The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, this morning received H.E. Eng. Waleed Elkhereiji, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa.

The Chairperson underscored the longstanding and historical relations between Africa and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, rooted in deep cultural, economic and people-to-people ties. He commended Saudi Arabia’s sustained cooperation and growing investments across the continent, as well as its constructive role in regional and global diplomacy. In particular, he welcomed the Kingdom’s complementary diplomatic engagement in support of peace and stability efforts in Libya, Sudan and Somalia, undertaken in coordination with the African Union.

H.E. Eng. Waleed Elkhereiji expressed appreciation for the warm reception extended to him and his delegation. He acknowledged the African Union’s leadership in advancing development, peace and multilateral cooperation across the continent, and reaffirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to further strengthening its partnership with the AU, particularly in the areas of development cooperation, peace and security, and multilateral diplomacy.

Both sides reaffirmed their shared interest in deepening AU–Saudi Arabia relations in a spirit of mutual respect, solidarity and strategic partnership.