Adel al-Jubeir in Rome: Strategic talks and climate cooperation
As part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to enhance its international presence and strengthen its relations with European partners, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Cabinet Member and Climate Envoy, Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, held a series of important meetings in the Italian capital, Rome, which included government officials, parliamentarians and representatives of UN organizations.
Strengthening Saudi-Italian relations
Al-Jubeir began his official visit with a meeting with Senator Stefania Craxi, Chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Italian Senate. This meeting comes at a time of significant development in Saudi-Italian relations, with Italy being a key trade and economic partner for the Kingdom in Europe. During the talks, the two sides discussed the deep historical ties between their countries, which span more than nine decades, as well as pressing regional and international issues and ways to coordinate positions to ensure security and stability in the Middle East and the Mediterranean region.
Humanitarian role and cooperation with the World Food Programme
On the humanitarian and development front, Al-Jubeir met with the World Food Programme's Assistant Executive Director for Programme Operations, Matthew Hollingworth. This meeting reflects the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's unwavering commitment to supporting international efforts to combat hunger and poverty, as the Kingdom is one of the largest donors to the World Food Programme and to humanitarian organizations in general. The strategic partnership between the Kingdom and the Programme was reviewed, and ways to enhance the efficiency of aid delivery to those affected around the world were discussed, particularly in light of the current global crises impacting food supply chains.
Parliamentary and climate diplomacy
In the context of strengthening public and parliamentary diplomacy, Al-Jubeir met with the head of the Italian-Saudi Parliamentary Friendship Committee, Senator Marco Osnato. The meeting focused on the importance of activating the role of friendship committees in bridging viewpoints and supporting shared interests, thus serving the aspirations of the two friendly nations and supporting the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which opens up broad horizons for investment and cultural cooperation.
As a climate envoy, Al-Jubeir paid particular attention to environmental issues, meeting with the Italian government's climate envoy, Francesco Corvaro. Discussions focused on international efforts to combat climate change, with Al-Jubeir highlighting the Kingdom's pioneering initiatives such as the "Saudi Green Initiative" and the "Green Middle East Initiative," emphasizing the importance of international cooperation to achieve net-zero emissions and protect the planet.
These intensive meetings were attended by the Director General of the Office of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Khalid bin Musaed Al-Anqari, and the Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Rome, Raed bin Mohammed Al-Thukair.
