Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in Saudi Arabia on Saturday where she is expected to hold talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Meloni arrived in Jeddah and was was welcomed by Deputy Governor of Makkah Region Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
She arrived in Jeddah to greet the crew of an Italian ship and will head on to Al-Ula, an archaeological UNESCO heritage site where she will meet MBS.
Their talks will focus on Syria, Lebanon, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Yemen and the Red Sea, Iran and Ukraine, an Italian government source indicated.
The two leaders will sign a joint declaration for the launch of a strategic partnership between the two countries.
Agreements are also slated for defense, sustainable mobility, energy cooperation and sport as well as the protection of cultural and archaeological heritage.
Meloni’s trip comes days after a visit by Italy’s environment and energy minister Gilberto Pichetto to Riyadh where he signed an accord aimed at strengthening the energy transition and security cooperation.
Meloni will then head to Bahrain on Monday, the first visit by an Italian head of government to the country, where she will meet King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa, to discuss bilateral cooperation as well as how to tackle illegal immigration, the Italian source said.
