Saudi Crown Prince Participates in European-Gulf Summit Addressing Middle East Situations
October 16, 2024, 4:15 pm

Saudi Crown Prince Participates in European-Gulf Summit Addressing Middle East Situations

محمد بن سلمان (فيسبوك)

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is attending the first European-Gulf summit being held in Brussels on Wednesday, alongside leaders from six Gulf countries.

The discussions between the Gulf leaders and their counterparts from the European Union will focus on ways to avoid a "full-scale war" in the Middle East, according to European diplomats.

Additionally, the leaders of the six Gulf states, which include Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar, will discuss topics related to trade, energy, and climate change with EU leaders.

However, EU officials noted that the "main subject" of the meeting will be the Israeli military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as the risk of escalating the conflict in the region.

The summit is set to feature European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell. The meeting will be co-chaired by European Council President Charles Michel and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who currently holds the presidency of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Borrell stated on Tuesday evening, before a working dinner with the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, that "we have shared concerns about peace and security across the region."

The 27 countries in the European Union are also seeking to strengthen economic relations with the six Gulf Cooperation Council states. The EU is the second-largest trading partner for these countries, while talks that began in the 1990s regarding a free trade agreement remain stalled.

Moreover, there are still ongoing disagreements between the two sides on other issues, most notably the war in Ukraine.

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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.”