Browsing: Countries

Washington, September 22, 2026, SPA — In a joint statement, leaders of more than 20 countries called for binding safety measures for advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems. They warned that the systems could develop faster than they can be regulated and controlled. The statement cited serious risks to safety and security that could arise from misuse of these systems, as well as recent cases in which AI programs bypassed testing safeguards and gained unauthorized access to real-world syst…

Riyadh, April 21, 2026, SPA — Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi affirmed that relations between the GCC countries and the Central Asian countries are based on solid foundations of shared history and mutual interests, expressing his confidence that this partnership will witness further growth and prosperity in the coming years, in a way that reflects the aspirations of its peoples for a more stable, prosperous and integrated future. He made these remarks during his participation in the workshop “Strengthening the Strategic Partnership between the GCC Countries and Central Asian Countries: Fr

Jakarta, April 22, 2026, SPA — The first flight carrying beneficiaries of the Makkah Route Initiative departed today from Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia, for Saudi Arabia via the initiative lounge at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, bound for Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah. The initiative aims to provide high-quality services to pilgrims from beneficiary countries by receiving them and completing their procedures in their own countries with ease. The process begins with biometric data collection and electronic issuance of Hajj visas, followed by passport procedures at the airport of departure after ver

Riyadh, April 10, 2026, SPA — The ministers responsible for tourism in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states held an extraordinary meeting via videoconference on April 7, 2026, to monitor the latest developments in the region and review their potential implications for the tourism sector across the council states. The ministers of the GCC states reiterated their condemnation, in the strongest possible terms, of the unjustified and illegal Iranian aggressions that have deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure, including ports, airports, energy facilities, desalination plants, residential and commercial areas, and tourism facilitie

Riyadh, April 06, 2026, SPA — Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received today Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Ayman Safadi. During the meeting, they reviewed relations between the two countries and opportunities for their development in all fields, in line with the directives of the leaderships of the two brotherly countries. They also discussed the latest developments in the region, emphasizing the solidarity of the two kingdoms in confronting Iranian aggression against them and a number of brotherly Arab countries and rejecting w

Riyadh, March 23, 2026, SPA — The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recorded notable progress in the World Happiness Report 2026, ranking 22nd globally out of 147 countries with a life evaluation score of 6.817 out of 10, according to the report published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford in partnership with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. The World Happiness Report is issued annually in conjunction with the International Day of Happiness on March 20. It is based on survey data covering more than 140 countries and measures people’s life evaluations using several key factors, including gr

Riyadh, January 21, 2026, SPA — The foreign ministers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Türkiye, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the State of Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates welcome the invitation extended to their leaders by President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America to join the Board of Peace. The ministers announce their countries’ shared decision to join the Board of Peace. Each country will sign the joining documents according to their respective relevant legal and other necessary procedures, including the

Riyadh, January 18, 2026, SPA — Saudi Arabia ranked second globally and first in the Arab world among donor countries for humanitarian aid in 2025, leading in contributions to Yemen with 49.3% of total aid and ranking second for aid to Syria, according to the United Nations Financial Tracking Service. A recently released 2024 report on development assistance indicates that the Kingdom ranks second among 16 non-member donor countries and tenth globally in aid volume among all 48 donor countries, including both members and non-members. Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre

10 December 2025 (Geneva) – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that USD 1.2 billion in airline funds are blocked from repatriation by governments as of the end of October 2025. A marginal improvement of USD 100 million has been made since last reported in April 2025. Out of total blocked funds reported, 93% are trapped in Africa and Middle East (AME). IATA called on governments to lift all restrictions on currency repatriation and allow airlines to access their revenues in U.S. dollars from ticket sales, cargo sales and other activities, as guaranteed in bilateral air service agreements and treaty obligations. Rest