EU will cooperate with Kingdom on Vision 2030 — new envoy

RIYADH: The EU will cooperate with the Kingdom in implementing Saudi Vision 2030, Ambassador Michele Cervone d’Urso, the new head of the EU delegation headquartered in Riyadh, told Arab News after presenting his credentials to Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir.
Besides Saudi Arabia, the new ambassador has also been designated to Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar.
D’Urso said under Vision 2030, the Kingdom is engaged in a huge program to diversify its economy and improve educational and social development. This, he added, will also benefit the countries of the region.
He said the 20 EU member states present in Saudi Arabia have strong relations with the Kingdom, and thousands of Saudi students study in these countries and understand the people well.
D’Urso added that he was keen to promote people-to-people dialogue between Europe and the Kingdom.
“Europe understands the transformation process in the Kingdom, and we hope to strengthen relations with key entities such as the Shoura Council and the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA),” he said.
D’Urso added that Jyrki Katainen, the European Commission vice president for jobs, is due in Riyadh this month to deepen economic cooperation between the Kingdom and EU countries.
He said the visiting delegation will hold talks with senior SAGIA officials to explore new areas of cooperation in the economic sector under Vision 2030.
D’Urso said the EU is the biggest business market for Saudi Arabia. Recalling a recent workshop on trade and investment dialogue between the EU and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the envoy said the two parties stressed the need for well-regulated investment and transparency to promote trade and investment.
D’Urso said the Kingdom is moving toward a new technological era where innovation and cutting-edge technology will benefit the people.
“Saudi Arabia has the potential to lead in the region in moving toward a sustainable technological solution that would benefit the people of the region, including those in the Kingdom,” he said.
D’Urso said plans are underway to celebrate “EU month” in the Kingdom in May. He said the theme will be fashion, and the event will be held in the capital Riyadh. “It exemplifies the cross-fertilization of experiences in areas of common interest,” he added.