Interview: Adel Al-Jubeir talks Yemen, Saudi-US relations, human rights and Israel

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Updated 23 March 2021
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Interview: Adel Al-Jubeir talks Yemen, Saudi-US relations, human rights and Israel

  • In exclusive interview, Saudi Arabia’s minister of state for foreign affairs described Saudi-US ties as “strong, dynamic and multifaceted” 
  • He said Riyadh has supported “every effort and every initiative” by UN envoys to find a solution to Yemen conflict

RIYADH: Relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia will continue virtually unaltered under the Biden administration, the Kingdom’s minister of state for foreign affairs has said.

In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Adel Al-Jubeir stressed that the relationship between the two countries was “strong, dynamic and multifaceted.”

“The (Biden) administration has made it very, very clear that it is committed to the defense of Saudi Arabia, that it is committed to defending Saudi against external threats,” he said.

“So, I really don’t see much of a change between this administration and the previous administration in terms of their commitment to Saudi Arabia.”

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He pointed out that relations between the two countries go back 80 years, and have been an important factor in maintaining global stability and security.

“Our relationship with the US is a strategic relationship. We have economic interests and financial interests. We work to fight extremism and terrorism,” Al-Jubeir said.

“We work to stabilize the region — whether it’s trying to bring peace between Israelis and Palestinians; whether it’s in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan; trying to reduce tensions between India and Pakistan; whether it’s stabilizing Sudan; whether it’s working to end the war in Libya or to deal with the G5 (Sahel) countries, in their fight against Boko Haram.

“I believe they have made it clear that they want Iran to go back to the nuclear agreement and they want a nuclear agreement that is, to quote Secretary of State (Antony) Blinken, ‘stronger and longer.’ This is something that we've been advocating since the advent of this deal.

“We want the ‘sunset provision’ to be eliminated so that Iran cannot indefinitely enrich uranium. And we want to have a broader and deeper inspections mechanism to make sure that everything in Iran can be inspected, should there be a need.”

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The recent attacks on Saudi Aramco facilities had links to Iran, Al-Jubeir told Arab News. “All of the missiles and drones that came into Saudi are Iranian manufactured or Iranian supplied,” he said. “Several of them, as we've said, came from the north; several came from the sea.”

In his view, the US decision to remove the Houthis from its international terrorism list, on the same day the Yemeni separatists attacked the civilian airport in Abha in Saudi Arabia, would make little difference to the international effort to provide aid to the country.

“We have made this very clear to our friends in Europe and to the US as well as to the United Nations special envoy,” Al-Jubeir said.

“The Taliban in Afghanistan are on the terrorism list; it doesn’t stop aid from coming to Afghanistan. In Syria you have Daesh on the terrorism list and that doesn’t stop aid from going to Syria. Hezbollah in Lebanon is on the terrorism list, that doesn’t stop aid from going to Lebanon. The Al-Shabab in Somalia are on the terror list and that doesn’t stop aid from going there. Boko Haram is on a terror list and that doesn’t stop aid from going into the G5 Sahel countries.”

The problem, Al-Jubeir insisted, lay with the Houthis. “They steal the aid; they sell it to finance their war machine. They induct young boys — 9, 10, 11 years of age — and put them on the battlefield, which is against international law and a severe violation of human rights,” he said.

“They indiscriminately launch ballistic missiles and drones against civilians, whether it’s in Saudi Arabia or in Yemen, where they also robbed the Central Bank. They rejected every attempt at achieving a peaceful settlement or cooperating with the UN special envoy.

“So, the message the position from our perspective with regards to the Houthis is very clear: They belong on a terrorism list and nobody should deal with them.”

The presence of the Iranian-backed separatists does not mean that peace is impossible in Yemen, Al-Jubeir said.

“We believe there is a political solution out there. We’re trying to achieve that political solution and have been trying to do so since the beginning of the commencement of hostilities several years ago,” he said.

“We have supported every effort and every initiative by the UN special envoys to arrive at a solution. We have worked to unify the Yemeni government, to unify the north with the Southern Transition Council. We have provided more than $17 billion in humanitarian assistance. We have made it very clear that the only solution in Yemen is a political solution based on the GCC initiative, the outcomes of the Yemeni National Dialogue and the UN Security Council Resolution 2216.”

Al-Jubeir defended Saudi Arabia’s record on human rights, which has come under attack in some parts of the world.

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“Our view is that Saudi Arabia has made great strides in human rights. Fifty years ago, we had no schools for women; today 55 percent of college students are women. Seventy years ago, we had maybe 90 percent illiteracy rates; today everybody reads and writes and goes to school,” he said.

