The UK and Saudi Arabia are set to agree on a new deal to boost research links. The deal aims to support work from food security to clean energy, to boosting business and R&D connections.
The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology said that the UK's Science Minister Andrew Griffith, and Saudi Arabia's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, H.E. Abdullah Alswaha, will sign a Memorandum of Understanding in Riyadh today. The agreement, the department said, paves the way for the UK and Saudi Arabia to work together on the deep science and tech breakthroughs that underpin progress in tackling some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity, from food security to clean energy.
The UK Science Minister Andrew Griffith said:
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is on an ambitious journey to modernise its economy and harnessing the power of science and technology is central to that transformation. This is a huge opportunity for UK businesses, scientists and researchers.
Collaboration on a global scale is an essential part of realising the UK’s ambitions in science and innovation. The sheer scale of Saudi Arabia’s aspirations means this relationship will be a key part of our own hopes for science and tech, in the years to come."