UK-Saudi Arabia strengthen Defence relationship

Land September 22, 2017

The UK and Saudi Arabia have announced a new Military and Security Cooperation Agreement to strengthen their Defence relationship.

The deal was signed in Jeddah by the Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon and the Saudi Crown Prince HRH Mohammed bin Salman.

The agreement will promote cooperation between the two countries across the Defence and Security sectors, helping Saudi Arabia better protect her national security, including counter-terrorism, intelligence, training and education, medical services and logistics.

The agreement was signed during a wider visit to the Middle East, in which the Defence Secretary met British personnel serving in Iraq. He also visited the Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, where the UK is working closely with US as the two largest contributors to the Coalition’s military campaign.

During his time in Iraq, Sir Michael met with personnel from the Mercian Regiment, Engineer Regiment, Intelligence Corps, and Medical Regiments at Erbil and Taji where they have been involved in training Iraqi Security Forces, Kurdish Forces and Ninewah police.

The Defence Secretary, Sir Michael Fallon said: “The security of the GCC, of all Gulf Countries, is critical to UK security. I am delighted to have signed today with HRH the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia a new Military and Security Cooperation Agreement between our two countries; this Agreement further cements the UK’s long standing relationship with our key Gulf partner.”