Saudi Arabia welcomes US President Biden's support to defending Kingdom sovereignty
February 5, 2021, 11:04 am

Saudi Arabia welcomes US President Biden's support to defending Kingdom sovereignty

A handout picture provided by the Saudi Royal Palace on November 12, 2020, shows Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud delivering a speech to the Shura council in the capital Riyadh. (AFP)

Saudi Arabia welcomes US President Joe Biden's support to the Kingdom in defending its sovereignty and territory against regional threats, state news agency SPA reported on Thursday.

The Saudi statement came in response to Biden vowing to "continue to support and help Saudi Arabia defend its sovereignty and its territorial integrity and its people" in his first foreign policy speech at the Department of State in Washington.

Biden said the US will be ending its support for offensive operations in Yemen, adding that the war "has to end."

Earlier Thursday, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the moves related to Yemen were discussed with officials in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. “We are pursuing a policy of no surprises,” he told reporters at a White House briefing.

Saudi Arabia stressed its support to finding a comprehensive political solution to the crisis in Yemen, welcoming the US support for diplomatic efforts.

https://twitter.com/FaisalbinFarhan/status/1357460400036544521

The Arab Coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support the internationally recognized government of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi against the Iran-backed Houthis.

The Kingdom has been targeted with dozens of ballistic missile and drone attacks since the start of 2019, including a devastating strike on Aramco's facilities in the country's east which temporarily knocked out half the kingdom's crude output.

The new US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week there needed to be an “urgent” review of the Houthi militia’s recent designation as a terrorist organization.

Image source: AFP

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”