British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minster Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Riyadh yesterday, pledging to increase ties between the two nations.
Starmer is on a visit to the Gulf to strengthen ties with the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The aim is to boost investment, deepen defence and security cooperation, and create jobs in the UK particularly in the North East.
One of the key outcomes of the visit is a groundbreaking partnership between Manchester-based GIM and Saudi Arabia’s NEOM Giga-Project to launch the world’s first commercial production of graphene-enriched carbon fibre. This project is expected to generate £250 million in investment and create over 1,000 jobs in the Greater Manchester region.
The UK and Saudi Arabia are also collaborating on green energy initiatives, including the development of hydrogen mobility clusters and the establishment of a joint institute for clean hydrogen. These projects are estimated to create thousands of jobs and contribute to the UK’s net-zero goals.
Other significant partnerships include collaborations between UK cleantech companies and Saudi firms in carbon capture technology and sustainable cement production.
Starmer’s visit highlights the UK’s commitment to international cooperation and its focus on leveraging partnerships to drive economic growth and create jobs.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Promoting economic growth is the Prime Minister’s number one priority, he has been very clear about that.
“You saw the Prime Minister’s plan for change last week, you can see the Government’s clear priorities for the British people as part of that.”
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