They noted “the opportunities provided by the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and the African Agenda 2063 to enhance cooperation in various fields, which constitute a mutual economic benefit for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the African countries” to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

They stressed the importance of “economic cooperation and joint investment between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the African countries to achieve sustainable development and benefit from human resources globally.”

Consequently, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia encouraged the Saudi companies and investors to increase quality investments on the African continent in various fields. Likewise, the Kingdom welcomed the African investors and com­panies to benefit from the huge investment opportunities.

This is contained in a commu­nique the “Riyadh Declaration – Roadmap of Saudi-African Co­operation” issued here in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the end of the historic first Saudi-Africa Summit on Friday, attended by a number of African leaders and the Africa Union Commission.

The Saudi-Africa maiden Sum­mit was convened at the invita­tion of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to fur­ther develop the relations between both sides across various avenues and bonds of cooperation.

The leaders emphasized the depth of the historical relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the African countries, as the Kingdom provided, over the course of 50 years, development support worth more than $45 billion in many vital sectors, which 46 African countries have benefit­ed from.

In a similar vein, the leaders of the African countries also paid tribute to the level of trade relations between the Kingdom and the African countries, with the volume of trade making up $ 45 billion in 2022.

Moreover, they also stressed the importance of making more ef­forts to further enhance trade and economic cooperation and encour­age joint investments by diversify­ing intra-trade and strengthening relations between the economic institutions from both sides.

They also confirmed their determination to further develop cooperation and coordination in defense fields, make concerted efforts to combat terrorism and extremism in all its forms.

On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict they stressed the necessity of ending the real cause of the conflict represented by the Israeli occupation and the importance of intensifying efforts to reach a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in accordance with the principle of the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative, and the relevant international legitimacy resolu­tions, in a way that guarantees the Palestinian people their right to establish their independent state on the borders of 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The leaders of African countries affirmed their support for the Kingdom’s candidacy to host Expo 2030 in the city of Riyadh, and for making every effort to support this candidacy.

In a similar vein, they also her­alded and welcomed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s candidacy to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

 FROM ALHAJI SALIFU ABDUL-RAHAMAN, RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA