LONDON: UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss began a trip to the Gulf region on Wednesday, aimed at boosting economic and security ties.
“I want a closer trading and investment relationship with the Gulf and for us to collaborate more closely on issues like intelligence sharing, development, security and defense,” Truss said.
The first leg of her tour begins in Saudi Arabia, where she will meet with Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to “discuss closer cooperation on regional security, development, human rights and counter-terrorism, and how the two nations can build economic links as part of the Kingdom’s plan to diversify its economy,” Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said.
Her trip includes a visit to Qatar, where she will meet with Emir Sheikh Tamim and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, to discuss cooperation on Afghanistan and regional security. She will also visit a facility housing people who have left Afghanistan in recent weeks.
“Qatar has played a critical role in supporting safe passage for those seeking to leave Afghanistan, including over 100 British nationals since the UK’s evacuation operation ended in late August,” the statement said, adding that the most recent flight arrived in Doha on Monday carrying 17 British nationals.
She will also launch a UK-Qatari strategic dialogue, which will form the basis for deeper bilateral cooperation on security, development, trade and investment.
“The foreign secretary sees both Saudi Arabia and Qatar as important partners in deepening the UK’s economic, technology and security and defense ties with friends and allies around the world,” the statement also said.
Following its exit from the European Union, the UK has began a free trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which will boost trade — already worth over £30 billion ($41.4 billion) — by creating new opportunities for UK exporters and closer two-way investment ties, the foreign office said.
“Closer security and economic ties with Gulf allies will help us deliver jobs and opportunities for people back in the UK and ensure as friends and partners that we are operating from a position of strength in the world,” Truss said.
UK foreign secretary visits Saudi Arabia, Qatar to boost economic and security ties
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UK foreign secretary visits Saudi Arabia, Qatar to boost economic and security ties
- Liz Truss says she wants closer trading and investment relationship with the Gulf
- The foreign secretary sees both Saudi Arabia and Qatar as important partners in deepening the UK’s economic, technology and security and defense ties
Princess Reema’s Wave unveils ocean regeneration platform
- Upgraded platform provides deeper, more comprehensive data on the state of the world’s oceans and the impact of human activity
- Features an enhanced user experience, including an integrated tool powered by artificial intelligence
JEDDAH: Wave, powered by the Future Investment Initiative Institute and founded by Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud, has unveiled version 2.0 of its Ocean Central data platform, oceancentral.org.
The upgraded platform provides deeper, more comprehensive data on the state of the world’s oceans and the impact of human activity.
It features an enhanced user experience, including an integrated tool powered by artificial intelligence, to guide users through queries and analysis. A new ocean news section also offers English-language summaries of the latest ocean-related developments and reports from around the world.
“The evolution of Ocean Central moves us a step closer to our collective goal of ‘Ocean Regeneration within a Human Generation’,” said Princess Reema.
“The future of our oceans depends on advances in accurate data, allocating resources more strategically and making informed decisions that protect marine environments, and Ocean Central plays an important role in enabling us to focus efforts.”
The enhanced platform will be on show at the 13th annual World Ocean Summit, organized by Economist Impact, which takes place in Montreal from March 4-5. The event brings together international government ministers, policymakers, investors and business leaders from sectors including shipping, energy and tourism.
The platform integrates global targets from the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Paris Agreement. It monitors progress towards these goals, highlights successful initiatives and identifies critical knowledge gaps.
Wave is a collective action platform dedicated to restoring a thriving ocean by 2050. Powered by the Future Investment Initiative Institute, it delivers targeted interventions across four pillars — engagement, insights, sectoral activation and innovation — to advance ocean regeneration.
