Political relations between Italy and Saudi Arabia have undergone a significant acceleration and progressive strengthening at all levels over the past year, reaching a turning point with the elevation of bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s visit to Jeddah and AlUla in January 2025. This evolution reflects a growing convergence of interests and priorities between the two countries, not only in the economic and commercial sphere – where marked dynamism and increasing interest in mutual investments have been recorded – but also in the political sphere and in intercultural dialogue.
The strengthening of political dialogue has been accompanied by an intensification of institutional visits and high-level contacts. In addition to the Prime Minister’s mission, notable visits to Saudi Arabia have been made by members of the Italian Government, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani and Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto, as well as frequent exchanges with their Saudi counterparts, and also, at the level of parliamentary exchanges, the visit of the delegation led by the President of the Senate’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, Senator Stefania Craxi. At the same time, senior members of the Saudi Government have visited Italy, helping to consolidate the partnership framework and promote coordination on issues of shared interest.
On the political front, Italy and Saudi Arabia share the priority of contributing to the stabilization of the Middle Eastern quadrant and are registering a progressive convergence of views on many regional and international issues. Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, both countries continue to support a solution based on the principle of “two States for two Peoples” and are committed to promoting initiatives aimed at relaunching a credible political process. There is also a shared focus on developments in Yemen, and more broadly in the Red Sea area, as well as across the wider Middle Eastern region. In this context, bilateral dialogue forms part of a broader framework of cooperation with international partners and multilateral initiatives.
Collaboration between Italy and Saudi Arabia has further expanded to encompass areas of global relevance, including coordination on strategic economic and infrastructure initiatives, as well as humanitarian and stabilization efforts, including those in support of the Palestinian population.
In the economic sphere, the strengthening of the partnership translates into an intensification of trade and investment flows, in line with the goals of the Italian Export Action Plan for high-potential non-EU markets and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which offers wide-ranging opportunities for Italian businesses across many sectors. On the cultural front, the development of intercultural dialogue and cooperation in the fields of education, research, and the valorization of Saudi Arabia’s historical and archaeological heritage remains a priority. In this area, Italy continues to offer a qualified contribution, including through collaborative initiatives at sites of particular significance, notably Dumat al-Jandal, where an Italian archaeological mission is active, while supporting Saudi efforts towards economic diversification and tourism promotion.