The city of Jeddah witnessed intensive Saudi diplomatic activity, as His Excellency the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Engineer Waleed bin Abdulkarim Al-Khuraiji, held a series of high-level bilateral meetings with a number of ministers and officials of Islamic countries, on the sidelines of the extraordinary meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation dedicated to discussing developments in the Federal Republic of Somalia.
The importance of the meeting and the regional context
This extraordinary meeting comes at a critical juncture, as Saudi Arabia, as the host country and current chair of the Islamic Summit, seeks to unify the Muslim world to confront the challenges facing member states. The meeting focuses primarily on supporting Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, a consistent position in Saudi foreign policy, which has always prioritized the stability of the Horn of Africa due to its direct impact on regional security and maritime navigation in the Red Sea.
Strengthening Gulf and Arab coordination
At the start of his meetings, Al-Khuraiji met with the Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi. The meeting addressed the strong fraternal relations between the two brotherly countries, ways to enhance joint Gulf cooperation, and coordinating positions on the issues on the meeting's agenda.
His Excellency also met with the Acting Foreign Minister of the State of Libya, Taher Baour, where they reviewed bilateral relations and exchanged views on ways to support stability in Libya and the region, in a manner that serves the interests of the two brotherly peoples.
Palestine is at the forefront of the discussions
Although the meeting was officially focused on Somalia, the Palestinian issue was prominently featured in Saudi diplomatic circles. The Deputy Foreign Minister met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine, Dr. Farsin Aghabekian Shahin. Discussions centered on the tragic developments in the Gaza Strip and the international and regional efforts underway to halt the aggression and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid. Al-Khuraiji reiterated the Kingdom's unwavering support for the rights of the Palestinian people.
Strategic partnerships with countries of the Islamic world
As part of strengthening relations with Asian and African Islamic countries, Al-Khuraiji held a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, during which the depth of the strategic relations between Riyadh and Islamabad was emphasized.
The meetings also included discussions with the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Tohid Hossain, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of The Gambia, Serigne Modou Njie. These meetings focused on developing bilateral relations in various fields and discussing common challenges facing the Islamic world.
It is worth noting that these meetings were attended by the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs branch in the Makkah region, Farid bin Saad Al-Shehri, which reflects the great interest that the Kingdom attaches to the success of the activities of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the enhancement of its outcomes.
