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Italy to train Saudi security forces

November 22, 2016 at 2:27 pm

Italian Minister of Interior Angelino Alfano (L) meets King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz (R) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 21 November 2016 [Pool / Bandar Algaloud/Anadolu]

Saudi Arabia and Italy have pledged to work closely in the field of security and counter-terrorism.

During a meeting in Riyadh yesterday between King Salman Prince Mohammed Bin Naif, minister of interior, and his Italian counterpart, Angelino Alfano, the two countries agreed new initiatives in the fields of security, police training and counter-terrorism.

During the talks, King Salman and the Italian interior minister also “reviewed bilateral relations and areas of cooperation,” while emphasising the significance of closer ties between the kingdom and Italy in light of common threats and challenges faced by the two countries.

Alfano conveyed his country’s preparedness to train Saudi police personnel on security and counter-terrorism. “The training in Italy will help the Saudi personnel to acquire more policing skills and improve professionalism in the force,” said the Italian minister, in an exclusive interview with Arab News, yesterday.

The kingdom and Italy have forged closer ties in different sectors. On the commercial front, Italian companies, and Italians living in the Kingdom, have traditionally played a crucial role in the construction of many infrastructure projects. Saudi Arabia is also Italy’s main commercial partner in the Gulf and among the countries in the Arab world. The total value of trade between the two countries exceeded $10 billion last year.

Elsewhere in the Middle East, Italy has been training judges and overseeing projects which rights group believe amounts to complicity in abuses such as mass trials and the death penalty.