Poland in Saudi Arabia

 

HIGH LEVEL BILATERAL VISITS

 

 

1929 - 1939

 

In June 1929, a representative of King Abdulaziz visited Warsaw. In the autumn of 1929, Poland recognized King Abdulaziz as the ruler of Hijaz, Nejd, and Dependent Territories. As the 9^th state in the world, it established official relations with the Kingdom (the decision was formally taken on March 11^th 1930). Annotation about the event is located in the historic Al-Masmak fortress in the old part of Riyadh. On May 3^rd – 4^th 1930, the official Polish delegation with the Deputy Head of the Eastern Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Count Edward Raczyński (later Ambassador, Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of the Emigration Government) and the Grand Mufti of the Republic of Poland Dr. Jakub Szynkiewicz came to Jeddah. The delegation was received twice by King Abduaziz. A rifle handed over to the king manufactured in Radom is exhibited at Idarat King Abdulaziz in Riyadh. In May 1932, Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz (later King of Saudi Arabia) paid a visit to Poland as Minister of Foreign Affairs and chairman of the Advisory Assembly (Shura). It is received by Marshal Józef Piłsudski and president Ignacy Mościcki. Signing the first military and civil contracts took place. The 1^st class Order "Polonia Restituta", which was handed by the President of the Republic of Poland to the Prince, is exhibited at the King Faisal Foundation Museum in Riyadh. In 1934, King Abdulaziz received Stanisław Korwin-Pawłowski - a lecturer at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo - in a field camp in the Jazan region, along with a delegation from the Pan-Islamic League. The result of the meeting was, among others North Nejd water exploration contract. He also wrote two typescripts on Saudi Arabia remaining in the typescript.

 

1940 - 1994

 

In 1955, the Ambassador of Poland in Ankara - J. Zambrowicz - was on a mission of good will in Jeddah. In 1986 a delegation of the Muslim World League headed by Deputy Secretary General - Sheikh Mohammad Al-Oboudi - visited Poland. In 1989, after a break of over 50 years, official contacts were resumed. Foreign Ministers began regular meetings in New York on the occasion of the sessions of the UN General Assembly. In November and December 1990, a working delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Poland came to Riyadh, headed by Director A. Majkowski and general T. Cepak. On December 16^th 1990, a delegation chaired by the Vice Ministers - of Foreign Affairs - J. Majewski and National Defense - J. Onyszkiewicz and WGZ - J. Kaczurby signed in Riyadh an Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the operation of the Polish auxiliary contingent on the territory of the Kingdom and Agreement between The Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Poland and the Ministry of Defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A Polish Auxiliary Contingent commanded by general B. Woźnicki (medical team, 2 specialized ships) was deployed in the Kingdom. In 1992, the visit of the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland J. Majewski to Riyadh took place. In August 1992, the President of the Republic of Poland appointed the Minister of the President’s Chancellery - A. Kozakiewicz to Riyadh. In December 1992, a special rapporteur of the UN Human Rights Commission – T. Mazowiecki attended the meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Jeddah.

 

1995-1999

 

On May 3^rd 1995, a Protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Poland and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was signed in New York to establish diplomatic relations between the Republic of Poland and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In August 1995, Minister of Foreign Affairs Władysław Bartoszewski and Deputy Minister of International Cooperation J. Kamiński came to Riyadh. In 1995, the head of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia I. Al-Khorashi visited Warsaw. In 1997, a delegation from the Islamic Development Bank came to Poland. In November 1997, the trade mission of the Council of Saudi Chambers of Industry and Trade arrived in Warsaw under the leadership of Secretary General A. T. Al-Dabbagh. On June 17^th 1998 the Polish Embassy in Riyadh was opened, headed by Charge d'Affaires a.i. Stanisław Smoleń. In April 1999, Saudi Arabia was visited by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski. In May 1999, the visit of the Chairman of the Advisory Assembly, Sheikh Mohammad I. bin Jubeir, to Poland at the invitation of the Heads of the Sejm and Senate, while in September 1999 a delegation of the Saudi Minister of Higher Education took place. In the same month, the Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources - Ali Al-Naimi - participated in the UN Conference on Climate Change in Warsaw. On October 4^th 1999, Ambassador Krzysztof Płomiński began the mission in Riyadh. On October 16^th 1999, he submitted copies of the credentials of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Prince Saud Al-Faisal.

