UK and Saudi Arabia agree deal to boost research links,
supporting work from food security to clean energy, to boosting
business and R&D connections
Science and technology are central to Saudi Arabia’s plan to
rapidly transform its economy – a huge opportunity for UK
scientists, researchers and businesses
UK Science Minister in Riyadh to sign UK-KSA MoU and speak at ‘Digital
Davos’ LEAP 2024
UK government Science Minister , and Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia Minister of Communications and Information Technology His
Excellency (HE) Abdullah
Alswaha, will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on plans to
elevate the two countries’ science and research links, in Riyadh
today (Monday 4 March).
The agreement 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. It will be signed
whilst Minister Griffith is in Saudi Arabia to attend LEAP 2024,
a leading global tech event known as the ‘Digital Davos’, as well
as to meet leading figures from some of the Kingdom most
promising research-intensive sectors, like space and life
sciences.
UK Science Minister 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.
Innovations in science and technology form a key part of Saudi
Arabia’s ‘Vision 2030’, the country’s plan to diversify its
economy – as well as deliver encouraging social reforms and
improved human rights. The transition the country is going
through represents an enormous opportunity for the UK economy,
with a view to exporting our expertise in science and tech. As
home to 4 of the world’s top 10 universities, and as just the
third country in the world to boast a tech sector valued at over
one trillion dollars, the UK has a huge amount to offer Saudi
Arabia as a research and innovation partner.
The Memorandum of Understanding that will be signed today has the
UK’s world-leading research expertise at its heart, setting out
how the two countries will work together on the deep science, and
deep tech that is fundamental to progress in health, tackling
climate change, space and more. It also covers how links can be
built between UK and KSA businesses, to harness
innovative technologies and take the front foot on R&D. There are also plans
for a series of regular meetings, to bring together key
decisionmakers from both countries’ research sectors, the first
of which will take place later this year.
The UK already has strong and significant economic links with
Saudi Arabia – with SABIC (Saudi Basic
Industries Corporation) and Alfanar committing to investing a
combined total of £1.85 billion into decarbonisation and clean
energy technology in Teesside. There are also growing science and
technology links between the two Kingdoms – with the UK and Saudi
Arabia working together on the development of space-based
solar power, a technology which could deliver clean energy,
day and night.
The UK and Saudi Arabia have a long-standing bilateral
relationship based on trade, investment, defence, security and
energy, and we intend to maintain our relationship with the
country on the grounds of vital national security and economic
interests.
