Saudi Arabia Appoints its First Female Spokesperson at US Embassy

Fatima Baeshen (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Fatima Baeshen (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Appoints its First Female Spokesperson at US Embassy

Fatima Baeshen (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Fatima Baeshen (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Ambassador to Washington Prince Khalid bin Salman issued an order to assign Fatima Baeshen the embassy's spokeswoman, making her the first female spokesperson for a government institution.

Baeshen is a businesswoman, who has earned her master’s degree with a focus on Islamic finance from the University of Chicago, and has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Baeshen was a director at the Washington based think tank Arabia Foundation. She spent several years working in Riyadh’s Saudi Ministry of Labor and the Saudi Ministry of Economy and Planning before returning to the United States in 2017.

She has also worked as a consultant for the World Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and the Emirates Foundation for Youth Development.

Baeshen was raised in the US and spent most of her childhood in Mississippi.



Saudi and Indonesian Leaders Hold Talks on Regional, Global Issues

The Saudi Crown Prince and the Indonesian President during their talks at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah on Wednesday (SPA) 
The Saudi Crown Prince and the Indonesian President during their talks at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah on Wednesday (SPA) 
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Saudi and Indonesian Leaders Hold Talks on Regional, Global Issues

The Saudi Crown Prince and the Indonesian President during their talks at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah on Wednesday (SPA) 
The Saudi Crown Prince and the Indonesian President during their talks at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah on Wednesday (SPA) 

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman held official talks on Wednesday with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, focusing on the latest regional and international developments, as well as efforts to address them. The leaders also discussed a range of issues of common interest and ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

The meeting took place at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah, where Subianto was welcomed with an official reception ceremony. During their discussions, the two sides reviewed the state of relations between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia and explored opportunities to expand collaboration across various sectors.

The visit also marked the convening of the first session of the Saudi-Indonesian Supreme Coordination Council. Senior officials from both countries attended the meeting, where a number of topics on the council’s agenda were addressed. At the conclusion, the two leaders signed the official record of the proceedings.

President Subianto arrived in Jeddah on Tuesday for a state visit to the Kingdom. He was received at King Abdulaziz International Airport by Prince Saud bin Mishaal, Deputy Governor of the Makkah Region; Minister of Commerce Dr. Majid Al-Qasabi, who served as the accompanying minister; and other senior officials.

The Indonesian president’s visit comes amid significant regional developments, highlighting the importance of close coordination between Riyadh and Jakarta to reinforce regional and global security and stability.

Saudi Arabia and Indonesia share a common vision on resolving conflicts through peaceful, diplomatic means and dialogue. Both countries emphasize the need to create conditions that promote stability and security in the Middle East and beyond.

Ties between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia have steadily grown over nearly eight decades, encompassing political, economic, and cultural cooperation. The two countries are influential members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and play important roles within the G20. They are also bound by longstanding and close ties between their peoples.

Formal relations date back to the era of King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman, when Saudi Arabia was among the first nations to recognize Indonesia’s independence. This early recognition paved the way for the exchange of diplomatic missions, which later developed into full embassies. Indonesia opened its first embassy in Jeddah in 1948, while Saudi Arabia established its embassy in Jakarta in 1955.

Today, Saudi Arabia is Indonesia’s largest trading partner in the region. Both governments are committed to strengthening and diversifying trade, overcoming obstacles that hinder economic exchange, and fostering deeper engagement between their private sectors. Bilateral trade reached $6.5 billion by the end of 2024.

According to the Saudi Aid Platform, the Kingdom has implemented 113 projects in Indonesia, with a combined value of approximately $670 million. These projects span sectors such as education, transport and logistics, industry, mining, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, healthcare and early recovery, housing, non-food assistance, and a variety of developmental, humanitarian, and charitable initiatives.