Cabinet: Saudi Arabia’s hosting of 2026 Gulf-EU Summit would bolster bilateral ties
SMA NEWS – RIYADH
The Cabinet session, chaired by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Tuesday, welcomed Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the 2026 Gulf-European Summit.
The Council of Ministers expressed its aspiration that the summit would be an additional boost to bolstering bilateral relations between the member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union. “This is in light of the success of the Vision of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to enhance joint Gulf move to forge strategic international partnerships with other blocs,” the Cabinet noted.
In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary said that the Cabinet discussed the overall participation of the Crown Prince in the Gulf-European Summit held in Brussels, capital of Belgium, and the productive and fruitful meetings held to expand the scope of joint, regional and international cooperation.
The Council hailed the accession of 11 countries to the Middle East Green Initiative. It expressed hope that more countries will join the initiative so as to contribute to achieving the ambitious goals of this initiative launched by Crown Prince to be a global model for combating climate change.
The Cabinet emphasized that the Kingdom’s hosting of the 27th World Energy Congress in 2026 is an embodiment of its prominent role in the energy sector, as well as its continued leadership in achieving energy transformations, and its adoption of pioneering initiatives in this field to reach a more prosperous and sustainable future locally and globally.
The Cabinet commended the decisions of the 35th session of the Council of Arab Environment Ministers to activate joint work mechanisms, including granting Riyadh the title of the Arab Environment Capital for two years, and crowning the Saudi Green Initiative with the Environmental Excellence Award at the government sector level.
At the outset of the session, the Crown Prince informed the Cabinet about the message sent by King Salman to President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia, and briefed it on the content of his meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan, which focused on expressing unwavering support for Palestine and Lebanon, and continuing to provide humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of the people there.
The Crown Prince also briefed the Cabinet on his official visit to Egypt, including his discussions with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, in which the strong bilateral relations and the shared commitment to enhance cooperation were highlighted.
The Cabinet expressed confidence that the newly formed Saudi-Egyptian Supreme Coordination Council, led by the Crown Prince and El-Sisi, and the investment protection agreement reached by the two sides, will significantly strengthen relations and expand cooperation to mutual benefit.
