World

Kazakh president says constitutional order has mostly been restored

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Friday that constitutional order had mostly been restored in the Central Asian country hit by unrest this week, his office quoted him as saying in a statement.

The Kazakh interior ministry said in a separate statement that 26 “armed criminals” had been “liquidated” and more than 3,000 of them detained, while 18 police and national guard servicemen had been killed since the start of the protests.

For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

“An anti-terrorist operation has been launched. The forces of law and order are working hard. Constitutional order has largely been restored in all regions of the country,” Tokayev said.

“Local authorities are in control of the situation. But terrorists are still using weapons and damaging the property of citizens. Therefore, counter-terrorist actions should be continued until the militants are completely eliminated,” he added.

On Friday morning, Reuters correspondents saw armored personal carriers and military servicemen in the main square of Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, where soldiers fired at protesters a day before.

A few hundred meters away, Reuters correspondents saw a dead body in a heavily damaged civilian car.

In another part of the city they saw a ransacked store which used to sell ammunition. The correspondents also saw military vehicles and about 100 people in military uniforms at another square in Almaty.

A peacekeeping force of the Moscow-led military alliance of ex-Soviet states, called in by Tokayev this week, is currently arriving to Kazakhstan but is not engaged in combat or in the “elimination of militants,” Tokayev’s administration said.

The Collective Security Treaty organization (CSTO) force will provide cover and security function, it said.

The overall peacekeeping force of the CSTO will number about 2,500 and will stay in Kazakhstan for a few days or weeks, the RIA news agency quoted the general secretary of the alliance on Thursday.

The violence has been unprecedented in a state ruled firmly since Soviet times by leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, who had held on to the reins despite stepping down three years ago as president.

The uprising, which began as protests against a New Year’s Day fuel price hike, swelled on Wednesday, when protesters chanting slogans against Nazarbayev stormed and torched public buildings in Almaty and other cities. Protesters accused Nazarbayev’s family and allies of amassing vast wealth while the nation of 19 million remained poor.

The unrest has seen the internet and banks mostly shut down across the country.

Nazarbayev’s hand-picked successor, Tokayev, earlier this week blamed the unrest on foreign-trained terrorists.

The identity of the detained militants is being established, and the possibility of them belonging to an extremist organization is being investigated, Tokayev’s administration said on Friday.

Tokayev will address the nation on Friday, his administration said, asking people in Almaty to limit their traveling around the city while the “search for the remaining hiding bandits is underway.”

World

Saudi Fund for Development Celebrates 50 Years of Global Impact with Over $20 Billion in Development Contributions

The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) celebrated its 50th anniversary in Riyadh today, under
the theme “50 Years of Global Impact.”The event brought together key development partners to
reflect on the SFD’s significant contributions to sustainable development worldwide. Over the
past five decades, the SFD has allocated over $20 billion, financing more than 800 development
projects and programs in vital sectors, including social infrastructure (education, healthcare,
water and sewage, and housing and urban development), communication and transportation
(roads, railways, airports and seaports), energy, agriculture, mining and industry, and others.
Since its inception in 1974, the SFD has been the international development arm of the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia and has provided critical support to over 100 developing nations around the
world. With a strong focus on supporting countries to achieve the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), the SFD has played a pivotal role in driving sustainable development in Least
Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
During the event, SFD Chairman H.E. Ahmed Al-Khateeb emphasized the importance of
collaboration in driving global development. He highlighted that SFD’s success is deeply rooted
in its partnerships, with 27 development projects and programs in 23 developing countries in
2023 co-financed with other funders. He also underscored the need to forge new partnerships and
strengthen existing ones to create a world where every individual has the opportunity to reach
their full potential.
Reflecting on this significant milestone, the SFD CEO , Mr. Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-
Marshad, stated: “As we celebrate five decades of impactful work, we are committed, now more
than ever, to supporting developing countries on their journey to economic self-reliance and
resilience. Our goal is to ensure that all children can go to school, that education is not a
privilege but something every child should have access to, and that families have access to
healthcare and basic vital services. Equally, we focus on critical infrastructure development, like
building roads and enhancing airports and sea ports, so that countries can thrive and engage in
economic activities and trade. This work is not just about financing; it’s about tangibly
improving lives, creating opportunities, empowering communities, and building a more
prosperous future.”
On the sidelines of the 50 th Anniversary Gala, the SFD and the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
signed a new $25 million agreement to co-finance a renewable energy development project in the
Solomon Islands. This marks the first project for SFD in the Solomon Islands. The primary aim

