Saudi Arabia among top 3 safest places in world

September 5, 2016

Jeddah, Sep 5: Saudi Arabia has been ranked among the top three safest places in the world, thanks to fewer natural disasters and constant efforts by the government in terms of health, security and infrastructure.

jeddah

The Institute for Environment and Human Security at the UN University has, in its recent report, placed the Kingdom as the third most safe and secure country after Malta and Qatar.

The US ranked 116th, while the most dangerous countries in the world included Vanuatu and Tonga, the Philippines, Guatemala and Bangladesh.

According to the American news site, TakePart, natural disasters like fires, tsunamis and earthquakes reduce the proportion of people living in security and safety.

Researchers at the Institute for Environment and Human Security at the University of the UN recently issued a study analyzing such disasters in 171 countries and the risks they pose.

The study’s project manager, Peter Myuk, said the survey took into account all issues concerning the environment and natural and human aspects, as well as the infrastructure in many countries, the ability to provide security for citizens, and ability to deliver aid quickly in the event of certain disasters.

According to the results of the study, Vanuatu, Tonga, the Philippines, Guatemala and Bangladesh ranked as the five most dangerous countries to live in.

Thirteen countries, out of 15, with low safety levels are located on the African continent, and this can be attributed to the low development levels.

Vanuatu and Tonga specifically suffer from frequent earthquakes and volcanoes, decreasing their safety levels.

Richer countries ranked higher on the list, due to good infrastructure, larger food assistance and the development of telecommunication, electricity, sewage, water and other services that people need.

Australia has been ranked 121st on the list because it suffers from flooding throughout the year; equally low ranked is Japan, which suffers from natural disasters but addresses the challenges with modern building techniques.

The study also revealed that countries such as Liberia (56th), Zambia (66th) and Central Africa (71st) suffer mostly from lack of health and medical resources, as well as medical evacuation and ambulance services.

Many countries also suffer from poor roads, making it difficult for emergency teams to deliver aid during natural disasters.

Based on the findings, researchers concluded that although countries “cannot control the size and strength of natural disasters, as well as the wars that are currently taking place in a number of countries, governments can do more to reduce the danger to humans by providing capabilities that would limit the number of victims.”
Saudi Arabia among top 3 safest places in world
Jeddah, Sep 5: Saudi Arabia has been ranked among the top three safest places in the world, thanks to fewer natural disasters and constant efforts by the government in terms of health, security and infrastructure.

The Institute for Environment and Human Security at the UN University has, in its recent report, placed the Kingdom as the third most safe and secure country after Malta and Qatar.

The US ranked 116th, while the most dangerous countries in the world included Vanuatu and Tonga, the Philippines, Guatemala and Bangladesh.

According to the American news site, TakePart, natural disasters like fires, tsunamis and earthquakes reduce the proportion of people living in security and safety.

Researchers at the Institute for Environment and Human Security at the University of the UN recently issued a study analyzing such disasters in 171 countries and the risks they pose.

The study’s project manager, Peter Myuk, said the survey took into account all issues concerning the environment and natural and human aspects, as well as the infrastructure in many countries, the ability to provide security for citizens, and ability to deliver aid quickly in the event of certain disasters.

According to the results of the study, Vanuatu, Tonga, the Philippines, Guatemala and Bangladesh ranked as the five most dangerous countries to live in.

Thirteen countries, out of 15, with low safety levels are located on the African continent, and this can be attributed to the low development levels.

Vanuatu and Tonga specifically suffer from frequent earthquakes and volcanoes, decreasing their safety levels.

Richer countries ranked higher on the list, due to good infrastructure, larger food assistance and the development of telecommunication, electricity, sewage, water and other services that people need.

Australia has been ranked 121st on the list because it suffers from flooding throughout the year; equally low ranked is Japan, which suffers from natural disasters but addresses the challenges with modern building techniques.

The study also revealed that countries such as Liberia (56th), Zambia (66th) and Central Africa (71st) suffer mostly from lack of health and medical resources, as well as medical evacuation and ambulance services.

Many countries also suffer from poor roads, making it difficult for emergency teams to deliver aid during natural disasters.

Based on the findings, researchers concluded that although countries “cannot control the size and strength of natural disasters, as well as the wars that are currently taking place in a number of countries, governments can do more to reduce the danger to humans by providing capabilities that would limit the number of victims.”

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
July 8,2020

Jeddah, Jul 8: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) writes to the members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), urging the body to come in the way of a plan announced by Israel for annexation of significant portions of the occupied West Bank.

The letter was addressed by the 57-member organization’s Secretary-General Yousef al-Othaimeen to the UNSC’s members as well as the members of the Middle East Quartet — the European Union, Russia, United Nations, and United States— the Arabic-language Rai al-Youm news website reported on Tuesday.

The letter urged the Council to adopt “the necessary measures” that would prevent the annexation and compel Israel to stop all its illegal activities.

The OIC also urged the UNSC to hold an emergency meeting to “salvage the [remaining] opportunities for peace, and revive attempts at reinstatement of the political process under international supervision.” Such meeting, it added, had to enable realization of “the two-state solution, and [creation of] a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem [al-Quds] as its capital.”

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the plan to annex 30 percent of the occupied Palestinian territory — namely the areas upon which the regime has built its illegal settlements as well as the Jordan Valley — after US President Donald Trump backed the annexation in January.

