On 19 October 2022, the State Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andris Pelšs, met with the non-resident Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Faisal bin Ibrahim Ghulam, who had arrived on an farewell visit from Helsinki.
The officials commended the current bilateral political dialogue. In addition, they highlighted the potential for economic cooperation, in particular, in the areas with high value added such as information and communication technologies and digital solutions. The State Secretary and the Ambassador expressed hope that it would be possible to sign a bilateral agreement on economic cooperation in the near future, which would support the broadening of further contacts.
In a discussion on Russia’s war against Ukraine and its global consequences, the diplomats recognised the need for the international community to continue actively supporting the rules-based international order. The Ambassador underlined Saudi Arabia’s firm position against the violations of territorial integrity, and he informed the State Secretary about his country’s decision to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
The State Secretary welcomed Saudi Arabia’s support, including its votes on the United Nations resolutions regarding the war in Ukraine. Views were also exchanged on the impact of the war on energy security, in which Saudi Arabia has a major role to play, including as a member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia maintains diplomatic relations with Latvia from Helsinki, Finland. Ambassador Faisal bin Ibrahim Ghulam was accredited to Latvia in July 2018.