• UK, Australia call for ‘immediate cessation of fighting’ in Gaza

    Adelaide, Australia--Britain and Australia declared the need for an "immediate cessation of fighting" in Gaza, as diplomatic pressure built on Israel Friday to ditch a planned ground assault on the southern city of Rafah. After a meeting of Australian and UK foreign and defence ministers in Adelaide, the allies issued a...
  • Maldives: Muizzu expands diplomacy beyond India

    Muizzu won last year’s presidential election on the "India Out" platform against Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's "India first" policy.
  • WEF24: The story of Africa is being reclaimed

    Africa is moving away from stereotypes of poverty and incapacity to a narrative of ability and competitiveness, Sithembile Ntombela maNdaba, the CEO of Brand South Africa, tells TRENDS.
  • Bahrain and South Korea seek to bolster economic, parliamentary ties

    Manama, Bahrain--Bahrain and South Korea have reviewed ways to enhance diplomatic, economic and parliamentary cooperation and partnership to benefit the two countries. In this connection, Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Political Affairs Undersecretary at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, has affirmed the keenness of Kingdom of Bahrain, under the...
  • EU foreign ministers to meet Israeli, Palestinian diplomats

    The bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell risked incurring Israel's wrath by accusing it on Friday of having "created" and "financed" Hamas to undermine the prospect for a possible Palestinian state. Borrell insisted the only way to get an enduring peace in the region was for a two-state solution to...
  • GCC makes pivotal strides in development, diplomacy

    In 2023, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait collectively advanced in technology and sustainable development, achieving global integration.
  • ‘Cooperation key in establishing global work agenda’

    "The Summit acts as a nexus, uniting government officials, international organizations, business magnates, community institutions, scholars, and innovators. This collective aims to set trends, foresee changes, and proactively tackle challenges with innovative solutions," Al Olama adds.
  • Netanyahu optimistic about Israel-Saudi relations

    This comes after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hinted at the ongoing efforts to establish ties between the two nations during an interview with Fox News.
  • Xi’s G20 no-show hints at China’s shifting diplomatic priorities

    Beijing, China - President Xi Jinping's unexplained decision to snub the G20 summit underlines Beijing's frayed ties with other major powers as well as growing secrecy at the top of the ruling Communist Party, China analysts told AFP. Beijing's foreign ministry said Monday that Premier Li Qiang would join the leaders...
  • Turkey to ask Russia to resume grain deal in original form

    According to TASS, quoting a diplomatic source, Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will propose to Russia at the upcoming talks in Moscow to resume the grain deal in its original format. The source said that Turkey is all for restarting the grain corridor in its original "format involving parties to...
  • ‘UAE’s humanitarian endeavors resonate globally’

    "The UAE's humanitarian endeavors and diplomacy have resonated globally, exemplifying unity and camaraderie to pave pathways of hope. We have always been, and will continue to be, committed to uplifting the stature of individuals and humanity at large,” adds Abdulrahman bin Mohamed Al Owais, the UAE’s Minister of Health and...
  • UAE is focused on uniting parties in a COP that delivers for all: Al Jaber

    Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber believes that the Caribbean region will have a key role at COP28 in bringing countries together and contributing to a consensus-driven approach across "every climate pillar." He affirmed a just energy transition can be delivered that embraces clean technologies, without sacrificing energy security or...
  • Iran’s oil exports surge to 1.9 million barrels per day in May

    In spite of economic sanctions imposed by the Western governments against Iran, the country has seen its oil exports surge in May to 1.9 million barrels per day. According to its oil minister, the energy diplomacy and its strengthening relations with countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America have helped...
  • UAE, Qatar restore ties, after six-year-long estrangement

    According to Qatar's foreign ministry, Doha will reopen embassy in Abu Dhabi and its consulate in Dubai immediately. The UAE too will throw it embassy open in Doha. The UAE's Foreign Minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, spoke to Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Qatar's Prime Minister and also its Foreign...
  • Iran hints at cooperation with Saudi Arabia on ‘peaceful nuclear technologies’

    Tehran, Iran-- With the restoration of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the talk in government circles in Tehran is now focused on cooperating with Riyadh on peaceful nuclear technologies. A hint of the potential cooperation between the two former adversaries came in a tweet by a media outlet...
  • Saudi Arabia, US leading diplomatic drive for Sudan truce, end to fighting

    fighting and looting raged most of Thursday in the capital Khartoum and US diplomats were frank about the obstacles in the nearly week-long talks in Jeddah. "This is not a ceasefire. This is an affirmation of their obligations under international humanitarian law," said a US official involved in the talks,...
  • Yemen peace push ‘serious’ but next steps unclear: Saudi envoy

    "Everybody is serious. Serious means everybody is looking for peace," Mohammed al-Jaber said in his first extensive comments after meeting with Houthi leaders in Sanaa last month. But he added: "It's not easy to be clear about next steps."
  • Syria rejoins Arab League after 11-year absence

    The bloc's foreign ministers unanimously agree to allow government delegations from Syria to resume their participation in meetings ahead of a key summit in Jeddah on May 19.
  • MENA region shines more on the global energy map

    The Abraham peace Accords between Israel and some Middle Eastern countries has paved the way for new cooperation and energy production opportunities, further solidifying the region's position in the global energy market. The region is also developing skill sets in areas of the industry beyond just production, she adds.
  • Turkey’s Erdogan asks parliament to back Finland’s bid to join NATO

    Ankara, Turkey--Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ended months of diplomatically charged delays on Friday and asked parliament to quickly back Finland's bid to join NATO. A simultaneous decision by fellow holdout Hungary to schedule a Finnish ratification vote for March 27 means the US-led defence alliance will likely grow to 31...
  • Jordan Senate, Arab Parliament speakers discuss regional issues

    AMMAN,  JORDAN -   The Speaker of Jordan's Senate Faisal Fayez met with Arab Parliament Speaker Adel Abdulrahman Al-Asoomi and discussed the ways and means to activate parliamentary work and diplomacy to address the region's common interest. During the meeting, attended by Jordan's ambassador to Egypt Amjad Adaileh, the two sides...
  • FNC Speaker calls for greater coordination at Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union meet

    BAGHDAD, IRAQ - Speaker of the UAE Federal National Council (FNC) Saqr Ghobash said that Arab parliaments should are required to coordinate parliamentary work. He said that Arab parliaments should unify positions on all common issues, activate the role of parliamentary diplomacy and cooperate in order to achieve the integration...
  • Morocco to deploy football World Cup exploits to make diplomatic gains

    Rabat, Morocco--Morocco is hoping its unprecedented World Cup exploits can help it win friends and influence people, especially among an Arab public opposed to its 2020 rapprochement with Israel. Support for the Atlas Lions surged as they battled their way to the semi-final of the football World Cup in Qatar --...
  • Iran, EU diplomatic heads meet at Jordan summit

    SWEIMEH, JORDAN - Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met Tuesday with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on the sidelines of a summit in Jordan, an Iranian diplomatic source said. The meeting, which was confirmed by Iran's official news agency IRNA, comes at a time when negotiations in Vienna aimed at...
  • Supporting India’s G20 presidency is a priority for UAE, says Minister

    The UAE's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has said that the Gulf country is determined to forge a world where prosperity is commonplace.
  • Egypt warms up to Turkey, lauds new ‘beginning’ in ties

    Nearly ten years after their relations broke down, Egypt and Turkey are working to rebuild the ties as the Egyptian president shook hands with his Turkish counterpart in Qatar. The presidency in Cairo has termed it a new "beginning" in ties with Ankara.
  • UAE President Sheikh Mohamed holds talks with President Putin

    UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has called for peace during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg. He said that by engaging in "dialogue, negotiation, and diplomatic mechanisms, a political settlement can be reached that will achieve international peace and security."
  • US condemns Iran’s cyberattack on Albania, its ally

    US has threatened to launch ‘further action’ against Iran for what it called an ‘unprecedented’ cyberattack against its ally Albania. US has accused Iran of threatening the security of a US ally and setting a troubling precedent for cyberspace. Albania in retaliation has cut off diplomatic relations with Iran.
  • Turkish warship docks in Israel in sign of warming ties

    In the wake of months of diplomatic warming between the two countries, a Turkish warship docked in Israel over the weekend for the first time since 2010. The frigate, according to the Turkish defense ministry, will remain in the port of Haifa until September 6.
  • US envoy expects China to ramp up coercion of Taiwan

    The US in retaliation will begin formal trade talks with Taiwan by the autumn to show support for the democracy, despite not holding official ties with the government in Taipei. Taiwan has displayed its most advanced fighter jet in a rare demonstration in the wake of China's drills.
  • Iran says Kuwait to send first envoy since 2016

    Kuwait recalled its ambassador and the United Arab Emirates downgraded relations with Iran after Saudi Arabia that year cut ties with its regional rival, with Bahrain following suit. That came after Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran following Riyadh's execution of Shiite Muslim cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
  • King of Morocco extends olive branch to Algeria

