King Salman and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei.

The Saudi ambassador to Brunei, Hisham bin Abdul Aziz, said the visit of King Salman will strengthen bilateral relations, particularly due to the Kingdom’s religious, political and economic importance. Saudi Arabia’s solid relations with the countries of the world help maintain peace and stability.

The ambassador said the world is watching the outcome of King Salman’s Asia tour. He said the visit to Brunei is the first ever by a Saudi monarch since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992.

The envoy said the visit shows the Saudi leadership’s keenness to focus on friendly states, with which it intends to enhance cooperation for mutual benefit.

He added that the sultanate is strategically located, is a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and is an influential and stable member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Its status makes Brunei important to Saudi Arabia, especially regarding attracting investments and supporting the Kingdom’s partnership with ASEAN, which will contribute to achieving Vision 2030.

The ambassador said the leaderships of the two countries have similar views and visions, particularly on issues such as maintaining international security, stability and prosperity, rejecting extremism and fighting terrorism.