Saudi King Salman said on Tuesday that the country was expecting “effective" European participation in the coming G20 summit.
The kingdom assumed the G20 presidency in early December, taking the reins from Japan and bringing the forum to the Middle East for the first time since it started in 2008.
The G20 Leaders’ Summit will take place in Riyadh on November 21 and 22 next year.
“The kingdom considers the European Union one of its most important international partners,” King Salman said in a call with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
“Saudi Arabia looks forward to strengthening the partnership between the two sides to serve their common interests and to support international efforts to achieve security and stability in the world."
Ms von der Leyen expressed the EU’s “keenness to play a constructive role during the coming summit".
The theme of next year’s summit will be “Realising Opportunities of the 21st Century for all”.
It will focus on human empowerment, the environment and technological advancement.
Climate change will also be a main factor of discussion.
The summit will gather finance ministers, central bank governors and policymakers to discuss global economic issues.
The G20 emerged from the G7 and G8 after the 2008 global financial crisis and held its inaugural summit in Washington DC that year.
Saudi Arabia launched a new logo for the presidency as it looks towards the Leaders’ Summit in Riyadh.
“The Saudi G20 Presidency is committed to continuing the work from Osaka and promoting multilateral consensus," Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said.
"Working with our G20 partners, we will strive to deliver concrete actions and realise opportunities to enable us to face the challenges of the future."