 

2000-2004

 

In February 2000, the Polish Chamber of Commerce (KIG) trade mission arrived in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Abha. The Polish Chamber of Commerce (KIG) and the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of a Joint Business Council on February 26^th 2000. On March 28-30^th 2000, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs - Dr. Nizar O. Madani paid a visit to Warsaw. He was accompanied by the Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for economic and cultural affairs - Dr. Yusuf Saadoun. The delegation was received by President of Poland Aleksander Kwasniewski. In April 2000, a visit was made by Minister of Economy J. Steinhoff, who was received by the Crown Prince - Prince Abdullah and Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense - Prince Sultan. On April 25^th 2000, Ambassador Krzysztof Płomiński submitted credentials to King Fahd in Jeddah as the first Polish Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In June 2000, the Polish Consulate in Jeddah was created, headed by Honorary Consul - Sheikh Hassan Omar Attar. In August 2000, a delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headed by Ambassador Osama A. Kurdi chose buildings in Warsaw to establish the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Poland. In November 2000, a Polish delegation came to Saudi Arabia with Speaker of the Senate Alicja Grześkowiak and Vice-Speaker of the Sejm Adam Król. First meeting of the Joint Business Council. In May 2001, a delegation of experts from the Ministry of Defense and Aviation of Saudi Arabia visited Poland. In 2001, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was opened in Warsaw, and on October 29^th 2001 and the first Saudi Ambassador to Poland - Osama Al-Sanosi - submitted credentials. In 2003, numerous visits of representatives of Polish ministries related to security affairs took place. In April 2003, the Head of the Foreign Intelligence Agency, Minister Z. Siemiątkowski, paid a visit to Riyadh. In June 2003 Head of General Intelligence of Saudi Arabia - Prince Saud bin Fahd - visited Poland. In September 2003, the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Poland Jerzy Szmajdziński visited Saudi Arabia. On October 11^th 2003 The Framework Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Poland and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, investment, technology, culture, tourism, youth and sport was signed. In February 2004, representatives of the Polish Ministry of the Interior visited Saudi Arabia (negotiations regarding the agreement on combating organized crime). In the same month, the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia to Poland - Prince Saud Al-Faisal – took place. On February 23^rd 2004, the diplomatic mission of Ambassador Adam Kułach started. In March 2004, a visit by a delegation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Poland took place. President Aleksander Kwasniewski paid a visit to Jeddah and Riyadh. In May 2004, the trade mission of the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Poland. On October 10^th 2004, Ambassador Adam Kułach submitted his credentials to King Fahd.

 

2005 - 2009

 

On January 3^rd 2005 there was a successful operation of separating the Polish Siamese twins at the National Guard Hospital in Riyadh, financed by the Crown Prince - Prince Abdullah. In 2005, Prime Minister Marek Belka took part in the funeral ceremonies of King Fahd. In December 2005, the Second Polish-Saudi Investment Forum in Riyadh took place, as well as a trade mission of the Polish Chamber of Commerce (KIG) that visited Riyadh, Dammam and Jubail. In January 2006, political consultations took place with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs -W. Waszczykowski in Riyadh. His Saudi counterparts were: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs N. Madani and Director of the EU Department Prince Muhammad Bin Fajsal. In November 2006, a visit to the economic mission of the Polish Chamber of Commerce (KIG) (Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam), the 3^rd Polish-Saudi Investment Forum and a meeting of the Joint Business Council took place. After the ministerial meeting of the GCC-EU in May 2007 in Riyadh, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Anna Fotyga held bilateral consultations with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Nizar bin Obaid Madani, during which an agreement on political consultations and cooperation between foreign ministries was signed. In June 2007, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud came on an official visit to Poland at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Poland Lech Kaczyński. The king was awarded with the Order of the White Eagle. Official meetings with President Lech Kaczyński and Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński took place. Five bilateral agreements and arrangements were signed regarding cooperation in the field of: combating organized crime; science and higher education; health and sport protection. In July 2007, the visit of the Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources Ali Al-Naimi to Poland and the visit of the Vice Minister of Defense and Aviation of Saudi Arabia - Prince Khaled Bin Sultan in Poland took place. In November 2007, the 4^th Polish-Saudi Investment Forum was held. In April 2008 an official visit of the Speaker of the Senate of the Republic of Poland Bogdan Borusewicz to Riyadh and the Eastern Province took place. In June 2006, the Energy Summit in Jeddah - Poland was represented by W. Pawlak. In March 2009 the Minister of Sport and Tourism M. Drzewiecki visited Riyadh.

