Saudi Arabia and UK hold first session of strategic aid talks

Meeting discussed the need for co-operation to ease the suffering of people worldwide

The inaugural high-level meeting of the Saudi Arabia-UK Strategic Aid Dialogue in London on Wednesday. Spa

The inaugural high-level meeting of the Saudi Arabia-UK Strategic Aid Dialogue took place in London on Wednesday.

The Saudi delegation was led by Royal Court adviser and supervisor general of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, Dr Abdullah Al Rabeeah.

It included representatives from the Saudi ministries of foreign affairs and finance, and the Saudi Fund for Development.

The session was attended by the Saudi ambassador, Prince Khalid bin Bandar, the chief executive of SFD, Sultan Al Marshad, and UK's Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Andrew Mitchell.

Dr Al Rabeeah highlighted the need for co-operation to ease the suffering of people worldwide and said that Saudi Arabia provided $65 billion for 2,300 humanitarian projects in 167 countries between 2000 and 2023.

He said the development and charitable humanitarian support to countries in need amounted to $85.56 billion.

Dr Al Rabeeah said Saudi Arabia supported girls' education through different projects, and that KSrelief backed projects aimed at providing women with professional skills to enable them to support their families and improve their livelihoods.

Mr Al Marshad said the outstanding partnership with the UK has yielded significant initiatives such as Ethiopia's water and sanitation project and the clean energy for schools project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

He said such efforts affirmed the commitment of both sides to providing assistance to countries in need.

During the session, delegates discussed the progress made by the British-Saudi partnership in the launch of joint humanitarian development projects, the Saudi Press Agency said.

"It also highlighted the promotion of strategic dialogue and boosting cooperation on humanitarian issues and development policies of mutual interest," Spa reported.