Biden says no plans to meet with Saudi crown prince during Kingdom visit
June 18, 2022, 8:16 am

Biden says no plans to meet with Saudi crown prince during Kingdom visit

U.S. President Joe Biden signed legislation Tuesday afternoon to make lynching a federal hate crime for the first time in American history (File photo: Kamala Harris official Facebook page)

The Anadolu Agency reported that US President Joe Biden said on Friday (June 17) he has no plans to sit down with Saudi Arabia's de facto leader as he prepares to visit the Kingdom next month.

Asked if he would meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Biden said, "I’m not going to meet with" him.

Biden told reporters before departing the White House for his home state of Delaware: "I’m going to an international meeting. And he’s going to be a part of it, just like there were people part of the discussion today."

According to the Anadolu Agency, Biden is slated to visit the Kingdom in mid-July, and participate in a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council in the city of Jeddah alongside nine regional leaders.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan/Facebook page

Biden has long opposed sitting down with bin Salman, whom US intelligence determined ordered the grisly 2018 murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Joe Biden to visit Saudi Arabia at the invitation of King Salman

Saudi Arabia initially denied responsibility for Khashoggi's killing, but eventually acknowledged it was responsible, attempting to frame his death as a botched rendition operation.

It should be noted that the US president said in 2019 that he would make Saudi Arabia a "pariah" state, in part because of Khashoggi's murder.

Source: aa

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.