Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al Saud met his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, in Jeddah on Monday, the Saudi foreign minister wrote on Twitter. In their meeting, they discussed regional and international issues, the ministry added.
Baerbock, who will also visit Qatar next, said that a dependable dialogue with partners in the Gulf is essential for Germany and Europe, given the numerous challenges in the region. She cited the acute crisis in the Sudan and the long-standing conflicts in Syria and Yemen as well as the Taliban's takeover of power in Afghanistan as some of the examples.
"The Gulf region is a geopolitical hub between Asia, Africa and Europe and its influence extends far beyond the Arabian Peninsula", Baerbock said.
The meeting comes amid efforts to improve relations between Saudi Arabia and Germany, which were strained in 2017 after former German Foreign Minister Simar Gabriel criticized Saudi Arabia's role in Lebanon's political crisis. The two countries restored full diplomatic ties in 2019 after Gavriel's successor Heiko Maas visited Riyadh and expressed regret for the misunderstanding,
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