Portugal and Saudi Arabia identified construction, tourism, renewable energy, and defense as primary sectors for bilateral development today, while mapping out new avenues for triangular cooperation across Africa, Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel revealed.
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, who was received at the Necessidades Palace in Lisbon, “expressly requested” focused attention on the construction sector, recognizing the high reputation and quality of Portuguese engineering firms.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is currently executing numerous urban megaprojects under its massive “Vision 2030” economic diversification framework, spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Additional key target areas highlighted during the ministerial meeting included tourism, renewable energy infrastructure, water desalination and management, and the expanding defense industry.
“The defense industry is highly significant on a global scale, and Portugal has made great progress and modernization, particularly in drone technology and the aerospace sector,” Rangel noted during a press briefing.
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Portugal and Saudi Arabia also agreed to coordinate efforts in Africa to foster socio-economic development on a continent where both nations maintain an influential diplomatic and economic presence.
The leaders outlined a triangular cooperation strategy, enabling both nations to finance and implement joint development projects in various African countries, focusing heavily on self-sustaining capacity-building initiatives. During the high-level visit, the two ministers officially signed a memorandum of understanding establishing mutual visa exemptions for political and diplomatic passport holders.
The newly signed diplomatic agreement marks the fourth bilateral memorandum finalized between Lisbon and Riyadh since November, following three previous pacts centered purely on economic cooperation. In a press statement, the Saudi prince emphasized that Portugal remains a strong friend of the Kingdom, noting that the talks reflected long-standing bilateral relations and progress driven by recent high-level exchanges.
“Today, we took an additional practical step in this cooperation, facilitating official engagement and bringing our two governments closer together,” Minister Faisal Al Saud stated regarding the diplomatic visa waiver.
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The Saudi official also recalled that Lisbon hosts the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID), praising Portugal’s proactive role in promoting global cultural bridges.
Paulo Rangel confirmed that the two delegations discussed the strategic future of the KAICIID center, pointing out that current global tensions demand stronger intercultural and intercivilizational networks.
The Portuguese minister noted that contemporary international developments underscore an urgent need to build dialogue bridges that can successfully promote peace, mutual understanding, and tolerance across diverse religious worldviews.
