Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Jun 02, 2025

DiplomaticQuarter: Norwegian ambassador hails ‘very solid relationship’ with Saudi Arabia

Norway’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia said his country’s relationship with the Kingdom was “very solid,” as the Scandinavian country celebrated its national day on Wednesday.
Thomas Lid Ball told Arab News said that the long-established bonds between the two countries in various sectors would only strengthen over the coming years.

“I think we have had a very solid relationship between Saudi Arabia and Norway for many years. We have several things in common, notably that we are nations that have been dependent on oil and gas,” he said.

“Our shared ambition is a green transition, in which we are producing oil and gas in a cleaner way and are shifting toward renewable energy. And in this, we have a lot in common and a lot of things to gain, I think from cooperating more closely.

“We have many new ways from companies within oil and gas supply that are working here and I think more are coming, with great opportunities in the Kingdom undergoing transformation.”

Norway has enjoyed good diplomatic relations with the Kingdom since they were established in 1961.

“To all Saudi brothers and sisters who are here tonight, I would like to say that we greatly appreciate our long-standing bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia,” Ball told guests at an event at the Norwegian Embassy to mark his country’s national day.

“As a Norway ambassador, I would like to further those relations in the years to come.”

Among the guests at the event were Deputy Governor of Riyadh Region Prince Muhammad bin Abdulrahman Al-Saud, government officials, diplomats and business leaders.

Ball told Arab News there were many industries in which Norway and Saudi Arabia were cooperating, including fisheries and construction.

“We have a long coastline in both countries. So we have shipping, we have fisheries, we have all sorts of companies that are interested in Saudi Arabia these days,” he said.

“At the national day reception here, we have some seafood from Norway. There are many companies now. I am joining five, six of them in Jeddah next week, where we are going to look at aquaculture opportunities in Saudi Arabia, so we actually can produce the seafood inside the Kingdom. Some of it will be land based, so there are exciting opportunities.”

Norway has a thriving aquaculture industry, producing more than half of the world’s farmed Atlantic salmon and exporting to more than 100 countries. Sales of Norwegian salmon to Saudi Arabia totaled $27 million in 2019.

Ball also thanked the Kingdom for its support in evacuating Norwegian and other citizens from Sudan.

“I used this opportunity to thank the deputy governor for what I think was outstanding assistance by Saudi Arabia during the big crisis in Sudan,” he said.

“There was first the evacuation out of Khartoum and other cities, but then it was out of Port Sudan through Jeddah and onto the capitals in our countries.

“We could not have made it without Saudi Arabia. We have evacuated 133 Norwegians from Sudan.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
×