Prince Saud bin Nayef, Governor of the Eastern Province, conveyed the condolences and sympathy of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to the Emirati President, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, and his deputy, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, on the death of Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid.
This came during Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s reception at Zabeel Palace in the Emirate of Dubai, on Friday, the Emir of the Eastern Province, and the accompanying delegation, Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd, Minister of State and Member of the Council of Ministers, and Prince Saud bin Talal bin Badr, Governor of Al-Ahsa, praying to God that the deceased be bestowed with His forgiveness and satisfaction and reside in His spacious Paradise.
On Thursday, Prince Mohammed bin Salman made a phone call to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, during which he expressed his sincere condolences and sympathy to him on the death of his brother, Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid, praying to God for mercy and forgiveness for the deceased, and to place him in spacious Paradise.
For his part, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the sincere brotherly feelings he expressed.
On Friday, the Chiefs of Staff of the states parties to the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement” reviewed the security situation and threats facing the Kingdom, praising the vigilance and professionalism of the Saudi Armed Forces to ensure the safety of citizens and residents and the security of the country.
During their meeting in Riyadh, the Chiefs of Staff of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan expressed their strong condemnation of the attacks that targeted Mecca and the Kingdom’s civil and economic infrastructure.
The participants discussed ways to move forward in enhancing cooperation between the armed forces of the three countries, and developing intelligence cooperation, military coordination, and integration of capabilities, in a way that contributes to enhancing deterrence and collective defense.
The participants noted that their meeting in Riyadh reflects the strength of the defense partnership between the three countries, stressing their joint determination to immediately begin translating the commitments contained in the “Mecca Agreement” into effective military cooperation.
The three countries stressed their commitment to collective defense, which embodies their determination to defend Saudi Arabia’s security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, praising the solid relations and mutual trust that unites their peoples and armed forces.
Jassim Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, stressed that water security represents a strategic priority for the GCC countries, and is not limited to being an environmental challenge, but is directly linked to human, food and energy security and economic prosperity, and constitutes an essential element in the stability and resilience of societies.
This came during his participation in the session “Water as a Strategic Necessity: From Global Challenges to Collective Action,” organized by the Permanent Mission of the UAE to the United Nations, on Friday, on the sidelines of the meetings of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Al-Budaiwi explained that water scarcity has posed an ongoing challenge to the Gulf region over many decades, but at the same time it has pushed the GCC countries to innovate and invest, and to enhance cooperation and long-term planning.
He pointed to the extensive experience that the Gulf countries have gained in the fields of water desalination, reuse, demand management, and the employment of innovative technologies, in addition to strengthening the interconnection between water security, energy and food security, climate resilience, and sustainable economic development.
The Secretary-General stated that technology alone is not enough to achieve water security, stressing the importance of regional cooperation and joint action, and the joint mechanisms, policies and programs that the Gulf countries have developed to enhance water security.
He pointed to the ongoing work among the Gulf countries to explore and develop regional water connectivity, which contributes to enhancing the security of supplies, and raising the level of collective preparedness and response to emergencies and water crises.
Al-Budaiwi noted that the challenges associated with climate change, population growth, economic transformations, and the increasing demand for natural resources are placing growing pressure on water systems around the world.
He also stressed that common water challenges require common solutions, and that cooperation in this field contributes to building confidence, reducing common vulnerabilities, creating economic opportunities, and enhancing stability.
The Secretary-General stressed the importance of employing innovation and modern technologies, including artificial intelligence, digital transformation, smart water management and renewable energy, to enhance efficiency and flexibility.
He called for developing financing models that bring together governments, development institutions, research centers and the private sector, allowing promising solutions to be transformed into projects and infrastructure that can be expanded and invested.
Al Budawi considered the “United Nations Water Conference 2026”, which the UAE is hosting in partnership with Senegal between December 8 and 10 next in Abu Dhabi, an important opportunity to transform challenges into collective action, partnerships, investments and tangible commitments.
