Saudi Arabia, Türkiye Agree on Visa Exemption for Diplomatic and Special Passports

The Turkish President receives the Saudi Foreign Minister in the presence of his Turkish counterpart in Ankara on Wednesday (SPA)
The Turkish President receives the Saudi Foreign Minister in the presence of his Turkish counterpart in Ankara on Wednesday (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, Türkiye Agree on Visa Exemption for Diplomatic and Special Passports

The Turkish President receives the Saudi Foreign Minister in the presence of his Turkish counterpart in Ankara on Wednesday (SPA)
The Turkish President receives the Saudi Foreign Minister in the presence of his Turkish counterpart in Ankara on Wednesday (SPA)

Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have signed a reciprocal visa exemption agreement for holders of diplomatic and special passports.

After the signing of the agreement, Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.

During Wednesday’s meeting, the two sides reviewed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen cooperation to serve common interests and promote security and stability in the region.

The meeting was attended by Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji, the Kingdom’s Ambassador to Türkiye, Fahad Abualnasr, and Director General of the General Department for Councils and Committees Fahad Alharthi.

 

06 May 2026, Türkiye, Ankara: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud sign a bilateral agreement on mutual visa exemption for diplomatic and special passport holders following the third meeting of the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council in Ankara. Photo: -/Saudi Press Agency/dpa

 

Also Wednesday, Prince Faisal and Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan co-chaired the third meeting of the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council in Ankara.

The meeting reflected the advanced relations between the two countries and their commitment to strengthening coordination and cooperation across all fields in a manner that serves common interests and meets the aspirations of the leadership and peoples of both countries.

At the outset of the meeting, the ministers reviewed relations between the two countries and stressed the importance of institutionalizing current and future cooperation within the framework of the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council to ensure sustainable progress and shared prosperity.

They also stressed the need to leverage the capabilities and resources available to both countries to achieve mutual benefits, while commending the role of the council’s secretariat and affiliated committees.

The two ministers hoped to hold the fourth meeting of the council in the Kingdom on a date to be agreed upon by both sides.

 

06 May 2026, 06 May 2026, Türkiye, Ankara: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) meets with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud following the third meeting of the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council in Ankara. Photo: -/Saudi Press Agency/dpa

 

The Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council, established in 2016, is a mechanism for cooperation and consultation between the two countries aimed at developing and strengthening relations in all their dimensions within an institutional framework.

The first meeting of the Council was held in Ankara on February 7 and 8, 2017, while the second meeting was held in Riyadh on May 18, 2025.

The Council includes 5 sub-committees with the participation of relevant authorities from both countries: The Political and Diplomatic Committee, the Military and Security Committee, the Culture, Sports, Media, and Tourism Committee, the Social Development, Health, and Education Committee, and the Trade, Industry, Investment, Infrastructure, and Energy Committee.

Regular meetings of the sub-committees are held, the last of which was the meeting of the Political and Diplomatic Committee held virtually on April 28 last year to prepare for the Council's third meeting.



Saudi Arabia Chairs 118th Session of the Arab League’s Economic and Social Council

Arab League foreign ministers meet during an annual meeting in Cairo, Egypt. File/AP
Arab League foreign ministers meet during an annual meeting in Cairo, Egypt. File/AP
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Saudi Arabia Chairs 118th Session of the Arab League’s Economic and Social Council

Arab League foreign ministers meet during an annual meeting in Cairo, Egypt. File/AP
Arab League foreign ministers meet during an annual meeting in Cairo, Egypt. File/AP

The Economic and Social Council of the League of Arab States held its 118th ministerial session on Thursday under the chairmanship of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Saudi Assistant Minister of Finance for Macro-Fiscal Policies and International Relations Eng. Abdullah bin Zaraah presided over the session at the League’s General Secretariat headquarters in Cairo, with representatives of member states participating.

The meeting addressed several economic and social issues of common Arab interest as part of efforts to enhance cooperation among member states, support development, promote intra-Arab trade, and expand opportunities for regional integration and growth.

In the Kingdom's statement, bin Zaraah affirmed that joint Arab economic and social action is a key pillar for strengthening collective capacity to address challenges and capitalize on opportunities.

