The visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, to London has made headlines across Britain. It marks the second stop of his international tour and serves as an opportunity to bolster Saudi-British ties. His first stop saw him visit Egypt for three days.
Talks in Britain will center on trade, supporting stability in the Middle East and preserving security partnership and expanding it to many fields.
A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office told Asharq Al-Awsat that Prince Mohammed’s visit “will usher in a new era of bilateral relations, focused on a partnership that delivers wide-ranging benefits for both of us.”
This includes creating and sustaining job opportunities in Britain and encouraging more social reform in Saudi Arabia.
“We are also seeking to bolster cooperation between our countries to tackle international challenges, including the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Yemen,” she added.
Days earlier, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had declared that the future of the region and Muslim world depends on Prince Mohammed’s success in his reform mission. He highlighted the importance of security cooperation with Saudi Arabia, saying that intelligence information presented by Riyadh was a decisive factor in combating terrorism.
British MP Rehman Chishti told Asharq Al-Awsat that Saudi Arabia and Britain enjoy historic ties and the Crown Prince’s visit will bolster this relationship.
He highlighted the trade relationship between Riyadh and London, noting that exchange between them has risen 40 percent since 2010.
In addition, he said that Vision 2030 that was declared by Prince Mohammed provides major trade and investment opportunities for British companies. It allows them to offer their services and skills in the Saudi economy, which will benefit both countries and achieve economic growth.
The visit will also bolster security and defense ties, he said, while noting security cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Britain and the exchange of intelligence aimed at defeating terrorist plots.
Chishti expected Prince Mohammed and British officials to tackle the situation in the Middle East, saying that it would be “great opportunity” to address challenges in the region, including the situation in Syria.
He cited British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Gulf Cooperation Council speech in Manama in 2016 in which she stressed the need for cooperation to confront Iran’s threat to the region. He said that Prince Mohammed’s visit will serve as an opportunity to assess what has been done since then to counter Iran.
In addition, he said that as Britain nears its departure from the European Union, the Saudi Prince’s visit will open a new door of advanced trade relations with the Kingdom.
Prince Mohammed’s three-day visit will include two audiences with the British Royal family, a briefing with national security officials, and a prestigious visit to the prime minister’s country residence.
He will meet May on Thursday and the two leaders will launch a “UK-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council” - an initiative to encourage Saudi Arabia’s economic reforms and foster more cooperation on issues such as education and culture, as well as defense and security.
