On behalf of Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Eng. Waleed El Khereiji on Thursday participated in the 50th session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers, held in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The session was held under the theme 'Development of intra-OIC transport and communication infrastructure: Major instrument in the fight against poverty and insecurity.' In a speech, El Khereiji highlighted the crucial role played by the OIC since its inception in serving Islamic issues in various fields, and in protecting the interests of Muslims by acting positively to address various challenges. He expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's keenness to enhance collaborative action regarding issues relevant to the Islamic community at various levels and expand joint Islamic efforts aimed at ensuring a better future for Muslim populations. El Khereiji reiterated the Kingdom's denouncement of all forms of crim es committed by the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinian people. 'The Israeli occupation forces disregard international resolutions and laws, leading to the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians, most of whom are women, children, and innocent civilians,' El Khereiji stated. He added that such crimes by the Israeli forces are committed 'amid lack of international accountability and the United Nations Security Council's failure to take deterrent actions." In this regard, El Khereiji highlighted the efforts made by Saudi Arabia alongside other brotherly countries to halt Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people. He underscored the recognition of the State of Palestine by several European countries in light of the Kingdom's heading of the ministerial committee mandated by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit in Riyadh. El Khereiji commended the summit's decision to establish legal and media monitoring units to document Israeli violations. He emphasized that the Kingdom continues to provide humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza through the national donation campaign, which was launched by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), with the value of donations exceeding $185 million. Regarding the crisis in Sudan, the vice foreign minister reaffirmed the Kingdom's unaltered position on preserving Sudan's security and stability. He called for the parties involved in the Sudanese crisis to return to dialogue to end the suffering of the brotherly Sudanese people. Concerning the situation in Yemen, he highlighted the Saudi government's continued support for efforts to resolve the crisis there, and its pursuit of peace, security, and stability. He also reaffirmed the Kingdom's initiative to end the war and reach a comprehensive political solution, warning against escalation in the Red Sea region and the danger it poses to the stability of international shipping routes and global trade and economic growth. He also reaffirmed the Kingdom's constant support t o humanitarian causes and development in brotherly and friendly countries for the growth and prosperity of the region and the world. He welcomed the member states, their institutions, and international donor partners to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Donors Conference, which the Kingdom will host in October. He also said that the Kingdom is working with the Republic of Maldives to organize a joint conference titled 'Enhancing Integrity in the Tourism Sector,' aimed at enhancing Islamic cooperation. He called on the relevant anti-corruption and tourism authorities in OIC member states to participate in the conference. Source: Saudi Press Agency
