NEW YORK: Abdallah Al-Mouallimi, Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the UN, stressed that the Kingdom sensed the seriousness of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic from the outset, and took all precautions to protect its citizens and residents from the imminent danger. This came in the Kingdom’s address, delivered by Al-Mouallimi, at the UN Security Council’s open debate on pandemics and security, recently held through videoconferencing. Al-Mouallimi said that the council met for the first time in its history not to discuss an issue or conflict threatening international peace and security, but to discuss the most important health challenges in the world.