Trump pledged the support while unveiling details of his Middle East scheme called the “deal of the century.”

The highly controversial scheme allegedly seeks to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, but is heavily tilted in favor of the occupying regime. As well as backing the annexation, the scheme re-endorses Washington’s incendiary recognition in late 2017 of al-Quds as “Israel’s capital,” although Palestinians want the occupied holy city’s eastern part to serve as the capital of their future state.

Palestinians have roundly rejected either the American design or the Israeli plan that is rooted in it.

Tel Aviv had previously announced July 1 as the date it sought to start implementing the annexation plan. It, however, is yet to get it off the ground amid far-and-wide international condemnation and speculation that the plan was announced in the first place to deflect attention from a massive corruption scandal involving Netanyahu.

Countries warn Israel of consequences to bilateral ties

Also on Tuesday, Egypt, France, Germany, and Jordan warned Israel against going ahead with the plan, saying that doing so could have consequences for their bilateral relations with the Tel Aviv regime.

In a statement distributed by the German Foreign Ministry, the countries said their foreign ministers had discussed how to restart talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Most other European countries have likewise communicated their objection to the plan.

“We concur that any annexation of Palestinian territories occupied in 1967 would be a violation of international law and imperil the foundations of the peace process,” the European and Middle Eastern foreign ministers said, referring to the year, when Israel occupied the West Bank.

“We would not recognize any changes to the 1967 borders that are not agreed by both parties in the conflict,” they added. “It could also have consequences for the relationship with Israel.”

Israel had no immediate response. In a separate statement, however, Netanyahu’s office communicated Tel Aviv’s intransigence on the matter.

The statement said the Israeli premier had told his British counterpart Boris Johnson on Monday that he was committed to Trump’s “realistic” plan.

“Israel is prepared to conduct negotiations on the basis of President Trump’s peace plan, which is both creative and realistic, and will not return to the failed formulas of the past,” the statement alleged.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
May 17,2020

Jerusalem, May 17: The Chinese ambassador to Israel was found dead in his home north of Tel Aviv on Sunday, Israel's Foreign Ministry said.

No cause of death was given and Israeli police said it was investigating.

Du Wei, 58, was appointed envoy in February in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. He previously served as China's envoy to Ukraine.

He is survived by a wife and son, both of whom were not in Israel.

Israel enjoys good relations with China.

The ambassador's death comes just two days after he condemned comments by visiting U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who denounced Chinese investments in Israel and accused China of hiding information about the coronavirus outbreak.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
February 5,2020

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has said it rejects US President  Donald Trump 's recently unveiled Middle East plan.

The 57-member body, which held a summit on Monday  to discuss the plan in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah, said in a statement that it "calls on all member states not to engage with this plan or to cooperate with the US administration in implementing it in any form".

Requested by the Palestinian leadership, the meeting of the body came two days after the Arab League rejected Trump's so-called "deal of the century", saying: "It does not meet the minimum rights and aspirations of Palestinian people."

Addressing a pro-Israel audience at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by his side, Trump on Tuesday described his long-delayed plan for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a "win-win solution" for both sides.

The US president said his proposed deal would ensure the establishment of a two-state solution, promising Palestinians a state of their own with a new capital in Abu Dis, a suburb just outside Jerusalem. Trump also said Jerusalem would be the "undivided capital" of Israel. The Palestinians want both occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank to be part of a future state.

Palestinian leaders, who were absent during the announcement and had rejected the proposal even before its release, denounced the plan as "a new Balfour Declaration" that heavily favoured Israel and would deny them a viable independent state.

The OIC said in a statement on Twitter on Sunday that its "open-ended executive committee meeting" at the level of foreign ministers would "discuss the organisation's position after the US administration announced its peace plan".

With member states from four continents, the OIC is the second-largest intergovernmental organisation in the world after the United Nations, with a collective population reaching more than 1.8 billion.

The majority of its member states are Muslim-majority countries, while others have significant Muslim populations, including several African and South American countries. While the 22 members of the Arab League are also part of the OIC, the organisation has several significant non-Arab member states, including Turkey, Iran and Pakistan. It also has five observer members, including Russia and Thailand.

Iran 'barred'

Meanwhile, Iran on Monday accused its regional rival Saudi Arabia of blocking its officials from attending the OIC meeting.

"The government of Saudi Arabia has prevented the participation of the Iranian delegation in the meeting to examine the 'deal of the century' plan at the headquarters of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation," Fars news agency quoted Abbas Mousavi, spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, as saying.

Mousavi said Iran - one of the countries to strongly condemn Trump's plan - had filed a complaint with the OIC and accused its regional rival of misusing its position as the host for the organisation's headquarters.

There was no immediate comment from Saudi officials.

Following the unveiling of Trump's plan, the Saudi foreign ministry expressed appreciation for Trump's efforts and support for direct peace negotiations under Washington's auspices, while state media reported that King Salman had called Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to reassure him of Riyadh's unwavering commitment to the Palestinian cause.

The announcement of Trump's plan drew mixed responses from Arab states.

Observers said the reaction was indicative of the division among Arab countries and their inability to prioritise the Palestinian people's plight over domestic economic agendas and political calculations in relation to the Trump administration.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.