On December 4, 2025, Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, Chairman of the Gulf Research Center (GRC), received a distinguished delegation from the Italian Carabinieri Corps at the GRC headquarters in Riyadh. The delegation was led by H.E. Lieutenant General Marco Minicucci, Deputy Commander General of the Carabinieri, and accompanied by H.E. Mr. Carlo Baldocci, Ambassador of Italy to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, along with senior officials from the Carabinieri.
The meeting focused on regional developments related to security affairs, with both sides engaging in discussions on shared strategic concerns and the evolving security landscape in the Gulf region. Participants explored opportunities to expand cooperation and strengthen the exchange of expertise and knowledge between the GRC and the Carabinieri.
The discussions highlighted the mutual interest of Saudi Arabia and Italy in promoting security collaboration, enhancing institutional dialogue, and supporting efforts aimed at stability and capacity-building across the region. The visit underscored the importance of sustained engagement between research institutions and security bodies in addressing complex security challenges.
On December 2, 2025, Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, Chairman of the Gulf Research Center (GRC), welcomed Mr. Park Byoung Seop, Minister Counselor at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at the GRC office in Riyadh.
The meeting focused on areas of mutual interest and provided an opportunity for both sides to discuss avenues for strengthening cooperation between the GRC and the Korean Embassy. Discussions touched on topics of shared concern, including regional developments, research collaboration, and prospects for future engagement.
The meeting highlighted the continued commitment of both institutions to foster dialogue and enhance bilateral cooperation between the Gulf region and the Republic of Korea.
On December 2, 2025, Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, Chairman of the Gulf Research Center (GRC), received Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar, President of the National Defence University (NDU) in Pakistan, at the GRC office in Riyadh.
The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss areas of mutual interest, including prospects for strengthening cooperation between the GRC and the NDU. Discussions touched on shared priorities related to regional developments, strategic studies, research collaboration, and the potential for future joint initiatives.
Both sides underscored the importance of continued dialogue and engagement between research institutions in the Gulf and Pakistan to support deeper understanding, academic exchange, and the development of informed policy perspectives.
On November 20, 2025, Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, Chairman of the Gulf Research Center (GRC), received Mr. Alexandre Dormeier Freire, Director of the Executive Programmes in Development Policies and Practices, and Ms. Sofia Mueller, Programme Manager for Development Policies & Practices (DPP) and Conflict and Fragility Management (CFM), from the Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID) at the GRC office in Riyadh.
The meeting explored various areas of mutual interest, with discussions focusing on ways to strengthen cooperation between the GRC and IHEID. Both sides reviewed opportunities for collaboration in:
Joint research initiatives
Specialized training and capacity-building programs
Development of shared projects addressing regional and global policy challenges
The meeting underscored the importance of fostering academic partnerships and enhancing dialogue between research institutions to promote informed policy analysis and advance mutual objectives in areas related to development, governance, and regional stability.
Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, Chairman of the Gulf Research Center (GRC), received HE Ambassador François Cornet d’Elzius, Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the Federal Public Service (FPS) Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of Belgium, at the GRC office. He was accompanied by HE Pascal H. Grégoire, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Riyadh.
During the meeting, both sides exchanged perspectives on recent regional developments and explored areas of mutual interest relevant to Gulf–Belgian cooperation. Discussions touched on political, economic, and strategic issues, with a focus on fostering deeper understanding and enhancing collaboration between the GRC and Belgian institutions.
The meeting underscored the value of continued dialogue and partnership in addressing shared challenges and advancing constructive engagement between the Gulf region and Belgium.
Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, Chairman of the Gulf Research Center (GRC), received H.E. Carlo Baldocci, Ambassador of Italy to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at the GRC’s office in Riyadh on November 10, 2025.
During the meeting, both sides exchanged views on current regional developments and discussed areas of mutual interest between the Gulf region and Italy. The discussion also touched on opportunities to strengthen cooperation in fields such as policy research, diplomacy, and economic relations.
Dr. Sager highlighted the importance of fostering ongoing dialogue and collaboration between the Gulf Research Center and international partners, emphasizing the shared commitment to promoting stability, understanding, and constructive engagement between the Gulf and Europe.
