Starmer lands in Gulf to talk trade, Mideast
Published: 04:12 PM,Dec 09,2024 | EDITED : 08:12 PM,Dec 09,2024
Britain's PM Keir Starmer meets Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, in Riyadh. — Reuters
LONDON: Britain's leader Keir Starmer made his first trip to the Gulf as prime minister, seeking to attract investment from the region's oil-rich states, Downing Street announced. Starmer was set to visit the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, before stopping off in Cyprus on his way back to London in a bid 'to build closer ties and drive long-term UK growth'.
The trip to Abu Dhabi and Riyadh comes as his Labour government pursues a free-trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council's six nations. 'There is huge untapped potential in this region, which is why, while here, I will be making the case to accelerate progress on the Gulf Cooperation Council Free Trade Agreement,' Starmer said in a statement. The meetings would aim to 'deepen our research and development collaboration' and partner on projects in areas including defence and artificial intelligence, Starmer added. A Downing Street press release called the UAE and Saudi 'some of the UK's most vital modern-day partners'. — AFP
The trip to Abu Dhabi and Riyadh comes as his Labour government pursues a free-trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council's six nations. 'There is huge untapped potential in this region, which is why, while here, I will be making the case to accelerate progress on the Gulf Cooperation Council Free Trade Agreement,' Starmer said in a statement. The meetings would aim to 'deepen our research and development collaboration' and partner on projects in areas including defence and artificial intelligence, Starmer added. A Downing Street press release called the UAE and Saudi 'some of the UK's most vital modern-day partners'. — AFP