    Morocco's King Mohammed VI used an address on Saturday to "once again" reiterate his openness to restoring ties with Algeria, which broke off diplomatic relations with Rabat last year.
  • Syria cuts off ties with Ukraine, clings to its ally Russia

    Syria announced Wednesday that it was severing ties with Ukraine in support of its close ally Russia, saying the move was a response to a similar move by Kyiv.
  • Saudi-Israel normalization still long way off

    Israeli journalist Yoav Limor's freindly experience in Saudi hints at changes in Saudi public opinion that officials hope could one day lay the groundwork for a formal bilateral ties.
  • Iraq PM visits Saudi Arabia and Iran to broker peace

    Iraq's prime minister met with leaders in rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran on Sunday, discussing regional stability as part of Baghdad's efforts to mediate between the two Middle East heavyweights.
  • Is Saudi Arabia close to having a normalization deal with Israel?

    The United States has hinted that more Arab nations could take steps to improve ties with Israel, ahead of President Joe Biden's trip to the Middle East.
  • Morocco and Israel face off in women basketball ‘friendly’ game

    The Moroccan women's basketball team hosted their Israeli counterparts for the first time on Wednesday in a quiet slice of sporting diplomacy played out in front of invited guests only. The friendly game, a first in the framework of sports cooperation since the normalization of ties between the two countries...
  • Iran terms latest talks with Saudi Arabia as ‘positive’

    Iran said Monday that the latest round of talks with Saudi Arabia was "positive and serious" and voiced hope for further progress soon. Tehran and Riyadh, which severed diplomatic ties in 2016, held four rounds of talks in Iraq between April and September last year, with a fifth meeting last...
  • Dubai turns Expo into 6-month diplomatic gala

    Amid a global pandemic, Dubai strategically turned a business and culture event into a public diplomacy spectacle unmatched in history.
  • Gulf treads humanitarian path on Ukraine crisis

    Most Gulf Cooperation Council countries took no maximalist position on the conflict and stressed on a diplomatic approach for its resolution.
  • Arab League plays safe, calls for diplomatic solution in Ukraine

    The Arab League on Monday expressed its worry over Russia's invasion of Ukraine and called for a "diplomatic solution," as the regional bloc's members grapple with conflicting loyalties.
  • World leaders look to avert Russia-NATO clash over Ukraine

    With war clouds gathering over Ukraine, international diplomacy goes into overdrive on Monday with the French and Russian presidents to talk in Moscow and the German chancellor heading to the White House to meet with US leader Joe Biden.
  • Arab countries review Lebanon’s response to proposal to ease row

    Kuwait said Sunday that a Lebanese response to a list of suggested measures to ease a diplomatic rift with Gulf Arab countries is currently under review. Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmed Nasser al-Mohammed Al-Sabah said that receiving the response was a "positive step by the Lebanese authorities".
  • UAE, Ethiopia discuss relations, latest regional developments

    The discussions are said to have taken place at Qasr Al Watan, the presidential palace.
  • Riyadh, Bangkok restore ties years after gem theft

    Riyadh and Bangkok restored their diplomatic relation broken over jewel theft by a Thai-born janitor who stole $20 million worth of gems in 1989 from a Saudi palace.
  • Palestine minister holds first meet with Israel foreign minister

    This was the first such encounter between the Jewish state's current foreign minister and a Palestinian official. The Israeli foreign ministry declined to comment to AFP but did not deny that the meeting took place.
  • Iran and China push for fulfillment of 25-year agreement

    More than fifty years after establishing diplomatic ties, China and Iran accelerate implementation of the Iran-China 25-year cooperation program, which can pave the ground for expanding all-out ties. The Chinese and Iranian foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
  • US bans Xinjiang imports, forcing firms to navigate sticky diplomacy

    The new law bans the import of all goods from the region unless companies offer verifiable proof that production did not involve forced labor.
  • France and Saudi Arabia to resolve Lebanon row

    France and Saudi Arabia have committed to "fully engage" to resolve a diplomatic row between the Gulf kingdom and Lebanon, visiting French President Emmanuel Macron said Saturday. 
  • Austin says US capable of deploying force in Middle East

    The United States warned Saturday it was capable of deploying "overwhelming force" in the Middle East as it faced questions about its willingness to use its military power in the region.
  • Lebanon invites Saudis for talks as diplomatic row deepens

    Lebanon on Monday called for talks with Saudi Arabia to ease a spiraling diplomatic row sparked by remarks made by a Lebanese minister on the Yemen war.