DiplomaticQuarter: EU envoy reveals bloc’s desire to boost economic links with KSA’s Asir region

DiplomaticQuarter: EU envoy reveals bloc’s desire to boost economic links with KSA’s Asir region

RIYADH: The EU's envoy to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday expressed the bloc's desire to strengthen economic links with the Kingdom's southwestern Asir region. During a meeting with Asir Gov. Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz, Patrick Simonnet, who is also EU ambassador to Bahrain and Oman, highlighted the province's tourism and environment sectors as key areas to concentrate on. The diplomat, who was visiting the Asir region, told Arab News: "We had a fruitful first meeting with the governor and discussions focused on relations between the EU and the Kingdom as well as the Asir Vision which is spearheaded by the governor for his province. "I conveyed the EU interest in building stronger economic links with the province through trade and investment, notably in the sectors targeted by the vision and in particular in tourism and environment," he said. Simonnet recently pointed out that the EU and the Kingdom shared the same forward-looking spirit, creating a dynamic partnership. He drew parallels between the European Green Deal (the EU's sustainability initiative launched in December 2019) and the key development goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 reform plan. Speaking to Arab News in May, the envoy said: "I was very happy