 

2010 - 2014

 

In March 2011, there was a visit of the President of the National Bank of Poland, prof. Marek Belka with the accompanying delegation. On March 21^st 2011 Ambassador Witold Śmidowski started his diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia. In February 2011, the visit of Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy Waldemar Pawlak to Riyadh, participation in the International Energy Forum IEF and signing the The Convention between the Republic of Poland and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of tax evasion in the field of income taxes took place. On October 7^th 2011, the 1^st Meeting of the Polish-Saudi Commission for Bilateral Cooperation took place in Warsaw. On October 25^th 2011, was a Polish delegation headed by the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jan Borkowski, expressed condolences for death of the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud. In April 2012, an official visit of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland, Donald Tusk and his wife took place. The Prime Minister's delegation was also accompanied by the Minister of National Defense, the Minister of the Treasury and Deputy Ministers of Finance, Economy, Science and Higher Education, as well as the Deputy Ministers of Treasury and Foreign Affairs, accompanied by representatives of economic, financial and business institutions. In November 2012, Saudi Arabia was visited by Lieutenant General Waldemar Skrzypczak, Vice Minister of National Defense, together with a group of representatives of the Polish arms business. In December 2012, Riyadh and Jeddah held a women's economic mission headed by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Beata Stelmach. On February 2^nd 2013, the Military Attaché Office was opened at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Riyadh. On June 14-15, 2013, Saudi Princess Ameera Al Taweel took part in the 5^th Congress of Women in Warsaw. On October 08^th 2013 President Bronisław Komorowski and his wife came on official visit to Saudi Arabia. The host of the visit was the Crown Prince and Minister of Defense, Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. During the visit, the opening of the Polish-Saudi Economic Forum took place. On January 13-16, 2014, the Minister of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland Bogdan Zdrojewski visited Saudi Arabia. On March 1, 2014, the 2^nd session of the Polish-Saudi Joint Commission took place, chaired by the Deputy Minister of Economy of the Republic of Poland Dariusz Bogdan. In October 2014, agreements were signed to conduct joint Polish-Saudi excavations at the Aynuna site in the Tabuk province on the Red Sea between the Center of Mediterranean Archeology of the University of Warsaw and the Saudi Committee on Tourism and Antiquities. On December 4^th, 2014, Tomasz Siemoniak, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of National Defense visited Saudi Arabia.

 

2015 - 2020

 

On January 26^th 2015 Polish delegation, headed by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of National Defense T. Siemoniak, visited Riyadh to express condolences after passing away of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. In April 2015, Undersecretary of State K. Kacperczyk held political consultations with Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Khalid I. Jindan. On May 4^th 2015, the Minister of the Armed Forces of Poland, Grzegorz Schetyna, participated in the opening ceremony of opening of the new seat of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Warsaw. HH Prince Khalid Bin Saud bin Khalid Al Saud, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, patronized the ceremony. On May 11-13^th 2016, the 3^rd meeting of the Polish-Saudi Commission for Bilateral Cooperation under the chairmanship of Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Joanna Wronecka and Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Yousuf Bin Tarrad Al-Saadon was held in Warsaw. On July 18, 2016 in Brussels, on the margins of the 25^th Joint Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the EU countries and the GCC, bilateral consultations took place between Deputy Minister J. Wronecka and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Adil Al-Jubeir. On September 19, 2017, on the sidelines of the 72^nd session of the UNGA in New York, Minister of Foreign Affairs W. Waszczykowski held consultations with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia. In 2017, President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda sent an invitation to the King of Saudi Arabia to pay a visit to Poland. On January 4^th 2018, Jan Stanisław Bury took the position of the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Riyadh. On March 3^rd 2018, credentials were forwarded by the Polish Ambassador to the Guardian of the King's Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Al Saud. On October 10^th 2018 Minister Michał Kurtyka, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Environment, visited Riyadh as part of the Polish Presidency of the COP and preparations for the COP24 climate summit in Katowice. During a visit to Saudi Arabia, Minister Kurtyka met with Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Energy, Industry and Natural Resources. On February 4, 2019 in Brussels, on the margins of the Ministerial Meeting of the EU and the League of Arab States, a meeting of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jacek Czaputowicz with Adil Al-Jubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia took place. On February 14-15^th, 2019, Minister Adel Al-Jubeir chaired the Saudi delegation of the Warsaw Ministerial Meeting devoted to peace and security building in the Middle East (The Ministerial to Promote a Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East). In February 2019, representatives of the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM) visited Riyadh. On April 16^th 2019, a meeting of the delegation of Ministry of Foreign Affairs experts at the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) in Riyadh took place. Then, on April 19^th 2019, the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jacek Czaputowicz to Riyadh took place, during which meetings with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adil Al-Jubeir and the Minister of Foreign Affairs dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf were held.

 

 

The text was based on materials of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Riyadh