Saudi FM Expresses Gratitude to Serbia for Supporting Kingdom’s Bid to Host Expo 2030

The Saudi and Serbian foreign ministers speak at a press conference in Belgrade. (SPA)
The Saudi and Serbian foreign ministers speak at a press conference in Belgrade. (SPA)
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Saudi FM Expresses Gratitude to Serbia for Supporting Kingdom’s Bid to Host Expo 2030

The Saudi and Serbian foreign ministers speak at a press conference in Belgrade. (SPA)
The Saudi and Serbian foreign ministers speak at a press conference in Belgrade. (SPA)

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah expressed on Wednesday the Kingdom’s gratitude to Serbia for its support to the Kingdom’s bid to host Expo 2030.

Prince Faisal held talks with his Serbian counterpart Nikola Selaković in Belgrade at the conclusion of an official visit to the country.

Prince Faisal said the Kingdom was seeking to deepen ties with Serbia.

He also stressed that Riyadh supports all regional and international efforts aimed at peacefully resolving the Russian-Ukrainian crisis to ease its economic impact on the world and global energy supplies.

He hailed the trade exchange between the Kingdom and Serbia in 2021, which witnessed a marked increase from 2020.

They discussed the possibility of increasing investments in all sectors as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

For his part, Selaković praised Prince Faisal’s visit, noting that it was the first bilateral trip by a Saudi foreign minister since relations were established between their countries some ten years ago.

He said Belgrade was keen on bolstering ties with Riyadh, most notably since the Kingdom has been witnessing remarkable development under Vision 2030 that is spearheaded by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

He described the development as unique, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s role as an active member of the G20 and its aspiration to become one of the top ten global economies by 2030.



Egypt and Oman Discuss Red Sea Security, Bilateral Cooperation

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty meets with Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said. (Egypt’s Foreign Affairs Ministry)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty meets with Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said. (Egypt’s Foreign Affairs Ministry)
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Egypt and Oman Discuss Red Sea Security, Bilateral Cooperation

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty meets with Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said. (Egypt’s Foreign Affairs Ministry)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty meets with Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said. (Egypt’s Foreign Affairs Ministry)

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed escalating security tensions in the Red Sea during a visit to Oman on Monday, stressing the importance of maritime safety, freedom of international trade, and the direct link to the security of Red Sea littoral states.

Abdelatty highlighted the economic impact of the tensions on Egypt, particularly the decline in Suez Canal revenues, which fell from $9.4 billion in 2022–2023 to $7.2 billion in 2023–2024 due to the Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The attacks, carried out in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, have forced global shipping companies to reroute vessels through the Cape of Good Hope.

During his meeting with Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said, Abdelatty expressed Egypt’s appreciation for the sultanate’s leadership and its stabilizing regional role.

According to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, he emphasized the need for Arab cooperation to address the region’s unprecedented instability, underscoring Egypt’s commitment to working closely with Oman to promote security and stability.

Abdelatty also met with his Omani counterpart Badr Al-Busaidi to discuss bilateral ties and regional issues. They reviewed existing cooperation frameworks and explored ways to boost relations, especially in trade, investments, and logistics.

The Egyptian official highlighted his country’s economic reform program and its efforts to attract foreign investment by improving the business climate and offering incentives.

The ministers discussed bolstering cooperation between the Suez Canal Economic Zone and Oman’s Special Economic Zone at Duqm, as well as strengthening maritime links between key ports, such as Duqm, Salalah, Alexandria, and Ain Sokhna. Such initiatives aim to boost trade and deepen collaboration in logistics and maritime transport, leveraging both nations’ strategic geographic locations.

Regional topics, including developments in Syria, Gaza, Yemen, Libya, Lebanon, and the Horn of Africa, were also addressed. The ministers expressed concern over the impact of Red Sea tensions on littoral states and shared a commitment to finding comprehensive political solutions for these crises.