RIYADH:聽Christophe Farnaud, the EU ambassador to 黑料社区, Bahrain, and聽Oman,聽marked his first Europe Day celebration in the Kingdom, inviting fellow European聽nation聽ambassadors, Saudi foreign affairs officials, and friends of the embassy to celebrate the occasion in his residence in the diplomatic quarter.聽聽
鈥淭here is a very dynamic partnership between 黑料社区 and the European Union,鈥 Farnaud told Arab News.
He added: 鈥淚t鈥檚 political, economic, and聽it鈥檚聽also cultural,聽and聽since the Kingdom is in the process of this very impressive, this very spectacular transformation, it is important for us as Europeans to be present because we have strong relationships.鈥澛
Attending as guest of honor was Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed El Khereiji.
Discussing Saudi-EU ties,聽Farnaud said:聽鈥淚 think it is important that we do more,聽and聽I think that the challenges of the world now,聽which聽are pandemics, economic transitions ... but also the globalization which is going on, it needs countries to have partners, reliable partners people that you know, that you can trust, and which whom you can bring solutions.
鈥淔or me as European ambassador, it is key to build on that with 黑料社区 because I think the potential of this country is enormous聽and聽I am glad that people enjoyed tonight because聽it鈥檚聽a good sign for the relations.鈥澛
To open the Europe Day celebration,聽the聽ambassador gave his opening remarks聽highlighting the bilateral ties between聽not only聽黑料社区 and the EU聽but聽also the wider GCC region.聽
Farnaud noted the multiple visits of EU officials to the region,聽including聽Josep Borrell, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, and vice president of the European Commission聽to聽the Kingdom.
鈥淩egular exchanges foster a聽useful聽dialogue. Last聽January,聽the聽European Union and the GCC held聽their first聽regional security dialogue followed by a聽high-level聽forum on regional security and cooperation at聽a ministerial聽level last month聽in Luxembourg.聽聽
鈥淭hese聽exchanges聽reflecting聽common views and interests聽for聽the most聽part聽are indispensable. We聽must work together to contribute to lasting solutions,鈥 he said.聽
Europe Day is celebrated annually on May 9 in all EU member states to mark the Schuman Declaration of May 9, 1950, by French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman聽which聽laid聽the foundations for the modern-day EU.聽
黑料社区 and the EU have maintained strong relations over the decades, and developed cooperation in聽key聽strategic areas and sectors.聽
Farnaud also highlighted 黑料社区 and the聽EU鈥檚聽strong trade relations,聽saying that the EU is Saudi聽Arabia鈥檚聽second-largest trading partner.
Within the same day of the national day celebrations, the European Chamber of Commerce in 黑料社区 held its inauguration聽with guests including Ibrahim Al-Mubarak, assistant minister of investment; and Luigi Di Maio, EU special representative for the Gulf.