“Seventy or 80 years ago, infant mortality rates were very high. Maybe two out of three children died before the age of two. Today they’re at the same level as Europe and the United States. We have life expectancy rates that, within one generation, have virtually doubled. So, we take care of our people by providing them security, by providing them healthcare, by providing an education, by providing them opportunity.”

He added: “With regards to human rights as defined by the critics of Saudi Arabia, we have made great strides — in terms of liberating women, empowering youth, in terms of reforming our judicial system, in terms of opening up our society and making it possible for young people to be able to realize their hopes and their dreams and their ambitions. This is human rights. This is the important part.”

Despite the “normalization” of relations between some Arab countries and Israel, the position of the Kingdom remained unchanged, Al-Jubeir emphasized.

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“We want a two-state solution based on the Arab Peace Initiative and the relevant United Nations resolutions where we have a Palestinian state and living side by side in peace and security. That remains our position,” he said.

“We believe that we were instrumental in moving the Arab world away from the ‘three nos’ ­— announced in Khartoum in 1967 that said ‘no to negotiations, no to recognition, and no to peace’ — by putting forth the late King Fahd’s eight-point plan at the Arab Summit in Fez in the early ’80s.

“This was adopted by the Arab world and basically called for a two-state solution. Then later at the (Arab League) summit in Beirut in 2002, we put forth the Arab Peace Initiative that called for what I mentioned: Two states, recognition, normalization of relationship, and everything that it entails in terms of good neighborly relations. This was adopted by the global community and that remains our position now.”

Referring to the states that have normalized ties with Israel, Al-Jubeir said: “Those are sovereign decisions that are really up to those countries. What we have said is if that leads to a change in Israel’s position with regards to annexation of Palestinian territory, or if it leads to a softening of Israel’s position with regards to negotiations, then there may be some benefit in it.

“But as far as the Kingdom is concerned, our position remains that normalization can only come if there’s an agreement on peace.”

 

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World’s best: Riyadh hospital completes 10 kidney transplants in 48 hours

Updated 13 August 2025
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World’s best: Riyadh hospital completes 10 kidney transplants in 48 hours

  • King Faisal Specialist Hospital sets record on World Organ Donation Day
  • Program ‘opens door’ for patients without suitable donor, it says

RIYADH: The King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre this week set a world record by performing 10 kidney exchange transplants in just 48 hours.

The achievement coincided with World Organ Donation Day, which falls on Aug. 13 and aims to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation.

Dr. Ehab Abufarhaneh, deputy executive director of the hospital’s Organ Transplant Center of Excellence, told Arab News: “KFSHRC performed the kidney exchange transplants over two consecutive days setting a global record. This happened with a great team led by Dr. Khaled Almashary and Dr.Tariq Ali of the department of kidney and pancreas transplant.

“This initiative opens a door for many patients who have no suitable donor.”

The KFSHRC said the record was for the highest number of such procedures conducted within a two-day span at a single center.

“This milestone reinforces the hospital’s position as a global leader in organ transplantation. It also reflects its high clinical readiness, the seamless coordination of its multidisciplinary medical teams and the advanced systems for managing donor-recipient matching, alongside its extensive experience in executing complex transplant procedures,” it said.

Paired kidney transplantation is an innovative approach where two or more incompatible donor-recipient pairs swap kidneys to achieve compatible transplants. The process significantly improves compatibility rates and offers hope to patients who face challenges in finding a suitable match within their families.

Last year, the KFSHRC celebrated another milestone with the completion of its 500th transplant since the program was launched in 2011. Since the creation of its organ transplantation program in 1981, it has successfully performed more then 5,000 kidney transplants, placing it among an elite group of global transplant centers.

Last year it conducted 80 pediatric kidney transplants, more than any other facility in the world for the period.

By leveraging its skilled workforce, advanced technologies and the integration of research and clinical programs, the KFSHRC aims to deliver world-class treatment while enhancing the Kingdom’s position as a leader in organ transplantation.

In 2023 and 2024 it ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa region and 15th globally on the list of the world’s top 250 academic medical centers and was last year recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East by Brand Finance rankings.

It also ranked among the world’s 250 best hospitals in 2024 and was included in Newsweek magazine’s list of best smart hospitals for 2025.


Study reveals genetic insights about Saudi and Japanese populations

Updated 13 August 2025
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Study reveals genetic insights about Saudi and Japanese populations

RIYADH: A new study using Saudi and Japanese pangenome samples exclusively has revealed genetic insights relating to these two populations.

