Graduate meetings at the Islamic Cooperation Council meeting in Jeddah to support Somalia
The city of Jeddah witnessed intense Saudi diplomatic activity, as His Excellency the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Engineer Waleed bin Abdulkarim Al-Khuraiji, held a series of important bilateral meetings with a number of foreign ministers and senior officials from Islamic countries, on the sidelines of the extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers of the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation dedicated to discussing the situation in the Federal Republic of Somalia.
Strengthening joint Gulf and Islamic action
At the outset of these meetings, Al-Khuraiji met with the Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi. The meeting addressed the deep fraternal relations between the Kingdom and Qatar, and ways to strengthen them in various fields. They also discussed coordinating positions on the issues on the agenda of the extraordinary meeting, in a manner that serves the interests of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and reinforces Islamic solidarity.
The Palestinian issue tops the agenda of the talks
As part of the Kingdom's ongoing commitment to the Palestinian cause, the Deputy Foreign Minister held an important meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine, Varsine Aghabekian Shahin. Discussions focused primarily on the latest developments in the tragic situation in the Gaza Strip and the diplomatic efforts led by the Kingdom to halt the aggression and provide protection for the Palestinian people. This meeting reaffirms Riyadh's unwavering support for Palestinian rights in all international forums.
Strategic partnerships with Asian and African countries
Regarding relations with Asian countries, Al-Khuraiji met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, where they reviewed the historical and strategic relations between the two countries. The meetings also included a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Tohid Hossain, to discuss ways to develop bilateral cooperation.
On the African front, and coinciding with the main meeting's focus on Somalia, His Excellency met with the Libyan Foreign Minister-designate, Taher Baour, and the Gambian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Serigne Modou Njie. During these meetings, they exchanged views on the security and political challenges facing the African continent and the necessity of concerted Islamic efforts to support Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The importance of the extraordinary meeting in Jeddah
These side meetings are of paramount importance as they come at a time when the region is facing increasing geopolitical challenges. The convening of this meeting in Jeddah underscores the leading role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in guiding the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and unifying ranks to confront crises, particularly with regard to supporting the stability of member states such as Somalia, and defending the central issues of the Muslim world.
It is worth noting that the 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 high-level official interest in making the activities of this Islamic diplomatic gathering a success.