of the project is to develop renewable energy infrastructure, reduce dependency on fossil fuels,
and promote sustainable development in the region.
This agreement builds on SFD’50 years of transformative impact through development projects
that have spanned Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Eastern
Europe.
This includes key projects such as the Metolong Dam in Lesotho, which received $25 million in
funding and now provides potable water to 280,000 people, enhancing water security and public
hygiene and health in the region. This is just one of the 433 projects across Africa, with a total
funding of $11.5 billion, which focuses on critical areas such as infrastructure and water security.
In Asia, the SFD has funded 271 projects with a total funding of $7.8 billion. One notable
example is the SFD’s contribution to the Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project in Pakistan, which
has an overall project cost of $240 million. The projects contributes to the country’s energy
security and flood resilience by generating 800 megawatts of renewable energy and storing 1.6
million cubic meters of water.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the SFD has financed 21 projects, totaling $951 million
USD. This includes rehabilitating the Water and Sewage System in Havana, Cuba, where the
SFD has allocated $35 million to enhance public infrastructure. Another significant initiative is
the rebuilding of St. Jude Hospital in Saint Lucia, supported by $75 million funding, which will
contribute to providing high-quality health services to citizens in a modern and sophisticated
facility and providing sufficient medical supplies and equipment to support the effective
operation of the hospital.
In Eastern Europe, the SFD has contributed to 14 projects with a total investment of $303
million. A key initiative is the construction of the Tirana-Elbasan-Chokos-Chalf-Ploce Road,
where the SFD provided $73.8 million to rebuild essential roads and bridges, thereby boosting
regional economic activities.
During the celebration, esteemed speakers shared insights on the SFD’s pivotal role in global
development, and in championing critical partnerships and collective action and response.
Keynote speakers included:

 HRH Prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud, Founder and Trustee of the King Faisal
Foundation
 H.E. Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khateeb, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the SFD
 H.E. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group
 H.E. Muhammad Al Jasser, Chairman of the Islamic Development Bank

These global development leaders emphasized the SFD’s commitment to fostering sustainable
growth in countries and communities with the most pressing developmental needs. The gala was attended by more than 500 people, including ministers, heads of regional and international organizations, ambassadors, representatives of the United and other distinguished
guests. As the SFD looks to the future, it reaffirms its mission and pledge to drive international
development efforts, on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to contribute to global
stability, social progress, and economic prosperity for future generations.

World

Jordan warns of escalation in southern Lebanon

Jordan warned on Sunday of the increasing escalation in southern Lebanon and a potential regional war in light of the ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza, Jordan News Agency (Petra) reported.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sufian Qudah discussed supporting Lebanon, its security, stability and the safety of its people and institutions, noting the need to adhere to Security Council Resolution 1701 to reduce and prevent further escalation and protect the region from the risk of slipping into a regional war.

Qudah added that the Israeli war on Gaza and the failure to reach an exchange agreement that leads to an immediate and permanent ceasefire puts the entire region at risk of the conflict expanding.

He discussed launching an effective international movement that imposes an immediate cessation of the aggression on Gaza.

World

China issues guidelines for coordinated digital, green transformation

China’s Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission and nine central departments have issued new guidelines for the coordinated transformation toward digital development and green growth, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Published on Saturday, the guidelines focus on two main areas: promoting the green, low-carbon development of digital industries and accelerating the green transformation of various sectors through digital technology.

They aim to accelerate the coordinated transformation toward digital development and green growth, promote the integration of emerging technologies with green, low-carbon industries, and enhance traditional industries using digital and green technologies.

Outlining fundamental principles, the guidelines specify the roles of authorities, industry associations, universities, research institutes and businesses in driving this transition.

They provide a three-part framework covering the basic capacity, technological systems and industrial systems for digital-green integration.

Regions are encouraged to focus on high-quality development, develop new quality productive forces, leverage local resources and create specialized industries and functional advantages to accelerate coordinated digital and green development.