PM arrives in Riyadh to attend MGI Summit

Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Riyadh on Sunday on the second leg of his three-day (October 23-25) official visit of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He was warmly received at Royal Terminal of King Fahad International Airport by Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, the deputy governor of Riyadh.

The prime minister is visiting the kingdom to attend the launch of Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) Summit being held in the Saudi capital, at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.

He was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar and Special Assistant for Environment Malik Amin Aslam.

At the MGI Summit, the prime minister will share his perspective on the challenges faced by the developing countries due to climate change.

He will also highlight Pakistan's experience of launching nature-based solutions to address the environmental challenges, a statement issued by the Foreign Office on the eve of Premier Imran’s visit said.

The MGI Summit, the first of its kind in the Middle East region, was being held at the initiative of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.

It may be recalled that "Green Saudi Arabia" and "Green Middle East" initiatives were launched by the Crown Prince in March 2021, aimed at protecting the nature and planet.

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PM Imran welcomed these two initiatives and offered to share experiences and lessons from Prime Minister's ‘10 billion Tree Tsunami’ campaign.

The prime minister will have bilateral interaction with the Saudi leadership, with particular focus on advancing economic and trade relations; creating more opportunities for Pakistani workforce; and welfare of Pakistani diaspora in the kingdom.

The two sides will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.

During the visit, the prime minister will also participate in an event on promotion of investment in Pakistan and interact with leading investors and businessmen from Saudi Arabia and Pakistani diaspora in the kingdom.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long-standing and historic fraternal relations, rooted deep in common faith, shared history and mutual support.

Saudi Arabia is home to more than two million Pakistanis, contributing towards the progress and prosperity of both the countries.

The relationship is marked by frequent high-level visits, close cooperation in all fields, and mutual collaboration on regional and international issues, including at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir.

The visit of the prime minister will carry forward the positive momentum of cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.