HRH the Crown Prince Delivers the Kingdom's Speech at 33rd Arab Summit
Manama, May 16, 2024, SPA -- The 33rd Arab Summit started today in Manama, Bahrain, with Arab leaders and heads of delegations from across the region in attendance.
His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, led the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's delegation.
HRH the Crown Prince delivered the Kingdom's speech, stating:
"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Your Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain,
Your Excellencies and Highnesses,
Secretary General of the Arab League,
Distinguished attendees,
Peace be upon you.
On behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, I extend greetings and best wishes for a successful summit.
We express our sincere thanks and appreciation to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain for the warm welcome and generous hospitality extended to us.
Your Excellencies and Highnesses,
During its presidency of the 32nd summit, Saudi Arabia prioritized Arab issues and strengthened joint Arab action. It focused on formulating common positions on regional and international matters, foremost of which is the Palestinian cause.
The Kingdom convened the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit to address the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip. This summit resulted in a collective resolution condemning the aggression and rejecting any justification for it. Subsequently, the Ministerial Committee established by the summit was tasked with initiating immediate international action on behalf of all member states to stop the war in Gaza.
The Kingdom launched a fundraising campaign exceeding SAR700 million to support our Palestinian brothers. The Kingdom also operated air and sea bridges to deliver aid directly to Gaza and pledged continued support to international organizations working to alleviate the tragic situation there.
We emphasize the need for continued collaboration to confront the brutal aggression against Palestine. We urge the international community to fulfil its responsibility by demanding an immediate cessation of aggression from the occupying forces and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid.
We stress the importance of pursuing a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue based on UN legitimate resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, guaranteeing the Palestinian people's right to establish an independent state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The Kingdom welcomes the adoption of a resolution by the UN General Assembly on May 10, 2024, recognizing Palestine's eligibility for full UN membership. We call upon more countries to move forward with bilateral recognition of the Palestinian state.
Your Excellencies and Highnesses,
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia prioritizes regional security, peace, and prosperity and advocates peaceful conflict resolution. In this spirit, the Kingdom will continue providing humanitarian and economic assistance to Yemenis and facilitating dialogue among Yemeni parties to achieve a political solution and end the crisis.
Saudi Arabia hosted in Jeddah the talks between the parties of the Sudanese crisis with the aim of establishing a truce and a ceasefire agreement to end the crisis, preserve Sudan's sovereignty and unity, and enable it to restore its security and stability for a better future.
The Kingdom emphasizes the critical importance of maintaining security in the Red Sea. Freedom of navigation in this vital waterway is an international imperative that serves the interests of the entire world. We call for the immediate cessation of any activity threatening maritime navigation's security and safety.
Your Excellencies and Highnesses,
Despite the political and security challenges facing the Arab world, we remain confident in our ability to overcome them through continued joint efforts. We will keep working together to achieve sustainable development and prosperity, fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of our people across the Arab region.
In conclusion, we are pleased to congratulate King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on assuming the presidency of the 33rd Arab Summit and pray to Allah Almighty to grant him success and help him perform this task.
Peace be upon you."
Then, HRH the Crown Prince handed over the presidency of the 33rd Arab Summit to the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's delegation included Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of State and Cabinet Member Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Minister of the National Guard Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, and Minister of State, Cabinet Member, and National Security Advisor Dr. Musaed Al-Aiban.
-- SPA
