Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud has stated that the Kingdom believes that building regional interdependence and developing long-term global connections through mutually beneficial collaborations are critical for the country.
The Saudi foreign minister made the comments at an international conference in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on “Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity: Opportunities and Challenges.”
During his speech, Prince Faisal has emphasized Saudi Arabia’s historic and strong relations with Central and South Asian countries, which began with knowledge exchange and trade. The Saudi foreign minister noted that the Kingdom has regional ties with nations in the region, particularly in the field of renewable energy, including Saudi funding for the development of the TAPI pipeline, which connects Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.
He further mentioned Saudi investments worth more than $2.5 billion in renewable energy projects in Uzbekistan, underlining that the Kingdom is seeking to improve ties with the region’s countries in various fields.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud Minister of Foreign Affairs Saudi Arabia
“The Kingdom is working to increase investment in transport infrastructure and logistics services within the framework of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. The technical infrastructure and cybersecurity are central elements to enable increased regional interdependence, noting that the Kingdom with 6 other countries launched the Digital Cooperation Organization, to enhance cooperation and accelerate the development of digital economies. The Kingdom believes in the importance of joint action and multilateral frameworks to achieve security and prosperity, and it is constantly working with its partners to enhance the appropriate environment to increase international trade partnerships across regions, including freedom of maritime navigation, peace, and political stability. The Kingdom supports all efforts to facilitate dialogue, reconciliation, accord, and stability in Afghanistan, and the Kingdom also supports all international efforts to combat terrorism and extremism and ways of financing them.”
Prince Faisal went on to say that the Kingdom is continuing to engage with international partners to combat the coronavirus pandemic and reduce its effects on the global economy. Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of addressing climate change to achieve long-term economic recovery and maintain energy security and efficiency. The Saudi minister further pointed out that the Kingdom has adopted and supported the idea of a circular carbon economy as a sustainable and cost-effective approach.
“The Kingdom looks forward to exploring ways to increase bilateral cooperation and strengthen multilateral frameworks through partnerships and collective action to confront common challenges and encourage the appropriate environment for development, growth, and prosperity,” the Saudi foreign minister added.
