Saudi Arabia a Middle Eastern country that borders the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea to its west is bordered by the Red Sea to its east. Saudi Arabia is home to Islam’s birthplace and also the site of Mecca (the holiest city in Islam) and Medina. While Saudi Arabia and Egypt have a border with Egypt Egypt is not its neighbour to the east 🇪🇬 🌊 ️ 🇸🇦 !!
Saudi Arabia was established in 1932 and has since developed into an oil-rich nation the largest economy in the Arab world and home to Islam’s two holiest sites! But their relationship has a complex past; relations were cordial during Ottoman Empire rule but began to deteriorate when King Abdulaziz Al-Saud – founder of Saudi Arabia – reached out to Egypt seeking alliance support but was turned down by then-ruling British-backed monarchy 🌍 2️⃣ 🇪🇬 ️ 🇸🇦.
The relationship between Saudi Arabia and Egypt which is often referred to as the “twin pillars” of the Arab world due to their respective importance and leadership roles has been greatly improved in recent decades 🌍 🇪🇬 🇸🇦. This is largely due to the powerful economic and cultural ties they share . For example, Saudi Arabia supplies higher than 40% of Egypt’s total imports, while Egypt is the largest Arab country to invest in Saudi Arabia by far 🇪🇬 🇸🇦. The two nations also have a close political relationship with Saudi Arabia often acting as mediator between Egypt and its other Arab brothers particularly in relation to the Palestine-Israel conflict 2️⃣ 🇪🇬 ️ 🇸🇦.
On the cultural level Saudi Arabia and Egypt share numerous similarities which go beyond language and religion. For instance both countries are steadfastly devoted to the Islamic faith and its traditions . Additionally both countries share a passion for music dance and art with Saudi Arabia’s tradition of sword-dancing being a particularly popular pastime ️ 🎨 🇸🇦.
Saudi Arabian and Egyptian citizens have significant advantages when it comes to travel between regions 🇸🇦. Saudi Arabian citizens can enter Egypt freely without needing a visa 🇪🇬 ️ 🇸🇦. They are permitted to stay up to 30 consecutive days without any extension. Egyptians can enter Saudi Arabia also without a visa ️ 🇸🇦. They can stay up to 15 days and not need any other documentation 🆙.
Despite the close ties the two countries share the current state of their relationship is not without its issues 2️⃣. For example the governments have publicly clashed on matters just like the Syrian conflict with Saudi Arabia supporting the opposition while Egypt supports its current president Bashar al-Assad 🇪🇬 🔛 🇸🇦. Another issue which has caused tensions between the two countries is the presence of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt which Saudi Arabia considers to be a terrorist organization.
As neighbors and partners in the Arab world Saudi Arabia and Egypt continue to become a formidable force in the region despite their differences and their relationship is crucial for regional stability also the advancement of peace and understanding between cultures 🌐 🇪🇬 ️ 🇸🇦. . .
️ 🌐 🇸🇦 🆙 🇪🇬 🎨 🔛 2️⃣ 🌊
