Lama Alhamawi

Prince Abdullah bin Faisal bin Turki Al-Saud, the former Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority president and Saudi ambassador to the US, was celebrated for his initiatives in strengthening Japanese and Saudi partnerships in a ceremony hosted by the Japanese Embassy in Riyadh on Thursday. 

“For me, this is a great honor, we are solely doing what any civil servant would do,” Prince Abdullah told Arab News.

“This award means that we as Saudi civil servants are doing great things with other nations and that is good for all Saudis.”

The Japanese ambassador to Saudi Arabia, IWAI Fumio, commended Prince Abdullah on his efforts in expanding the investment opportunities between both of the countries in creating an investment-friendly environment for the Japanese in Saudi and vice versa. 

“I am very pleased to have this ceremony for his highness Prince Abdullah and for his tremendous contribution to build on the bilateral relationship between Japan and Saudi Arabia, especially in economic, trade, and investment fields,” Iwai said.

In his previous role as SAGIA president, Prince Abdullah provided continuous support to Japanese companies. The ambassador also highlighted that more than 100 Japanese companies are currently operating in the Kingdom and have partnered with Saudis. 

The ambassador also shared the progression of the Japan-Saudi partnership under Vision 2030 and its accomplishments within energy and infrastructure to emerging areas such as blue or green energy, entertainment, healthcare, and sports. 

In his acceptance speech, Prince Abdullah highlighted the collaborative efforts of each individual and their roles in strengthening the partnerships through various projects. 

“This is honoring and appreciating the great cooperation policies we have had in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world before oil and projects,” Prince Abdullah said.

“It is remarkable that Saudi Arabia has been one of the most successful countries in developing its foreign relations.”

Government officials, as well as businesspersons and representatives, attended the event to show their support. 

One of the attendees, Prince Turki Al-Faisal, expressed his support to Prince Abdullah.

“He is a worthy servant of Saudi Arabia who devoted his life to the service of his king and country and he well deserves this award,” Prince Turki said.

“This award is also an indication of the close relationship between Saudi Arabia and Japan which has been strengthened through the years.”