Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will embark on a mission to strengthen the United Kingdom’s trade relationships with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during his inaugural trip
to the Persian Gulf as leader.
On Monday, Sir Keir is set to meet with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, following his departure for the Gulf on Sunday evening.
Highlighting the importance of international partnerships, the Prime Minister stated that the visit aims to foster “high-quality growth” and enhance economic opportunities for the UK.
“Driving long-term growth at home requires us to strengthen partnerships abroad,” Sir Keir explained. “This trip is about building a network of partners focused on creating opportunities, boosting growth, and delivering tangible benefits for people back home.”
The UAE and Saudi Arabia are already significant economic partners for the UK. Trade with the UAE amounts to £23 billion annually, while Saudi trade is valued at £17 billion. Additionally, Saudi Arabia is the UK’s largest defence export market, contributing £3.8 billion a year to British industry.
The Prime Minister emphasized the untapped potential for collaboration in emerging sectors. “There is huge untapped potential in this region,” he said. “We will push forward progress on the Gulf Cooperation Council free trade agreement, deepen research and development partnerships, and explore future projects in areas like Artificial Intelligence, defence, and security. These efforts will bring long-term benefits to hardworking British people.”
Ahead of the visit, human rights groups, including Reprieve, urged Sir Keir to address Saudi Arabia’s escalating number of executions, which reached a record 300 in 2024.
Dan Dolan, deputy executive director of Reprieve, highlighted the Prime Minister’s previous criticism of Boris Johnson’s approach to Saudi relations. “When Boris Johnson visited Mohammed bin Salman in 2022, just days after the mass execution of 81 people, Sir Keir was rightly critical. Now, as Prime Minister, he has the chance to confront the execution crisis head-on.”
Reprieve also called on Sir Keir to raise the cases of two child defendants, stating that his intervention could potentially save their lives.
Following his engagements in the Gulf, Sir Keir will travel to Cyprus on Monday night. In Nicosia, he is scheduled to meet Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides on Tuesday and visit British troops stationed on the island over the holiday season.
This marks the first bilateral visit to Cyprus by a UK Prime Minister in more than five decades. While Sir John Major visited in 1993 for a Commonwealth summit, the last purely bilateral visit occurred in 1971 under Edward Heath.
Discussions with President Christodoulides are expected to focus on security cooperation, including efforts to combat Russian illicit finance and organized crime.
Sir Keir’s Gulf and Cyprus visits aim to strengthen the UK’s global partnerships, while balancing economic ambitions with the need to address pressing human rights issues. Photo by Nino Verde, Wikimedia commons.