EU to Support Green Economy with Saudi Arabia

A part of the celebration of the EU mission for Europe Day in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A part of the celebration of the EU mission for Europe Day in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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EU to Support Green Economy with Saudi Arabia

A part of the celebration of the EU mission for Europe Day in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A part of the celebration of the EU mission for Europe Day in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Patrick Simonnet, EU ambassador to Saudi Arabia, emphasized support for green economy strategies adopted by the Kingdom.

On Wednesday, a workshop organized by a European association in the Saudi capital focused on activating the role of European chambers of commerce in third markets. This is seen as a crucial step towards establishing the first European chamber of commerce in Riyadh.

According to Simonnet, the EU has established a strategic partnership with the Gulf to elevate their cooperation to new heights. He further remarked that this partnership has been instrumental in guiding their actions over the past year and will continue to do so in the future.

Highlighting their four goals, Simonnet noted that their strategy aims to achieve a higher level of political coordination between both sides.

The ambassador recalled how the visit of Charles Michel, President of the European Council, to Jeddah in September 2022 and his important meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was seen as a significant step in this direction.

The second goal of the strategy, according to Simonnet, is to enhance economic interaction to support economic strategies such as the European Green Deal and Saudi Vision 2030.

Simonnet pointed out that EU-Saudi ties are already strong, as Europe is Saudi Arabia’s second-largest economic partner and the largest source of foreign direct investment.

The envoy also highlighted that Riyadh plays a key role in the EU’s energy security.

However, there is still potential to do more and drive economic cooperation and exchange, especially in the fields of renewable energy and digital transformation, stressed Simonnet.

Simonnet made his remarks during the “Europe Day” reception hosted by the EU mission in Riyadh two days ago.

The event was attended by official and diplomatic figures, including Walid Al-Khuraiji, Saudi Arabia's Deputy Foreign Minister, and Jassim Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council.



GCC-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue Focuses on Strengthening Cooperation

The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue held in Kuwait. Photo: KUNA
The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue held in Kuwait. Photo: KUNA
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GCC-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue Focuses on Strengthening Cooperation

The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue held in Kuwait. Photo: KUNA
The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue held in Kuwait. Photo: KUNA

Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers and their counterparts from Central Asia discussed in Kuwait on Wednesday consolidating cooperation in several fields.

The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue focused on enhancing the strong relations between the GCC and Central Asian countries and discussed a joint action plan to advance cooperation in the political, economic, cultural, and tourism sectors.
Preparations were also reviewed for the upcoming summit between the GCC and Central Asian countries, scheduled to take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, next month. This summit follows the inaugural one held in Saudi Arabia in 2023.

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah attended the meeting.

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya said the meeting marks a significant milestone in establishing a sustainable partnership based on mutual respect and shared interests.

Speaking at a joint press conference with GCC Secretary-General Jassem Al-Budaiwi after the meeting, Al-Yahya, current President of the GCC Ministerial Council, highlighted the growing historical, cultural, and human ties between the two regions, and emphasized the shared political will to strengthen strategic cooperation.

The meeting focused on several key areas of priority, including enhancing economic and trade cooperation, encouraging investment, and developing sectors such as transport and energy, clean energy transitions, green economies, and modern technologies, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.

Discussions also focused on food and water security, digital infrastructure, and artificial intelligence, aiming to support stability and sustainable development.

On political and security matters, the foreign minister stressed the importance of consultation and coordination on shared challenges, especially in combating terrorism, extremism, and cyber threats, and praised the GCC Secretariat for its role in advancing joint action mechanisms.

Regarding regional and international issues, Al-Yahya reaffirmed the GCC's steadfast support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the establishment of an independent state based on the 1967 border with East Jerusalem as its capital.

On his part, Al-Budaiwi said that both the GCC and Central Asian states are committed to advancing cooperation across various sectors, as outlined in the Joint Action Plan for 2023-27.

He stated that the meeting included an exchange of views on regional and global developments, particularly the Israeli occupation's violations against the Palestinian people, and reiterated the GCC's rejection of these violations and called on the international community to act decisively in support of Palestinian rights, including the establishment of a sovereign state.