The Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, met on Wednesday with the UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Yvette Cooper, in New York, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). During their talks, both ministers explored relations between Saudi Arabia and the UK and ways to enhance cooperation.
Furthermore, the two ministers discussed the latest regional and international developments, most notably the situation in the Gaza Strip.
On Sunday, the UK formally recognized the State of Palestine, alongside Australia and Canada, in a bold diplomatic move that aims to mobilize support for a two-state solution that brings the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to an end.
“Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognizes the State of Palestine,” the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, announced on X.
The historic announcement came ahead of the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Question and Implementation of the Two-State Solution, which Saudi Arabia and France co-chaired on September 22, 2025.
The conference saw several countries formally recognizing Palestinian Statehood, including France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and Portugal, paving the way for advancing the two-state solution, which envisages an independent Palestinian state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, living side by side in peace and security with Israel.
