Saudi-led operation in Yemen ‘not seeking a war’

April 7, 2015

Riyadh, Apr 7: The Council of Ministers on Monday said that the Saudi-led operation in Yemen has the support of Yemenis in the Kingdom and the international community because it seeks to restore the legitimate government and bring peace and stability to that war-torn nation.

The weekly meeting was chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.

Coalition war

It noted the heroic efforts of the coalition forces in neutralizing the military capacity of the Houthi militants, said Minister of Culture and Information Adel Al-Toraifi.

Saudi Arabia appreciates the support of the Yemeni community for Operation Decisive Storm.

The ministers said the coalition does not seek a war but wants to protect the Yemeni people.

This is why the operation has been hailed by Arab and Islamic nations, and the wide international community, said Al-Toraifi.

The Cabinet also expressed hope that the nuclear framework agreement struck with Iran in Lausanne, Switzerland, recently would ensure the safety and security of the region.

It said the Kingdom and the Arab League support nations wanting to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in line with the standards and procedures of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The aim would be to create a region free of all weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, said Al-Toraifi.

The Cabinet stressed that the security in the region requires a commitment to the principles of good neighborliness and non-interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries.

The ministers also welcomed the announcement of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that it formally accepted the State of Palestine as a full member.

They believe that Palestine’s accession to the ICC would help restore the rights of the Palestinians.

According to Al-Toraifi, the Council of Ministers again called on the international community to end the “Syrian tragedy which has become a humanitarian catastrophe.”

The meeting was inaugurated by Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, emir of Kuwait, who said the Kingdom has spared no effort in providing assistance to Syrian refugees. He said Saudi aid to the Syrian people since 2011 has exceeded $600 million.

The Council of Ministers welcomed the announcement by Moody’s credit rating agency to rank the Kingdom at a high Aa3, and the Fitch credit rating of AA, which both foresee a stable future for the Kingdom.

This was a result of the Kingdom’s economic policies, which has enabled it to counter global financial crises, the Cabinet said.

The Cabinet also condemned the terrorist attack that targeted the University of Garissa, in Kenya, and expressed its condolences to the government and people of Kenya, and the families of the victims.

King Salman briefed the Cabinet on the results of his talks with various leaders who visited Saudi Arabia recently, including the Senegal president, and the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

The king also received various calls, including from the US president, and leaders of Sudan, India, Afghanistan and Britain.

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News Network
March 21,2020

Mar 21: Qatari authorities arrested 10 nationals for breaking home quarantine rules as Doha tightens regulations amid the coronavirus outbreak, local daily The Peninsula Qatar reported on Saturday.

The Ministry of Public Health released a statement naming the detainees and said that the violators were currently being referred to prosecution.

The tiny country, where expatriates comprise the majority of the population, on Thursday reported eight more infections to take its tally to 470, the highest number among the six Gulf Arab states that have reported a total of more than 1,300 coronavirus cases.

Government spokeswoman Lulwa Rashed Al-Khater told a news conference the new cases included two Qataris who had been in Europe, with the rest migrant workers.

Qatari authorities on Tuesday announced the closure of several square kilometers of the industrial area in Doha, the capital, which also contains labor camps and other housing units.

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Agencies
June 20,2020

Riyadh, Jun 20: Saudi Arabia will end a nationwide curfew and lift restrictions on businesses from Sunday morning after three months of lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, state news agency SPA quoted a source in the interior ministry as saying on Saturday.

The curfew will be lifted as of 6 AM local time on Sunday. Restrictions will remain, however, for religious pilgrimages, international travel and social gatherings of more than 50 people.

The kingdom introduced stringent measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in March, including 24-hour curfews on most towns and cities.

In May, it announced a three-phase plan to ease restrictions on movement and travel, culminating in the curfew completely ending on June 21.

The number of coronavirus infections has risen in recent weeks following a relaxation of movement and travel restrictions on May 28.

The kingdom has recorded 154,223 cases of COVID-19 and a total of 1,230 deaths, the highest in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.

Saudi Arabia plans to limit numbers at the annual haj pilgrimage to prevent a further outbreak of coronavirus cases, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters earlier this month.

Some 2.5 million pilgrims visit the holiest sites of Islam in Mecca and Medina for the week-long haj, a once-in-a-lifetime duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it. Saudi Arabia asked Muslims in March to put haj plans on hold and suspended the umrah pilgrimage until further notice.

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Agencies
July 28,2020

Dubai, Jul 28: Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) (ADCB.AD) is letting go hundreds of employees, sources said, the latest in a round of lay-offs by regional banks as pressure mounts to cut costs amid lower oil prices and the coronavirus crisis.

The UAE’s third-biggest lender is laying off 400 employees, two sources familiar with the matter said, after it had committed to not cutting staff because of the crisis.

In a statement, a spokesman said ADCB had pursued efficiency over the last decade by managing out its lowest underachievers after regular reviews, while ensuring talent was deployed in high-growth areas, such as digital banking.

“A certain number of redundancies are therefore expected every year in the normal course of business,” the bank spokesman added.

The sources said the cuts would involve ADCB’s consumer business and several in top management were among those being let go. One source said the bank was looking to close 20 branches.

In March, ADCB had declared, “No employee will be made redundant during 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

UAE banks have been hit by government measures to rein in the spread of the virus, forcing many businesses to shut temporarily.

Last week, Dubai’s largest bank, Emirates NBD, reported a slump of 58% in profits. In June, sources told Reuters the bank started a new round of hundreds of lay-offs.

In May, ADCB reported a fall of 84% in first-quarter net profit as it took impairments of $292 million on debt exposure to troubled hospital operator NMC Health and payments group Finablr.

It was a major lender, with an exposure of about $981 million, to NMC Health, which went into administration this year after months of turmoil following questions over financial reporting.

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