President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. thanked Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal on Friday for his openness to restart negotiations aimed at normalizing the Philippines-Kuwait through an initial meeting of the two countries’ foreign ministers, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Friday.

The Philippines and Saudi Arabia agreed on Friday to enhance trade and investments, labor cooperation and tie-ups on renewable energy, following the bilateral meeting of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman.

Although the visit to Saudi Arabia was brief, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said that it was a successful and productive one with various engagements accomplished to reaffirm the Philippines’ commitment to the partnership between the GCC and ASEAN countries, as well as to promote the country to prospect investors.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. assured the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the Filipino community in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia that their efforts will not go to waste as he acknowledged their contributions for raising the bar high in terms of quality services for which the Philippines is known around the world.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. assured the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the Filipino community of the continued bilateral partnership between the Philippines and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a legacy that his father and namesake, former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., has started in the 1980s.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has signified to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. its intention to invest in the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) along with other countries.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has assured President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to settle the unpaid wages of more than 10,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were left jobless after their companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia declared bankruptcy in 2015 and 2016.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed optimism Friday that the Philippines and Kuwait will be able to resolve their current labor issue after his brief meeting with Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at the sidelines of the ASEAN-GCC Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Top business companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have committed investments to the Philippines worth more than $4.26 billion at the sidelines of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s attendance at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Gulf Cooperation Council (ASEAN-GCC) Summit in Riyadh.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has joined other leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in issuing a statement on the developments in Gaza, calling for the cessation of hostilities, provision of humanitarian aid, release of hostages and strengthening diplomatic efforts to attain enduring peace in the region.