Deputizing for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Foreign Minister Heads Saudi Arabia's Delegation to Group 77+China Summit

Havana, September 16, 2023, SPA-- Deputizing for Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah has headed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's delegation to the Group 77+China Summit in Havana, Cuba. The foreign minister delivered the kingdom's speech in which he affirmed Saudi Arabia's belief in working towards a joint complementary approach to achieving development, prosperity, and stability.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan said that the humanitarian aid provided by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) since its establishment in 2015 amounted to more than $6 billion of humanitarian aid, benefiting 91 countries, adding that the Saudi Fund for Development has contributed more than $18 billion to finance more than 700 development projects in 85 countries, targeting sectors such as social infrastructure, transportation, and agriculture.
He said it is important to invest in clean energy technology, which will facilitate the equitable and comprehensive transition of clean energy, adding that the kingdom is working within the framework of a circular carbon economy that contributes to carbon emissions reduction.
He stressed the importance of strengthening international cooperation, which is an essential enabler to achieving global climate goals, especially in the field of innovation, research, and development, to promote clean energy technologies and achieve zero-emission ambitions, highlighting that the kingdom views sustainability as a driving force for growth and progress and strives to integrate economic, social and environmental aspects into development initiatives.
The foreign minister said, "The kingdom joins the countries of the world in the challenges it faces in achieving the goals of sustainable development, including environmental challenges. The kingdom is working in this direction through several initiatives, including the Middle East Green Initiative and the Saudi Green Initiative, which contribute to achieving global goals to combat climate change, as well as the kingdom's announcement of the establishment of a global water organization aimed at developing and integrating the efforts of countries and organizations to ensure the sustainability of water resources, to enhance access for all to address water challenges holistically.
The kingdom is making all efforts within the framework of the
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification ( UNCCD) and works in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 to protect land and natural resources and to avoid the causes of land degradation and desertification. The minister added, "Saudi Arabia looks forward to hosting the member states of the UNCCD conference in Riyadh next year."
The kingdom's delegation to the summit included Saudi Arabia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York Abdulaziz Al-Wasil, Saudi Ambassador to Cuba Faisal Al-Harbi, and Director General of the Foreign Minister's office Abdulrahman Al-Daoud.
--SPA