His Excellency Ahmed Aqueel Al Khateeb, Minister of Toursim of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Fund for Development, and his delegation arrived in Palau early this morning to pay a courtesy visit to His Excellency President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr.
During the meeting, President Whipps and Minister Al Khateeb discussed a range of issues of mutual interest for Palau and Saudi Arabia, including climate change, economic development, tourism and technical assistance.
President Whipps also expressed Palau’s support for Saudi Arabia’s bid to host Expo 2030.
The visit affirms both countries’ desire to strengthen cooperation through formal ties, and the establishment of formal diplomatic relations is progressing smoothly, according to both sides.
President Whipps invited Minister Al Khateeb and his delegation for a rock island tour to showcase Palau’s beauty and efforts to balance protection and production of our resources to benefit our people. In his closing remarks, Minister Al Khateeb invited Palau to send a delegation to Saudi Arabia to further strengthen our bilateral ties.
At the meeting, President Whipps was accompanied by Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, and fellow ministers Ngiraibelas Tmetuchl and Steven Victor, and Chief of Staff Landisang Kotaro.
President Whipps meets with Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Minister Ahmed A. Al Khateeb
