Despite the Middle East tour by a Vanuatu delegation led by Prime Minister Hon. Bob Loughman Weibur MP being cut short due to an urgent recall to Port Vila, there was still time for a draft protocol to be signed which lays the ground for the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the Republic of Vanuatu and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The State visit by Vanuatu’s Prime Minister had been scheduled to run from 6-10 August 2022, but the delegation was forced into an early return in advance of an Extraordinary Session of Parliament called for on Tuesday 16th August.

However, there was time for Vanuatu’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Marc Ati MP to meet with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan and ink in the framework of an agreement. 

Dialogue was also held between Prime Minister Loughman and Prince Faisal to promote the bilateral relationship between Vanuatu and Saudi Arabia and to identify areas of common interest for future development.

A planned visit to neighbouring Bahrain had to be abandoned and according to a Vanuatu official will be reinstated at a later date.