June 2012
(WASHINGTON, DC) -– Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal called on the Syrian regime to stop the violence against civilians or face Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter. Prince Saud’s comments were made while addressing the 22nd session of the Joint Ministerial Meeting between member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union (EU) in Luxembourg yesterday.
(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia vowed support for a recommendation submitted at the current extraordinary Ministerial Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Jeddah-based Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to suspend Syria's membership in the OIC.
(WASHINGTON, DC) – This week, The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Campaign for the Relief of the Palestinian People in Gaza donated $5 million to secure basic food needs for refugees, in cooperation with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA). The donation will help provide families with food assistance under the Agency’s social safety-net program.
(WASHINGTON, DC) – The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz issued a royal decree today appointing Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the current Minister of Defense, as Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.
Prince Salman served as Deputy Governor of Riyadh from March 1954 to April 1955, and as Governor of Riyadh from April 1955 to December 1960 and again from February 1963 to November 2011. He was appointed Minister of Defense by King Abdullah on November 5, 2011.
The Royal Court today issued the following statement:
(JEDDAH) - With deep sorrow and grief, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud announced the death of his brother, Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, who passed away today, Saturday, 26 Rajab1433H (16 June 2012) outside the Kingdom, God bless his soul. Funeral prayers will be held, God willing, on Sunday, 27 Rajab1433H (17 June 2012) following Maghrib (sunset) prayers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
(WASHINGTON, DC) - The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington DC issued the following statement today.
The 4th Extraordinary Islamic Solidarity Summit issued a final communiqué yesterday evening following two days of deliberations in Makkah. The participants, including leaders and delegations from Muslim countries around the world, stressed that cooperation and unity are imperative in solving the many crises that plague the Islamic world. They advocated the establishment of “practical programs in political, educational, economic and social fields” that will enable Muslims to positively associate with one another, undertake joint actions, and reject political discord and sectarian strife.
(WASHINGTON, DC) - Yesterday, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) welcomed a donation of $3.5 million from Saudi Arabia, as the Kingdom’s annual contribution to UNDP. The Saudi Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Abdallah Al- Mouallimi presented the check to UNDP Executive Director, Helen Clark.
(WASHINGTON, DC) - During the first quarter of 2012, the value of non-oil exports from Saudi Arabia increased 11 percent, to nearly $12 billion, compared to the same period last year. The value of imports for this same period increased 18 percent, to more than $34 billion.
This information was made available in a recent report issued by the Central Department of Statistics and Information. Over the years, Saudi Arabia has implemented a number of measures to promote economic growth, increase foreign investment and expand employment opportunities.