Saudi UN delegation hosts Yemen coalition experts
NEW YORK: The Kingdom’s permanent mission to the UN in New York hosted from Feb. 27 to March 2 a senior delegation of military experts from the coalition to restore legitimacy in Yemen, headed by Maj. Gen. Misfer Al-Ghanem.
He said in a press statement that military experts held a string of meetings with representatives of UN member states participating in the coalition, experts from the Security Council, UN officials, and representatives of international and humanitarian organizations, in the presence of Saudi Ambassador to the UN Abdallah Al-Moallimi.
The meetings were attended by John Ging, operations director of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and representatives of UNICEF, the UN Environment Program, the UN Population Fund, the UN Department of Safety and Security, the World Bank and the World Food Program (WFP). A special meeting was held with members of the Kingdom’s permanent mission in New York.
The press statement said the meetings focused on coalition objectives and achievements, promoting security and stability in Yemen, and fighting terrorism in the country and the region.
The statement said the experts gave a briefing on the coalition’s military and humanitarian operations, and its commitment to international humanitarian law.
They also gave a briefing on violations of UN Security Council resolutions and international law by Yemeni rebels, and the damage they have caused to civilian installations in Saudi Arabia.
The statement also pointed to rebel use of children and other civilians as human shields, their recruitment of children for military operations, and the targeting of their opponents by assassination or arrest.
The Saudi delegation also highlighted efforts by the committee on evacuation and humanitarian operations, and the King Salman Humanitarian and Relief Center — in coordination with coalition forces, Yemen’s legitimate government, and UN and other humanitarian organizations — to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Yemenis throughout their country, including areas under rebel control. RIYADH: The landmark visit of Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, has ushered in a new era of relations between the two countries, officials and commentators said.
Mohamed Al- Khunaizi, a senior member of the Shoura Council, told Arab News: “King Salman started the Asian tour after realizing that everything is stable inside Saudi Arabia, he made so many positive changes in the country.”
“Now he wants to (develop even stronger relations) with the Islamic countries especially Indonesia, which is a big Islamic power... we have so many things in common between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.”
“Indonesia is supporting the war in ... Yemen and supported Saudi Arabia all the time,” Al-Khunaizi added. “So the king went to Indonesia to establish relations and make more agreements for enhancing economic ties and bolstering bilateral relation.”
He pointed out that there is a huge number of Indonesians working in Saudi Arabia.
Majed Abdullah Al-Hedayan, a legal consultant and investment law expert said the royal visit reflects a “new dimension, which is strategically important in the foreign policy of the Kingdom.”
Saudi Arabia has opened new pages of cooperation with Asian countries, as reflected in the current visit to the Republic of Indonesia, he added.
Al-Hedayan said that the countries on the Saudi delegation’s tour of Asia — such as China, Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia — are strong economic powers and will be helpful in the aims of the Vision 2030 reform plan.
The Asian tour will make the way for further strengthening of relations with these states, he added.
Jenur Muchlis, an official in the Jakarta city government, told Arab News that the royal tour marks “a historic visit” to two major Islamic countries.
“Of course the arrival of King Salman to Jakarta and private tour to Bali had a positive impact on world tourism and investment,” he added.