LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May is en route to Saudi Arabia, a UK government spokesperson told Arab News, and is set for talks with the Kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman later today.
Trade ties and the humanitarian situation in Yemen are expected to figure in talks between May and the crown prince.
May, on a three-day visit to the Middle East, met with her Iraqi counterpart Haider Al-Abadi in Baghdad on Wednesday, after a brief visit to Jordan.
The trip is part of the UK’s efforts to strengthen trading links with partners in the Middle East ahead of Brexit.
A spokesperson for the prime minister said: “This visit demonstrates that, as the UK leaves the EU, we are determined to forge a bold, confident future for ourselves in the world. We must look at the challenges that we and future generations will face and build stronger partnerships with countries that will be vital to our security.”
The UK Department for International Trade this week launched dedicated trading teams to target key geographical areas, including the Middle East.
“Given the UK’s existing trading relationships in the Gulf, it’s a logical place to start, particularly Saudi Arabia,” said Crispin Hawes, regional managing director at Teneo Intelligence.
“There are considerable controversies around the amount of trade that is in weapons and weapons systems, so it’s not without its potential political pitfalls but if you’re looking for an opportunity for a post-Brexit Britain, one of those opportunities has to be in the central (Middle East).”
A defence deal is the most likely priority, said Jason Tuvey, Middle East economist at Capital Economics, with the UK “probably looking to secure a free trade agreement in its dealings with the GCC in particular.”
This is May’s second visit in just over six months to Jordan and Saudi Arabia, both of which have defence contracts with British firms. May's visit is expected to include her asking Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to allow "full" humanitarian aid and commercial shipments through Yemen's port of Hodeidah, which is held by the Shiite militias being targeted in the Saudi-led war.
“We are very concerned about the humanitarian situation in the Yemen,” May said. “We are very clear that we want to see full humanitarian and commercial access to the port of Hodeidah, and obviously that’s an issue I’ll be raising when I’m in Saudi Arabia.”
The partial reopening of ports in Yemen, which were closed after Houthi militias fired a missile towards Riyadh on Nov. 6, has restored some access for humanitarian aid to Yemen. During a meeting in London on Tuesday with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said: “I welcome the steps taken toward reopening the ports of Hodeidah and Salif and the resumption of UN flights to Sanaa airport.”
A statement released after the meeting, which was also attended by ministers from the UAE and Oman, as well as Thomas Shannon, the US undersecretary of state for foreign affairs, Alistair Burt, the UK minister of state for the Middle East, and UN Special Envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, expressed “full support for Saudi Arabia and its legitimate security concerns.”
Saudi Arabia is the UK’s largest trading partner in the region. “Saudi Arabia is an important trading partner and given the declared goals of the crown prince in terms of the Saudi economy, I imagine the trip will contain a lot of name-checking of his various plans for the development of a more diversified economy and the opportunities that could conceivably bring to British companies, particularly in the high-tech and services sector,” said Hawes.
May has expressed support for the crown prince’s ambitious social and economic reform program, which is being rolled out under the banner of the Vision 2030. “We’ve already seen some changes taking place in Saudi Arabia,” said May, citing the recent decision to lift the ban on women driving in the Kingdom.
The crown prince “is somebody who has a very clear vision of 2030 for Saudi Arabia,” May said. “It’s important we work with him on delivering that vision. It’s important for Saudi Arabia and the region.”
On Thursday, May will return to Amman for talks with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Prime Minister Hani Al-Mulki to discuss the UK’s support for the Jordanian economy. A British government spokesperson said: “Jordan’s continued security, stability and economic sustainability are central to a peaceful future in the Middle East and are clearly in our mutual national interests.”
During a visit to the region earlier this year, May announced that military trainers would be sent to Jordan to help the country improve its capability to carry out airstrikes against Daesh. May will also meet members of the Arab Women’s Enterprise Fund in Jordan this week to discuss the potential impact of UK support on job creation in the region.
Britain’s May traveling to Saudi Arabia, to meet with crown prince
Britain’s May traveling to Saudi Arabia, to meet with crown prince
Threat to Kingdom’s security is ‘red line’ that will be ‘addressed and neutralized,’ Saudi envoy says
- Abdulaziz Alwasil tells UN Security Council the situation in southern Yemen is ‘a just cause with social and historic dimensions’ that can only be resolved through dialogue
- Recent military activity in the south was unilateral, resulting in an escalation that harms the interests of Yemeni people and undermines efforts to address issues in the south, he said
NEW YORK CITY: Any attempt to threaten Saudi Arabia’s national security is a “red line” and will be met with decisive action, the Kingdom’s ambassador to the UN told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Speaking during a meeting of the council to discuss Yemen, Abdulaziz Alwasil said the situation in the south of the country is “a just cause with social and historic dimensions” that can only be resolved through dialogue.
“We stress that any attempt to threaten our national security is a red line, and we will not hesitate to take the necessary actions and steps to address it and neutralize it,” he added.
Alwasil reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s support for Yemeni President Rashad Al-Alimi, the Presidential Leadership Council, and the Yemeni government in their efforts to achieve security, stability, development and peace while preserving national unity.
He said military activity by Southern Transitional Council forces in Hadramout and Al-Mahra on Dec. 2, 2025, was unilateral, did not have the approval of the Presidential Leadership Council, and was not carried out in coordination with the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen.
It had resulted in an unjustified escalation that harmed the interests of the Yemeni people, undermined efforts to address the issues in the south, and ran counter to the coalition’s objectives, Alwasil added.
The Kingdom, working with its coalition partners, the Presidential Leadership Council and the Yemeni government, had moved to contain the situation by dispatching a military force to coordinate arrangements with the Southern Transitional Council in Aden, he said.
The aim was to ensure the return of the southern council’s forces to their previous positions outside of Hadramout and Al-Mahra, and the handover of camps to legitimate government forces and local authorities in line with agreed procedures, Alwasil added.
He expressed regret over the military operations that took place in Hadramout and Al-Mahra, close to Saudi Arabia’s southern border, which he said posed a direct threat to the Kingdom’s national security, as well as the security of Yemen and regional stability. Such steps were extremely dangerous, he added, and contradicted the principles on which the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen had been founded.
Alwasil welcomed a prisoner and detainee exchange agreement signed in Muscat on Dec. 23, which he described as an important humanitarian measure to alleviate suffering and build confidence.
He praised Oman for hosting and sponsoring the consultations and supporting negotiations, and commended the efforts of UN’s special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, the International Committee of the Red Cross and all others that has played a part.
Regarding the political efforts to resolve the crisis, Alwasil said Saudi Arabia welcomed President Al-Alimi’s call for an inclusive conference in Riyadh to bring together all stakeholders to discuss just solutions to the situation in southern Yemen.
Preparations for the conference have begun, he added, in cooperation with the Yemeni government and southern representatives, reflecting the close ties between the two countries and their shared interests in stabilizing Yemen.
He urged all southern stakeholders to participate actively and constructively in the talks, to help find comprehensive and just solutions that meet the legitimate aspirations of the people of southern Yemen.
Alwasil called on all Yemeni forces and stakeholders to cooperate and intensify their efforts to reach a lasting political settlement that would ensure security and stability.
He described the southern issue as “a just cause with social and historic dimensions,” adding that “the only way to address it is through dialogue that leads to a comprehensive political solution” based on nationally and internationally agreed terms of reference.
