The two leaders discussed strengthening their nations’ long-standing brotherly relations and advancing joint initiatives to serve shared strategic interests…reports Asian Lite News
President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, held a phone call on Friday to review bilateral ties and ways to deepen cooperation across various sectors.
The two leaders discussed strengthening their nations’ long-standing brotherly relations and advancing joint initiatives to serve shared strategic interests. Their talks also touched on key regional and international developments, with a particular focus on collaborative efforts to bolster security, stability, and peace across the Middle East.
Stable inflation in Saudi Arabia
In economic news, Saudi Arabia’s annual inflation rate stood at 2.1 percent in July 2025, unchanged from the same period last year, according to data released by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Figures from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) showed that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) — which measures the cost of a fixed basket of 490 goods and services — remained stable on a monthly basis between June and July.
The Wholesale Price Index (WPI), which tracks pre-retail price changes for a fixed basket of 343 items, was also stable year-on-year at 2.1 percent in July. However, it recorded a slight monthly decline of 0.1 percent compared to June.
GCC coordination on Palestinian issue
The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, said that GCC foreign ministers had reaffirmed support for Saudi Arabia’s initiative to form a global alliance to implement the two-state solution for resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
His remarks followed a coordination meeting on Monday, held on the sidelines of the United Nations High-Level International Conference on “The Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution”. The event was hosted at Kuwait’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.
According to the GCC Secretariat, ministers discussed the latest developments in the Palestinian territories and the Gaza Strip, as well as ways to coordinate regional efforts in light of the outcomes of the conference.
Albudaiwi highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where ongoing blockades and restrictions have caused severe shortages of aid and medical supplies. He condemned the use of starvation as a policy by Israeli forces, describing it as a violation of international law, UN conventions, and humanitarian principles.
He called for intensified international cooperation with countries, organisations, and institutions to lift the siege on Gaza and ensure the urgent, unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians.
