Saudi Arabia and Qatar today issued a joint statement at the conclusion of the state visit of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defense, to Qatar. Following is the text of the statement: Emanating from the solid historical relations and close fraternal bonds and ties of kinship that unite Saudi Arabia and Qatar and based on the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, paid an official visit to Qatar on 8-9/12/2021. His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud held a session during which regional and international issues of common interest were reviewed. The two sides also discussed the opportunities available in the two countries in various political, military, security, economic, commercial, investment, industrial, cultural, sports, environmental, energy and infrastructure fields. In an atmosphere of understanding and mutual trust, the sixth meeting of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council was held, co-chaired by His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with the participation of their Highnesses, Excellencies, the members of the Council from both sides. At the outset of the meeting, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani welcomed the great guest of Qatar, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and expressed his happiness at His Royal Highness's visit, which frames distinguished bilateral relations and takes them to broader horizons in all fields, citing the keenness of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, to strengthen ties between the two countries. On his part, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud conveyed to the Emir of Qatar the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, his wishes for him of good health and happiness, and the Qatari people further progress and prosperity. The two leaders expressed their satisfaction with what was accomplished during the meeting of the sixth session of the Council to achieve its desired goals. Politically, the two sides reiterated their determination to enhance cooperation on all political issues and keenness to develop common stances that preserve the security and stability of the two countries, and the importance of continued coordination and consultation regarding developments in all bilateral and multilateral arenas, in a way that contributes to achieving security, stability, and prosperity in the countries and the region. Concerning the security and military affairs, the two sides expressed their satisfaction with the military cooperation between the two countries and affirmed the continuation of cooperation in this field, strengthening the exchange of information, visits, and joint training, benefiting from expertise in specialized fields, exchanging scholarships for military colleges and academies in the two countries, and activating the security agreements signed between them. In the economic and commercial affairs, Saudi Arabia and Qatar affirmed their determination to develop the existing aspects of cooperation and work to increase the volume of intra-trade, facilitate the flow of trade movement and take advantage of economic, commercial, and industrial opportunities in a way that contributes to enabling the private sector to push trade exchange between the two countries to broader horizons to develop exports and diversify sources of income in the two countries. The two sides also agreed to enhance means of cooperation on international climate policies, to cooperate in implementing the Middle East Green Initiative launched by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to cooperate on the implementation of the circular carbon economy approach, and to establish a regional complex for carbon extraction, use, and storage, to contribute to addressing the Carbon emissions in an economically sustainable manner, in addition to cooperation in the fields of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean technologies for hydrocarbon resources, and the development of projects related to these areas, to contribute to the sustainability of demand for energy supplies globally. The Saudi side expressed appreciation of Qatar's support for important Middle East Green initiatives and the announcement to plant one million trees before the 2022 World Cup, in addition to 10 million trees by 2030. The two countries stressed the importance of enhancing the benefit of the electrical interconnection, maximizing the use of local content in energy sector projects, encouraging purchases from products manufactured in the two countries, exchanging expertise, cooperating in stimulating innovation, applying emerging technologies in the energy sectors, and developing the incubating environment for them. They also emphasized enabling and enhancing joint investment opportunities in the air transport, telecommunications, and information technology sectors, in addition to enabling entrepreneurship and technology between companies of both sides, developing staff working in the cybersecurity, financial technologies, and digital marketing, and benefiting from opportunities related to infrastructure projects, free and logistical zones, gas and energy, and the incentives provided to the business sector in the two countries, especially during Qatar's hosting of the 2022 World Cup, in a way that contributes to the success of this major event and achieves the two countries' visions 2030. In the cultural and social affairs, the two sides agreed to coordinate efforts to highlight the positive image of the citizens of the two countries, especially the youth, reiterating the importance of joint efforts to implement and host local and international cultural festivals, and entertainment conferences in a way that enhances the cultural activities in both sides, and to empower the private sector and to take advantage of the available opportunities and diverse capabilities in the two countries, and seek to develop working Human Resources through the implementation of training programs. The two sides exchanged views on issues of mutual concern at the regional and international arenas and vowed to coordinate their stances to serve their interests and enhance security and stability in the region and the world. In this regard, the two sides underlined the AlUla Declaration issued on January 5, 2021, and reviewed the vision of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, which was approved by the GCC Supreme Council at its 36th session in December 2015. The two sides also reiterated their support for achieving peace in the Middle East, and the importance of reaching a comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict per the two-state solution, relevant international legitimacy resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative, in a way that guarantees the right of the Palestinian people to establish their state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. They also stressed the importance of concerted international efforts in providing humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. Concerning the Yemeni issue, the two sides praised the consensus of their views on continuing their efforts to find a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni crisis, based on the Gulf initiative and its executive mechanism, the outcomes of the comprehensive national dialogue conference, and UN Security Council Resolution No. (2216). The Qatari side commended KSA's initiative to end the Yemeni crisis and lift the humanitarian suffering of the Yemeni people. The two sides also welcomed the success of the electoral process in Iraq and expressed their wishes for the formation of an Iraqi government that will continue to work for the security, stability, and development of Iraq. They also welcomed the understandings reached by the parties to the transitional phase in Sudan, stressing their continued support to achieve security and stability in Sudan, expressing their wishes to Sudan and its people for stability and prosperity. In the Lebanese file, the two sides stressed the importance of carrying out comprehensive reforms to ensure that Lebanon overcomes its crises and that Lebanon does not become a launching platform for any actions that destabilize the security and stability of the region or a corridor for drug trafficking. Concerning Syria, the two sides stressed the importance of reaching a political solution to the crisis in Syria per the Geneva Declaration (1) and Security Council Resolution No. (2254) to end the human suffering of the Syrian people, preserve Syria's unity, and territorial integrity, and support the efforts of the UN Special Envoy for Syria. On the Libyan issue, they stressed the importance of reaching a political solution to the Libyan crisis in accordance with the international legitimacy resolutions and in a way that achieves security and stability in the region. Concerning Afghanistan, the two sides stressed the need to support security and stability in Afghanistan and to ensure the nonexistence of safe havens for terrorists and extremists, urging the need to continue international efforts to combat terrorism, expressing the importance of supporting relief efforts and humanitarian work in Afghanistan. The Saudi side hailed Qatar's mediation efforts to achieve peace in Afghanistan and its vital role in evacuating foreign citizens and re-operating Kabul Airport. The Qatari side valued the Kingdom's invitation to an extraordinary ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, which will be held in Pakistan on December 19, 2021. The two sides also affirmed the importance of cooperation and dealing seriously and effectively with Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs with all its components and repercussions in a way that contributes to achieving regional and international security and stability, emphasizing the principles of good neighborliness and respect for the UN resolutions and international legitimacy, and sparing the region from all destabilizing activities. The two sides also commended the two countries' efforts in combating terrorism and its financing, and their joint efforts within the framework of the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC), based in Riyadh. At the conclusion of the visit, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defense, expressed his thanks and appreciation of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, for the warm reception and hospitality he received and the accompanying delegation during their stay in Qatar, and invited His Highness to visit Saudi Arabia, in addition to holding the seventh meeting of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council.