“Up to 12 percent of patients with genetic disorders go undiagnosed due to reliance on reference genomes that don’t reflect their population’s genetic background,” said Malak Abedalthagafi, professor at Tufts Medical Center and one of the lead authors of the study.

“By constructing population-specific pangenome graphs, we improve variant calling and help close this diagnostic gap.”

The pangenome is considered a powerful reference tool to study individual and group DNA.

Similar to how a map shows a person’s position in relation to their landscape, the pangenome allows researchers to compare a person’s genetic makeup with the full spectrum of genetic variation found across a population.

“Having worked on the Saudi genome for several years, contributing to this project marks a meaningful step in my commitment to advancing representation in genomics and ensuring precision medicine serves diverse populations,” Abedalthagafi said.

Fellow author of the study and KAUST Professor Robert Hoehndorf explained that building the graphs, which the study calls JaSaPaGe (Japanese Saudi PanGenome), using samples from two distinctive populations offers new health insights.

“Japan and Saudi Arabia are pretty much at the opposite ends of Asia and have been separated for a long time. It gave us a chance to study the effects of population-specific pangenome graphs on variant calling when populations do not match,” Hoehndorf said.

JIHS’ Yosuke Kawai, another author of the study, added that there were clinical benefits to be gained for both populations.

He said: “The joint development of a population-specific pangenome graph for the Japanese and Saudi Arabian populations addresses a critical gap in global genomic representation.

“By integrating diverse data from both countries, we have created a powerful resource that not only improves variant detection accuracy but also holds great potential for advancing precision medicine tailored to each population’s unique genetic landscape.”

The first human pangenome was reported in 2023, but none of the DNA samples collected were taken from individuals with Arab or Japanese descent, meaning it was constructed without representation from almost 10 percent of the world’s population.

The study was carried out by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Tufts University and the Japan Institute for Health Security.


Saudi accounting organization to conduct fellowship exams in English 

Updated 13 August 2025
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Saudi accounting organization to conduct fellowship exams in English 

RIYADH: The Saudi Organization for Certified Public Accountants will make its fellowship available internationally by offering their exam in English alongside Arabic. 

Registration will begin on Thursday and the first exam will be held in September.

“The SOCPA fellowship has gained recognition from respected professional bodies around the world for its rigorous standards and advanced curriculum, making it one of the most sought-after qualifications in accounting and auditing,” according to a press release issued by the organization on Tuesday.

Accountants and professionals from any country can earn the fellowship by completing the program and taking the exam in English. The exam consists of 75 percent multiple-choice questions and 25 percent essay questions. 

It includes six main subjects: Financial accounting, managerial and governmental accounting, auditing, zakat and tax, business environment, and regulations. It combines academic study with practical application.

Ahmed Al-Meghames, CEO of SOCPA, told Arab News: “The SOCPA fellowship is distinguished by its standardized accounting content and diversity, covering accounting aspects and the environment in which it operates.”

Ahmed Al-Meghames, CEO of SOCPA.

“It prepares holders to work efficiently in diverse and multifaceted regulatory environments,” he said.

“Our vision is for the SOCPA fellowship to become a global benchmark for excellence in accounting, reflecting international best practices and highlighting the Kingdom’s leadership in the accounting sector,” Al-Meghames said. 

This aligned with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 to diversify the economy, develop human capital and solidify the Kingdom’s position as a regional and global hub for financial and professional services.

“Our strategy combines competition and integration while fulfilling the aspirations of beneficiaries of accounting and financial services in the Kingdom,” Al-Meghames said.

The number of professional licenses issued in the past five years has increased by 126 percent compared to the total issued since SOCPA’s establishment in 1992.

“This reflects the significant progress witnessed by the Saudi accounting sector,” he said.


Saudi and Jordanian foreign ministers discuss developments in Gaza

Updated 12 August 2025
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Saudi and Jordanian foreign ministers discuss developments in Gaza

  • Ministers also discussed international developments

RIYADH: Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, discussed the situation in Gaza with his Jordanian counterpart, Ayman Safadi, on Tuesday evening.
During the call, the ministers discussed the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Jordan, as well as recent regional and international developments, particularly those occurring in Gaza and the efforts made regarding these issues, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
On Monday, King Abdullah II of Jordan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed developments in Gaza and the occupied West Bank at Neom Palace.


Saudi crown prince, Italian PM discuss Gaza

Updated 12 August 2025
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Saudi crown prince, Italian PM discuss Gaza

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday spoke by phone with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

They reviewed developments in the Gaza Strip, including security and humanitarian repercussions, and stressed the need for international efforts to halt the escalation, end the effects of the conflict, and protect civilians.

They also discussed Saudi-Italian ties and ways to develop them, SPA added.