The Saudi Cabinet stressed on Tuesday its support for comprehensive diplomatic solutions to conflicts and safeguarding the freedom of maritime navigation. The Cabinet, which was chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Jeddah, stressed the need to keep the straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, as well as all vital waterways, open, secure, and free from any threats. The Cabinet praised the state visit of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to Paris, as well as his talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. The meeting reaffirmed the strength of the longstanding relations between the two countries, their shared desire to deepen strategic cooperation across various fields, and continued coordination and consultation based on a common vision. This vision aims to promote stability in the region and the world by safeguarding state sovereignty, respecting international law, prioritizing political and diplomatic solutions to conflicts, and addressing security threats. The Cabinet also welcomed the outcomes of the inaugural meeting of the Saudi-French Strategic Partnership Council, co-chaired by the Crown Prince and the French president, which saw the launch of new initiatives, agreements, and memoranda of understanding in defense, healthcare, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, as well as entertainment. It also welcomed the results of the French-Saudi Investment Roundtable Meeting, which included the announcement of 21 agreements and memoranda of understanding, contributing to the development of the economic partnership between the two countries and opening new horizons for cooperation and joint investment amid growing bilateral ties and the wide-ranging opportunities offered by Saudi Vision 2030. The Cabinet was briefed on discussions held in recent days between the Kingdom and several countries, including the two messages received by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince from President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The Cabinet also hailed the outcomes of the third Strategic Dialogue between the Saudi and Japanese foreign ministers, which underscored the importance of further strengthening longstanding bilateral relations, expanding cooperation into broader horizons by capitalizing on economic opportunities in both countries, particularly in investment, energy, resources, supply chains, and technology, and enhancing the exchange of expertise and capabilities to advance shared priorities and objectives.