He stressed the importance of moving beyond coordination and the exchange of views toward implementation and tangible results by strengthening implementation and follow-up mechanisms, and linking decisions and initiatives to clear objectives and measurable indicators.

He also called for enhanced coordination among institutions of joint Arab action and specialized Arab organizations, while directing resources and capabilities toward the highest-impact priorities.

He also highlighted the Kingdom's national achievements, noting that the World Bank Group's World Development Report 2026 ranked the Kingdom among the world's top 10 countries in private investment in artificial intelligence and recognized its advanced position in the global AI landscape.


Saudi Arabia Offers Yemen’s Central Bank New Support to Bolster Economic Stability

The Central Bank of Yemen in the interim capital Aden. (Government media)
The Central Bank of Yemen in the interim capital Aden. (Government media)
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Saudi Arabia Offers Yemen’s Central Bank New Support to Bolster Economic Stability

The Central Bank of Yemen in the interim capital Aden. (Government media)
The Central Bank of Yemen in the interim capital Aden. (Government media)

Saudi Arabia has provided new support to the Central Bank of Yemen as part of its ongoing efforts to stabilize the country's economy and financial sector, following directives from the Kingdom's leadership.

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) said the assistance aims to strengthen economic, financial, and monetary stability. It is also designed to build the capacity of government institutions while improving governance and transparency.

The support further aims to enable the private sector to contribute to sustainable economic growth, create job opportunities, and drive socio-economic development.

The SDRPY noted that this assistance will contribute to boosting purchasing power, improving living standards, and stimulating commercial activity. Additionally, it aims to create an environment conducive to sustainable economic recovery and development in Yemen.

The new support builds on Saudi Arabia's continuous economic and developmental assistance to Yemen. In February, the Kingdom provided 1.3 billion riyals to support the Yemeni budget for operational expenses and salaries, followed by another installment of over 224 million riyals in June for the same purpose.

The SDRPY, established in 2018, implements projects and initiatives across various development sectors, in addition to providing institutional and technical support to build the capacity of Yemeni government institutions.


Saudi Arabia Advances Gulf Food Security Cooperation at 38th GCC Committee Meeting in Bahrain

The committee commended Saudi Arabia for its role in developing the GCC Food Security Strategy  - SPA
The committee commended Saudi Arabia for its role in developing the GCC Food Security Strategy - SPA
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Saudi Arabia Advances Gulf Food Security Cooperation at 38th GCC Committee Meeting in Bahrain

The committee commended Saudi Arabia for its role in developing the GCC Food Security Strategy  - SPA
The committee commended Saudi Arabia for its role in developing the GCC Food Security Strategy - SPA

Saudi Arabia participated in the 38th Meeting of the GCC Committee for Agricultural Cooperation and Food Security in Bahrain, with a delegation led by General Food Security Authority President Eng. Ahmad Alfares, where it reviewed progress in implementing the GCC Food Security Strategy, as part of efforts to deepen coordination and integration among member states and build a more resilient regional food security system capable of maintaining stable agricultural and food supply chains.

The committee commended Saudi Arabia for its role in developing the GCC Food Security Strategy and preparing a comprehensive framework for a regional plant genetic resources bank. It also recognized Saudi Arabia's efforts to establish early-warning mechanisms to monitor and analyze indicators linked to food supply chains, SPA reported.

The meeting addressed a range of issues affecting agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and food security across the GCC. Officials also reviewed a report on a consultancy project examining modern technologies and artificial intelligence applications in farm management and agricultural productivity across the Gulf states.

The project is being carried out in cooperation with the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

The committee also followed up on decisions from its 34th meeting and reviewed the implementation of resolutions adopted at its 37th meeting. Several unified regulations, laws, and implementing rules were approved during the session.

Saudi Arabia's participation underscores its efforts to strengthen an integrated Gulf food security framework and enhance coordination among GCC members as regional and global developments affect agricultural production and food supply chains.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Saudi Arabia announced that it will host and chair the committee's 39th meeting and continue working with GCC partners to expand cooperation. Saudi Arabia also thanked Bahrain for hosting the meeting and commended efforts to ensure its success.