RIYADH: American government officials on Wednesday attended a ceremony to break ground for a new US embassy building in Riyadh.

The event took place in front of a giant photo showing what the completed complex will look like.

US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Michael Ratney, told Arab News: “As the strategic relationship expands across all sectors, we are growing our embassy and our community, with our Saudi partners and neighbors, to support that relationship.”

Sharing pictures from the ceremony on social media, the US Embassy said the occasion marked a milestone in the long-term relations between the Kingdom and America.

Also present was US deputy assistant secretary for Arabian Peninsula affairs, Daniel Benaim, American deputy chief of mission, Alison Dilworth, and Saudi deputy minister of foreign affairs, Waleed bin Abdulkarim Al-Khuraiji.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ratney said: “The new embassy, set to be the largest embassy compound in Saudi Arabia, is emblematic of the expanding US-Saudi relationship.

“Today that relationship encompasses not only energy and security but also business, technology, education, innovation, and increasingly areas like art and culture.”

And the envoy noted that the scale of the project reflected the “strong and growing” strategic partnership between the two countries.

Benaim pointed out the striking design of the new embassy which he said had been inspired by the local ecology and geology and would utilize state-of-the-art technology and renewable energy systems. 

The embassy, being built on a 27.5-acre site in the Diplomatic Quarter, will combine traditional Saudi architectural heritage with modern design, including the latest security and sustainability features.