Saudi Arabia, Russia stress need for OPEC+ to commit to deal

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Updated 08 December 2023
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Saudi Arabia, Russia stress need for OPEC+ to commit to deal

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed in their meeting in Riyadh the need for OPEC+ members to commit to the group’s agreement, Saudi Press Agency said on Thursday, citing a joint statement.
They welcomed the close cooperation between their nations and the successful efforts of OPEC+, of which both are members, to provide stability in global oil markets.
They said it is important that this cooperation continues and stressed the need for all member states to adhere to OPEC+ agreements in a way that serves the interests of producers and consumers and supports the growth of the global economy.
OPEC+ is a group that constitutes the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia and other allies.
Regarding Sudan, the two leaders stressed the importance of building on the Jeddah Declaration, which was signed on May 11 with the aim of protecting civilians during the conflict in the North African country.
On Iran, Putin welcomed the resumption of diplomatic relations between Riyadh and Tehran and expressed hope that this would lead to enhanced stability and security in the region.
Both sides also stressed their full support for regional and international efforts to reach a comprehensive political solution to the crisis in Yemen.
The two leaders said they were keen to enhance mutual and joint investments in their countries.
They welcomed a 46 percent increase in the volume of bilateral trade in 2022, compared with 2021, and affirmed their intentions to continue to work together to enhance and diversify trade relations.
Turning to the crisis in Ukraine, the Russian side praised the humanitarian and political efforts undertaken by Saudi Arabia.


Saudi Arabia, Japan trade rises 38% between 2016 and 2024, minister says

Updated 11 January 2026
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Saudi Arabia, Japan trade rises 38% between 2016 and 2024, minister says

RIYADH: Trade between Saudi Arabia and Japan has increased by 38 percent between 2016 and 2024 to reach SR138 billion ($36 billion), the Kingdom’s investment minister revealed.

Speaking at the Saudi-Japanese Ministerial Investment Forum 2026, Khalid Al-Falih explained that this makes the Asian country the Kingdom’s third-largest trading partner, according to Asharq Bloomberg.

This falls in line with the fact that Saudi Arabia has been a very important country for Japan from the viewpoint of its energy security, having been a stable supplier of crude oil for many years.

It also aligns well with how Japan is fully committed to supporting Vision 2030 by sharing its knowledge and advanced technologies.

“This trade is dominated by the Kingdom's exports of energy products, specifically oil, gas, and their derivatives. We certainly look forward to the Saudi private sector increasing trade with Japan, particularly in high-tech Japanese products,” Al-Falih said.

He added: “As for investment, Japanese investment in the Kingdom is good and strong, but we look forward to raising the level of Japanese investments in the Kingdom. Today, the Kingdom offers promising opportunities for Japanese companies in several fields, including the traditional sector that links the two economies: energy.”

The minister went on to note that additional sectors that both countries can also collaborate in include green and blue hydrogen, investments in advanced industries, health, food security, innovation, entrepreneurship, among others.

During his speech, Al-Falih shed light on how the Kingdom’s pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka achieved remarkable success, with the exhibition receiving more than 3 million visitors, reflecting the Japanese public’s interest in Saudi Arabia.

“The pavilion also organized approximately 700 new business events, several each day, including 88 major investment events led by the Ministry of Investment. Today, as we prepare for the upcoming Expo 2030, we look forward to building upon Japan’s achievements,” he said.

The minister added: “During our visit to Japan, we agreed to establish a partnership to transfer the remarkable Japanese experience from Expo Osaka 2025 to Expo Riyadh 2030. I am certain that the Japanese pavilion at Expo Riyadh will rival the Saudi pavilion at Expo Osaka in terms of organization, innovation, and visitor turnout.”

Al-Falih also shed light on how Saudi-Japanese relations celebrated their 70th anniversary last year, and today marks the 71st year of these relations as well as how they have flourished over the decades, moving from one strategic level to an even higher one.