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  • Saudi crown prince says Israel committing ‘genocide’ in Gaza

    Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” in some of the harshest public criticism of the country by a Saudi official since the start of the war. Speaking at a summit of Muslim and Arab leaders the prince also criticised Israeli attacks on Lebanon and Iran. Israel has vehemently denied that its forces are committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. In a sign of improving ties between rivals Riyadh and Tehran, Prince Mohammed also warned Israel against launching attacks on Iranian soil.

  • Commentary: GCC-US Relations in Trump’s Second Term: It’s Not Necessarily All Bad News

    Furthermore, Trump’s potential for greater stability in his policies and decisions during a second term is a hopeful prospect for GCC states. His first term was marked by significant turnover in his administration and abrupt shifts in policy direction. A second term, by contrast, is likely to offer more consistent decision-making, providing Gulf states with predictability and facilitating a stronger, more enduring partnership with the United States. Another factor underpinning a more positive outlook is Trump’s policy of non-interference in the domestic affairs of GCC countries. As is typical of Republican administrations, Trump’s approach focused on shared strategic interests without pressuring Gulf states on internal reforms. This respect for sovereignty fosters trust between the two sides thereby strengthening their cooperation.

  • What Trump’s return means for US ties with Saudi Arabia

    But the Middle East has changed dramatically since Trump left office in 2021, and a lot depends on how he navigates these shifts. The GCC is more unified internally and on better terms with neighbours like Iran compared to Trump's first term. The Gulf states’ financial ties with Beijing, meanwhile, go much deeper than four years ago. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are also heavily involved with the BRICS group of developing nations and Saudi Arabia has been granted dialogue partner status in the China-led Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). At some point, Beijing’s deep trade and technology ties with Saudi Arabia and the UAE may irk Trump, and it will be interesting to watch how he deals with these new realities.

  • Saudi-Iranian Relations Warm as Middle East Braces for Trump’s Return

    The general chief of staff of Saudi Arabia's armed forces, Fayyad al-Ruwaili, met his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Baqeri, in Tehran during a rare visit on November 10. Iran's official IRNA news agency said they discussed the development of defense diplomacy and bilateral cooperation without offering any details. Iranian media said Baqeri had discussed regional developments and defense cooperation with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman al-Saud last year. Ruwaili is only the second high-profile Saudi official to travel to Tehran since Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to restore diplomatic relations after seven years following Chinese-brokered talks in March 2023. Previously, Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan visited Iran in June 2023.

  • COP29: Saudi Arabia launches carbon credit exchange to bolster decarbonization efforts

    The exchange platform, managed by Saudi Arabia's Regional Voluntary Carbon Market Company (RVCMC), is part of Saudi Arabia's strategy to scale up its voluntary carbon market. As part of the opening, 22 Saudi and international companies will participate in an auction on Nov. 12 on the platform. The auction will offer 2.5 million high-integrity carbon credits from 17 projects certified by Verra, Gold Standard and Puro.earth, with a vintage of 2020 onwards. Most of the credits auctioned will be from projects in the Global South, including Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Pakistan and Vietnam. This will be RVCMC's third carbon credit auction after it held auctions in Nairobi and Riyadh previously. Last year, RVCMC sold 2.2 million mt of carbon credits on June 14 at its second auction in Kenya as the kingdom looks to expand its presence in the carbon sector.

  • Arab, Muslim leaders at Riyadh summit demand end to Israeli occupation for Mideast peace

    The summit’s closing statement called for a return to the pre-1967 borders, referencing UN resolutions and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which offered Israel normalized relations in exchange for a two-state solution. The leaders of 57 nations emphasized the  urgent need for a sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and called for an internationally sponsored plan with specific steps and timelines to achieve this. Trump’s election last week for a second term in the White House was likely on leaders’ minds, said Anna Jacobs, senior Gulf analyst for the International Crisis Group think tank. “This summit is very much an opportunity for regional leaders to signal to the incoming Trump administration what they want in terms of US engagement,” she said.

  • India, Saudi Arabia top buyers of Russian VGO and fuel oil in October, LSEG data shows

    India and Saudi Arabia were the top destinations for Russian seaborne fuel oil and vacuum gasoil (VGO) exports in October, traders said and LSEG data showed. Total fuel oil and VGO exports from Russian ports last month declined by 3% from September to about 4.15 million metric tons, according to Reuters calculations based on LSEG data. Since the European Union's full embargo on Russian oil products went into effect in February 2023, Asian countries became the main destination for Russia's fuel oil and VGO supplies.

  • Saudi start-up Ceer teams up with Rimac

    Ceer, the Saudi Arabian EV joint venture (JV) between the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund the PIF and Taiwanese electronics heavyweight Foxconn, has signed a deal with Croatia’s Rimac for the supply electric drive systems (EDS) for its planned EVs. upcoming flagship range of EVs. Rimac is aiming to expand from building niche performance BEVs like its own Nevera e-sportscar and the Pininfarina Battista, Aston Martin Valkyrie and Koenigsegg Regera to supply of its technology to more mass-market vehicles.

  • Saudi Prince Turki al Faisal al Saud talks Gaza, Israel, and foreign policy in SPIA address

    The discussion, led by Founding Director of the Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination Wolfgang Danspeckgruber, highlighted al Faisal’s involvement in founding the King Faisal Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes the legacy of his father, and his influence on the global stage. Al Faisal claimed that the world is in a state of anarchy, which led him to his central idea of “quo vadimus” Latin for “where are we going?” He encouraged strong global leadership, stating, “New cold wars are not the cures to our world’s illnesses.”

  • Israeli airstrikes pound Beirut suburb, no sign of ceasefire

    The Israeli military pounded Beirut's southern suburbs with airstrikes on Tuesday, mounting one of its heaviest daytime attacks yet on the Hezbollah-controlled area after the defence minister ruled out a ceasefire until Israeli goals were met. Smoke billowed over Beirut as at least 10 blasts were heard across the city. The strikes followed an Israeli army warning identifying 12 sites in the southern suburbs and saying it would take action against them soon. The warning, posted on social media, told residents they were near Hezbollah facilities.