Saudi Arabia

20 June 2023; MEMO: The CEO of the Saudi SCOPA defence company, Fawaz Al-Aqeel, yesterday announced the signing of an agreement with the French Airbus company to manufacture civilian and military helicopters in the kingdom.

Al-Aqeel said the project will provide more than 8,500 jobs, adding that the company expects investments worth more than 25 billion riyals ($6.67 billion) over 20 years, Saudi state TV Al-Ekhbariya reported.

18 June 2023; MEMO: US President Joe Biden's top adviser Brett McGurk arrived in Riyadh to discuss a possible normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, according to a US news portal, reports Anadolu Agency.

McGurk's talks with Saudi officials "will focus on the administration's efforts to reach a normalization agreement between Israel and the kingdom as well as other issues," Axios reported.

RIYADH, Jun 18 (NNN-SPA) – Saudi Arabia and the United States announced yesterday, in a joint statement that, Sudan’s two warring factions have agreed on a new 72-hour cease-fire.

The cease-fire takes effect from 6:00 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) today.

The two rival parties agreed to refrain from seeking military advantage and initiating mutual attacks during the cease-fire, said the statement.

They also agreed to allow the unimpeded movement and delivery of humanitarian assistance throughout the country, it added.

18 June 2023; MEMO: Iran and Saudi Arabia expressed satisfaction Saturday with the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, reports Anadolu Agency.

President Ibrahim Raisi received Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal Bin Farhan, who is in Tehran on an official visit, according to Iran's official news agency, IRNA.

RIYADH, Jun 14 (NNN-SPA) – Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry, announced yesterday that, it would co-chair a high-level international conference on humanitarian response to the conflict in Sudan.

The conference will be held on Jun 19, jointly with Qatar, Egypt, Germany, the European Union, and the United Nations agencies.

The ministry reiterated Saudi Arabia’s unwavering support for the Sudanese people, said the report.

RIYADH, Jun 12 (NNN-SPA) – Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, said yesterday that, the 10th Arab-China Business Conference is an opportunity to consolidate the historical Arab-China friendship, build a shared future that will benefit both sides, and promote peace and development in the world.

The minister made the remarks, at the opening ceremony of the conference, which kicked off in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, yesterday.

11 June 2023; MEMO: Air forces from Saudi Arabia and the United States held a joint military exercise on Saturday, according to the kingdom's defense ministry.

A ministry statement said the drill, held at the King Faisal Air Base in northwestern Saudi Arabia, aims to raise the level of joint action and maintain security and stability in the region.

F-15SE fighter jets and American B-1 Lancer strategic bombers took part in the exercise.

RIYADH, June 11 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia wants to collaborate, not compete, with China, the kingdom's energy minister declared on Sunday, saying he "ignored" Western suspicions over their growing ties.

As the world's top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia's bilateral relationship with the world's biggest energy consumer is anchored by hydrocarbon ties. But cooperation between Riyadh and Beijing has also deepened in security and sensitive tech amid a warming of political ties - to the concern of the U.S.

08 June 2023; MEMO: Saudi Arabia and the United States have called on Western governments to repatriate their citizens who are among the captured Daesh fighters detained in north-east Syria.

07 June 2023; MEMO: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has called for an independent international investigation into the killing of Palestinian toddler Muhammad Al-Tamimi. The 30-month-old child was shot in the head last Thursday by an Israeli soldier in the village of Nabi Saleh, west of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank and died of his wounds on Monday.