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Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji received Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom Abdulaziz Ahmed on Wednesday in Riyadh, the ministry reported on X.
In a separate meeting, Saudi Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Rassi received Thomas Lid Ball, Norwegian ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
All sides reviewed bilateral relations between their countries and ways to enhance them, in addition to discussing topics of common interest.
RIYADH: A piece of the holy Kaaba’s Kiswa was gifted by the Kingdom to the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan, Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, currently on a visit to the Central Asian country, handed over the piece of cloth to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the directive of King Salman.
Mirziyoyev commended the Kingdom’s efforts to develop Hajj and Umrah experiences and facilitate the journeys of Uzbek pilgrims to the Kingdom, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said.
LONDON: Increasing numbers of Saudi visitors are expected to spend an extra £200 million in the UK this year, thanks to improved visa-free travel and more flight routes.
Tourism authority VisitBritain has forecast 320,000 visits from Saudi Arabia in 2025 — a 12 percent increase on the 286,000 visits in 2023.
Saudi Arabia became one of seven Middle Eastern countries to be included in the UK’s electronic travel authorization scheme when the Kingdom was added in February 2024.
Under the scheme, visitors to the UK can purchase a two-year permit allowing multiple journeys to the country. This replaces a more expensive, six-month electronic visa waiver.
The scheme is one of the reasons visitor numbers to the UK from Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries are set to increase again above pre-pandemic levels.
Meanwhile, spending by tourists is growing at an even faster rate, according to the VisitBritain figures compiled with Oxford Economics and published on Tuesday.
Saudi tourists are expected to spend £942 million in 2025 — 34 percent more than in 2023.
“Saudi Arabia is a very important inbound visitor market for the UK, and it is fantastic to see the continued growth forecast,” a VisitBritain spokesperson told Arab News.
“With the growing airline connectivity to the UK through regional gateways alongside the electronic travel authorization scheme, travel to the UK is now easier and more accessible for Saudi nationals.”
For the GCC countries overall, there are expected to be 1.4 million visits to the UK this year, up 8 percent on the 2024 estimate.
GCC visitors are set to spend £3.5 billion on their trips, another substantial increase on previous years.
The expected growth in travel numbers comes as two airlines prepare to launch new routes between the UK and Saudi Arabia next month.
UK airline Virgin Atlantic will run daily flights between Riyadh and Heathrow, while budget carrier Wizz Air will connect Jeddah and Gatwick.
As the UK seeks to boost tourism from the Gulf to help its economy, Saudi Arabia has in recent years opened up to global tourism, welcoming visitors to important historical areas such as AlUla.
VisitBritain and the Saudi Tourism Authority signed an agreement in May setting out areas to develop and expand tourism.
VisitBritain recently rolled out a new campaign in Saudi Arabia called “Starring GREAT Britain” that uses famous locations from films and TV to attract visitors.
Overall, tourism to the UK is forecast to increase this year on 2024 levels with a record 43.4 million visits from all countries, spending £33.7 billion.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will launch an iftar program in 61 countries during the holy month of Ramadan, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, through religious attaches at the Kingdom’s embassies abroad, is implementing the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Iftar (breaking of the fast) this year.
The program aims to provide iftar to more than 1 million people, the SPA reported.
Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Asheikh expressed gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their continued support of global aid and their efforts to serve Islam and Muslims, especially during Ramadan.
He added that the ministry, in coordination with religious attaches and cultural centers, has disbursed the necessary funds for the Ramadan iftar program.
Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Saud Al-Sati received Timothy Lenderking, senior bureau official at US State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, and his accompanying delegation, in Riyadh on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Consular Affairs Ali Al-Yousef received Dutch Ambassador to the Kingdom Hans Peter van der Woude in Riyadh on Wednesday.
During the meetings, all sides discussed various topics of common interest, the Foreign Ministry wrote on X.
RIYADH: The General Council of the World Trade Organization unanimously appointed Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Representative to the WTO Saqer bin Abdullah Al-Moqbel as its president for the 2025–2026 term on Wednesday.
His appointment marks a milestone for the region, as he becomes the first Arab and Middle Eastern delegate to hold the position, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The WTO General Council plays a role in overseeing the organization’s operations between its biennial ministerial conferences.
Under Al-Moqbel’s presidency, the council is expected to address a range of critical global trade issues, with preparations for the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference, set to take place in Cameroon in March 2026, high on the agenda.
Other priorities will include advancing essential WTO reforms, particularly concerning its dispute settlement mechanism, and progressing negotiations on the second phase of the Fisheries Subsidy Agreement.
Additionally, discussions will focus on key areas such as agriculture, food security and development concerns, while efforts will also be made to integrate multilateral agreements, including the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement and the E-Commerce Agreement, into the WTO framework, SPA added.
Commenting on his appointment, Al-Moqbel hailed the significance of Saudi Arabia’s leadership within the WTO, stating that it reflected the Kingdom’s growing role in the international economic landscape.
He emphasized that the Kingdom would leverage its global economic influence to strengthen multilateral trade cooperation and drive meaningful reforms within the WTO.
