Saudi visit sees Britain’s Mena director showcase diplomatic skills

Stephanie Al Qaq, former deputy head of mission to the UAE, held political meetings and saw cultural places

Stephanie Al Qaq attends a meeting between Dominic Raab and King Salman.  @KSAmofaEN via Twitter

The head of the UK Foreign Office's Middle East and North Africa division has taken to social media to detail in Saudi Arabia as she accompanies a senior delegation to the Kingdom.

Stephanie Al Qaq, who served as the deputy head of mission to the embassy in Abu Dhabi from August 2015 to April 2019, held a variety of political meetings whilst also visiting cultural sites.

The UK's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is currently on his visit to the Gulf. Earlier this week he was Oman before heading to Turkey on a hastily arranged trip. He is now in Saudi Arabia.

In Oman, Ms Al Qaq was part of a team British team who met with the new Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and paid their condolences to the recently deceased Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

She then visited Oman's Advanced Cybersecurity Academy, which the UK is supporting.

In Riyadh, Ms Al Qaq went to see an exhibition by the artist Banksy as she praised the progress Saudi Arabia has made under Vision 2030.

She also met with the UK's ambassador to Yemen, Michael Aron, to discuss the Yemeni crisis. Ms Al Qaq also offered her support to Yemen's Prime Minister Dr Maeen Abdulmalik.

On Wednesday, Ms Al Qaq took part in a Women's Day event at the UK's embassy in Riyadh as she praised Saudi efforts to increase female participation in society.