.
Dec. 21: The coalition said the Houthis closed Sanaa Airport on December 19 thus UN planes would not be able to land.
Major events of 2021 in Bahrain:
Jan. 11: Bahrain reopens airspace for Qatar-registered aircraft.
Jan. 27: Bahrain’s Ministry of Health announces a Covid-19 variant in a number of active cases in the Kingdom.
Jan. 28: Bahrain opens new airport terminal, which will increase capacity to 14 million passengers per year.
Feb. 6: Bahrain’s interior ministry foils plans for a pair of “terrorist” bomb attacks targeting ATM machines belonging to a local bank.
Feb. 10: Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullatif Al-Zayani and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell sign a Cooperation Arrangement to enhance
political and trade cooperation between the two sides.
March 12: Bahrain re-opens Mosques across the country for all prayers except for Friday prayer.
March 28: Mercedes-Benz Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton wins Bahrain Grand Prix 2021.
April 8: Bahrain announced the opening of mosques for daily, and Isha and Taraweeh prayers from the first day of the holy month of Ramadhan.
May 6: Bahrain and Greece have reached an agreement regarding mutual recognition of vaccination certifications, the first of its kind between the two countries.
May 24: Bahraini Civil Aviation Affairs suspended entry of passengers coming from the countries on the Red List (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal).
May 27: The Bahraini National Medical Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (COVID-19) announced closure of malls and businesses until June 10, 2021.
June 3: Bahrain allowed the emergency use of (Sotrovimab), a new drug developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) after the approval of the US food and drug administration (FDA).
July 3: Bahrain elected chairman of the Arab federation of mixed martial arts.
Aug 7: Bahraini runner Kalkidan Gezahegne wins the silver medal in the women’s 10a 10,000m at the Tokyo2020 Olympics.
Aug 20: The Kingdom of Bahrain announces its contribution along with its international partners to support relief efforts in Afghanistan and facilitate evacuation by allowing flights to take advantage of the Kingdom’s position as a transit point to its planned final destinations.
Oct 27: Foreign Ministry summoned the Lebanese Ambassador and handed him an official protest over Lebanese Information Minister George Qerdahi’s offensive remarks against the coalition efforts in Yemen.
Oct 29: Bahrain recalled its ambassador in Beirut and told the Lebanese ambassador to leave the country within 48 hours.
Nov 22: Kuwait-based Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development signed KD 10 million (USD 33 million) easy loan agreement with Bahrain to establish a control center for electricity and water networks.
Nov. 22: Ministry of Interior announced arrest of terrorists who were planning attacks in the Kingdom.
Nov 24: Bahrain announced over USD 30 billion strategy including new cities and development projects, part of 2030 vision.
Dec. 11: Bahrain’s MoH announced the first Omicron case.
Dec. 21: Bahrain announced the launch of its first satellite, Light-1. A joint project between Bahrain and the UAE, dedicated to monitor and study terrestrial gamma ray flashes from thunderstorms and cumulus could. Major events of 2021 in Qatar: Jan. 11: Qatar Airways resumes flights to Riyadh after over three years of suspension.
Jan. 11: The 2021 International Judo Federation World Masters kicks off in Doha with 400 athletes participating from 70 countries.
Feb. 2: Media City Qatar announces that it has signed a strategic partnership with Euronews.
Feb. 8: Qatar Petroleum signs a contract for LNG project expansion, which will take Qatar’s LNG production capacity to 110 million tons per annum (mtpa) from 77 million mtpa.
Feb. 11: Germany’s Bayern Munich wins the title of the Qatar-hosted 2020 FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) after beating Mexico’s Tigres 1-0 in the FIFA Club World Cup final.
Feb. 14: Qatari customs authority issues regulatory controls pertaining to movement of imported, transiting goods with Saudi Arabia.
Feb. 18: Qatari Ministry of Public Health announces that fully vaccinated people are now exempt from quarantine when they return from abroad.
Feb. 24: Qatar opens Sabah Al-Ahmad Corridor, which reflects the depth of Qatar-Kuwait historic ties.
March 21: Qatar’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education announces that student attendance in all schools will be reduced to 30 percent.
April 1: Qatar signed two MoUs with the United Kingdom to enhance cooperation in the military field.
April 4: Qatar announced the shift to online education, after the noticeable rise in infection cases with the novel coronavirus.
April 26: The General Assembly of the Gulf Cup chose Iraq to host the 25th Gulf Cup by unanimous votes, and Kuwait as a substitute.
April 26: Qatar announced compulsory hotel quarantine on all arrivals from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
April 27: FIFA revealed the fixtures and dates of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021, to be held between November 30 and December 18.
May 8: Qatar announced quarantine exemption for vaccinated GCC travelers.
May 9: Qatar Ministry of Public Health unveiled a phased out plan to lift coronavirus restrictions starting from May 28.
May 12: Qatar Ministry of Public Health announced that Children aged from 12 to 15 years can take PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
Former Kuwait expatriate and businessman late Thomas Chandy MLA , who was the president of NCP Kerala State unit and former Transport Minister of Kerala State, was remembered on his second death anniversary day at Kuwait, following COVID-19 health and safety standards by Overseas