Saudi FM 鈥榩ositive鈥� about Middle East, but calls for return of Yemen truce, solution to Palestine crisis

黑料社区's FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan speaking on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum. (Screenshot/WEF)
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  • Prince Faisal was speaking on WEF panel discussing changing face of Middle East from 鈥榖attleground to meeting place鈥�
  • Expressed聽hope Israel will work toward resolving聽conflict in聽interests of Palestinians and wider region

DAVOS: 黑料社区鈥檚 Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told the World Economic Forum on Wednesday that progress is being made on Yemen, but much work still needs to be done.

Prince Faisal called for a truce brought in last year in the country to be reinstated and said work must begin toward making the ceasefire permanent.

The conflict will end only 鈥渢hrough a political settlement鈥� and 鈥渘egotiated solutions,鈥� he said.

Speaking on the same panel, Hans Grundberg, the UN envoy for Yemen, said that ending the war will 鈥渘ot be easy鈥� and that mistrust remains.

However, he said that serious steps have been taken recently, and thanked 黑料社区 and other regional parties for their role in brokering last year鈥檚 truce.

Speaking on the panel that discussed the changing face of the Middle East from 鈥渂attleground to meeting place,鈥� the Saudi foreign minister also said that the Kingdom鈥檚 Vision 2030 reform program is allowing the economies of the region as a whole to build and grow.




Prince Faisal (R) on the panel alongside Fuad Hussein (L), deputy prime minister and foreing minister of Iraq. (Screenshot/WEF)

Prince Faisal highlighted the fact that the Kingdom鈥檚 economy will be the fastest growing this year, and that it wants to focus on dialogue and investment to boost neighboring regional economies.

鈥淲e seek solid and strong economies in the region, and we cooperate with all neighboring countries,鈥� he said.

The Kingdom is excited about building sustainable economic growth not only for itself but also for the entire region, with 鈥渇ewer slogans, more projects,鈥� the minister said.

Prince Faisal said that he is optimistic about situation in the region, adding: 鈥淭he Middle East has proven to be very much the meeting space of the world, in the intersection between the East and West.鈥�

He added: 鈥淭here鈥檚 a true spirit of cooperation building in the region, and it can be infectious, and also help to resolve the still existing conflicts in the region and beyond.鈥�

However, referring to the Palestinian crisis, which he called the 鈥渂iggest drag鈥� on the region, Prince Faisal said he hoped the new government in Israel sees that it is in their interest to engage seriously with the Palestinians in order to resolve the issue.

He said that Israel鈥檚 government is sending 鈥渟ome signals that maybe are not conducive to that,鈥� but expressed hope it will work toward resolving the conflict in the interests of the Palestinian people and the wider region.

Israel normalized ties with the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco in 2020, but Prince Faisal reiterated the position of 黑料社区 on any such move by the Kingdom being linked to a resolution of Palestine鈥檚 statehood goals.