May 2018
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers has approved an Anti-Harassment law. The law defines harassment as any verbal, physical, or sexual innuendo targeting an individual’s body or modesty by any means, including on technological platforms. The Anti-Harassment law is made up of eight articles, which includes the definition of the crime, the punishment the perpetrators would receive, the protection of the victims, and maintaining people’s individual privacy, dignity, and personal freedoms that are enshrined and guaranteed by Saudi laws.
Saudi Reconstruction Program in Yemen has announced the opening of the first office in the island of Socotra and the program’s beginning to alleviate the humanitarian conditions in the area. Not only is the Program moving people away from the tents and makeshift stone houses into suitable housing, it is also implementing infrastructure projects including roads, electricity, water and sanitation. The Program is also working on providing basic services, such as health and education, and is supporting those working in fishery, agriculture, and livestock.
The Kingdom has achieved a milestone with the incorporation of the Red Sea Project as a stand- alone company. Originally, a project launched on July 31, 2017, it is now The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC). TRSDC has been officially registered as a closed joint-stock company, wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF).
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Tim Callen, IMF Mission Chief for Saudi Arabia, held discussions from May 2–14 for the 2018 Article IV Consultation with the Kingdom. Mr. Callen and his team have issued a report upon the conclusion of the discussions that highlighted various findings that project a positive outlook for the Kingdom. The report noted that growth in Saudi Arabia is expected to pick up this year, and continue over the medium-term as reforms take hold. It also noted that good progress is being made in the implementation of the Vision 2030 reform program. Mr.
Through the Presidency of State Security, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has designated senior members of the Hizballah leadership by declaring ten names, five of whom belong to members of the Hizballah Shoura Council, which is part of its decision-making body. Specifically, they are: Hassan Nasrallah, Naim Qasim, Muhammad Yazbak, Husayn Khalil, and Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyid. The five other names are associated with supporting the activities of the terrorist organization, and they are: Talal Hamiyah, Ali Youssef Charara, Spectrum Group, Hassan Ebrahimi, and Maher Trading.
The Spokesperson for the Coalition Forces to Support the Legitimacy in Yemen, Colonel Turki Al-Maliki, issued a statement that, at 12:40 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2018, the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces (RSADF) have intercepted a ballistic missile launched by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia from within Sa’ada governorate within Yemen aimed towards the Kingdom. The missile launched was headed towards the city of Jizan, deliberately targeting highly populated civilian areas.
An official source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s strong condemnation and denunciation of the deadly targeting by the Israeli Forces of Occupation of unarmed Palestinians, which has resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries.
As part of achieving Vision 2030 goals, the Council of Economic and Development Affairs (CEDA) launched the Financial Sector Development Program, which is one of 12 executive programs launched by CEDA. The program seeks to further develop the financial sector as a diversified and effective financial services sector, supporting the development of the national economy by stimulating savings, financing, and investing.
Following the announcement of the United States of America’s withdrawal from the JCPOA; an official from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy, Industry, and Mineral Resources reassured that the Kingdom remains committed to supporting the stability of oil markets, benefiting producers and consumers alike, and to sustaining growth in the global economy. The Ministry's official added that the Kingdom would work with major producers within and outside of OPEC, as well as, major consumers to mitigate the impact of any potential supply shortages.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia supports and welcomes the steps announced by President Donald Trump regarding the United States’ withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. The Kingdom also supports reinstating economic sanctions on the Iranian regime, which have been suspended under the nuclear deal.