Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Ink 6 Deals During Inaugural Coordination Council Meeting

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait hold the inaugural meeting of their Coordination Council in Riyadh. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait hold the inaugural meeting of their Coordination Council in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Ink 6 Deals During Inaugural Coordination Council Meeting

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait hold the inaugural meeting of their Coordination Council in Riyadh. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait hold the inaugural meeting of their Coordination Council in Riyadh. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait held in Riyadh on Sunday the inaugural meeting of their Coordination Council.

The meeting was capped with the signing of six agreements and memorandums of understanding that should pave the way for opening new and broader horizons for close coordination between the countries.

These agreements reflect the determination of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to bolster their bilateral relations in all fields.

The agreements covered youth issues, encouraging direct investment, education, scientific research, sports and technical cooperation.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Kuwait counterpart Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Sabah co-chaired the council meeting that was held at the Foreign Ministry in Riyadh.

They welcomed the great interest showed by the Saudi and Kuwaiti leaderships in bolstering bilateral relations, remarking that both countries share common interests and goals.

Prince Faisal acknowledged that the coronavirus pandemic led to a drop in trade between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, hoping that the situation would improve in the near future.

For his part, Sheikh Ahmed tweeted that the council was aimed at bolstering the historic fraternal relations between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, adding that it will set an example for constructive cooperation in the entire Gulf region.



Trump Heads on ‘Historic’ Gulf Tour

Saudi and US flags flutter on a main road in Riyadh on May 12, 2025, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump this week. (AFP)
Saudi and US flags flutter on a main road in Riyadh on May 12, 2025, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump this week. (AFP)
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Trump Heads on ‘Historic’ Gulf Tour

Saudi and US flags flutter on a main road in Riyadh on May 12, 2025, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump this week. (AFP)
Saudi and US flags flutter on a main road in Riyadh on May 12, 2025, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump this week. (AFP)

US President Donald Trump on Monday left for Saudi Arabia on what he called a "historic" tour of the Middle East that will mix urgent diplomacy on Gaza and Iran with huge business deals.

Air Force One took off on a journey that starts in Saudi Arabia and includes stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates -- and possibly talks in Türkiye on the Ukraine war.

Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza will hang heavy over the first major tour of Trump's second term -- but in one sign of progress, US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander was handed over to the Red Cross just as the president boarded his plane.

"It's big news," Trump said at the White House shortly before departing. "He's coming home to his parents, which is really great news. They thought he was dead."

Trump has in recent weeks seemed to cool on his efforts to end the Gaza war -- despite boasting before taking office that he would be able to bring the conflict to a swift end.

Trump said there were "very good things happening" on talks between Washington and Tehran over Iran's nuclear ambitions -- though he added that Iran "can't have a nuclear weapon."

The US president said that he hoped for more developments on Gaza during his trip to the Gulf, noting that his tour involved "three primary countries" in the region.

Riyadh will host on Wednesday a Gulf-American summit as Trump visits the region.

The summit will bring together the US president with his counterparts from the Arab Gulf.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz sent on Sunday invitations to the leaders of Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman to attend the summit.