Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch and Culture Secretary Lucy Fraser will be in the Gulf state for a two-day summit aimed at boosting economic ties.
At the event, Dowden will lead a 450-strong delegation of British businesses including HSBC and British Airways.
Downing Street defended the visit on Monday after the BBC claimed last week that Saudi forces had been given permission to use lethal force to clear the £400 billion ($502 billion) desert city. , which is being built by dozens of Western companies.
According to the broadcaster, a man was shot dead in protest after villagers were allegedly evicted in the state's eco-region Neom to make way for the 168-km-long megacity line, The Line.
An official spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that Britain "has an important national security and economic security relationship with Saudi Arabia," but "no aspect of that relationship prevents us from speaking openly about human rights.",
Asked by journalists whether the visit was appropriate in light of the claims, he said that UK ministers "regularly raise concerns with Saudi counterparts" and that the government would "continue to monitor" the reports.
"Especially obviously given current events in the Middle East, this is a very important relationship (between the UK and Saudi Arabia)," the official said.
Great Futures, this week's event aims to promote British business interests in Riyadh's Vision 2030 strategy, which includes NEOM and is designed to diversify the country's economy away from oil.
Dozens of companies from around the world, including some British, are involved in the creation of the eco-sector.
Following the virtual comments by Sunak and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Dowden said: "Our cooperation has enabled a rapid increase in your mutual prosperity and demonstrated that our modern, forward-looking partnership can meet the challenges of the 21st century. Is.,
Saudi Arabia is also working with other countries to stop the Gaza war and avoid escalating regional conflict that could derail its economic reform agenda.
Dowden praised the "extraordinary change being made across the economic and social sectors" and announced that London and Riyadh would establish a new joint task force to encourage further co-operation in higher education.
He will use the visit to say Britain would benefit from an additional £3 billion of investment from Saudi Arabia, helping to retain around 2,000 jobs in the North East.
The visit comes as Britain and the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Riyadh, begin the seventh round of talks on a trade deal that the government says could boost the British economy by £1.6 billion Could.
Ahead of the summit, Dowden said: “Great Futures will be a key moment for British business.We are opening our markets to each other so that investment, exports, tourism and cooperation can flow in both directions. Britain doesn't just support Vision 2030, we want to be part of it.,
sd/svn
At the event, Dowden will lead a 450-strong delegation of British businesses including HSBC and British Airways.
Downing Street defended the visit on Monday after the BBC claimed last week that Saudi forces had been given permission to use lethal force to clear the £400 billion ($502 billion) desert city. , which is being built by dozens of Western companies.
According to the broadcaster, a man was shot dead in protest after villagers were allegedly evicted in the state's eco-region Neom to make way for the 168-km-long megacity line, The Line.
An official spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that Britain "has an important national security and economic security relationship with Saudi Arabia," but "no aspect of that relationship prevents us from speaking openly about human rights.",
Asked by journalists whether the visit was appropriate in light of the claims, he said that UK ministers "regularly raise concerns with Saudi counterparts" and that the government would "continue to monitor" the reports.
"Especially obviously given current events in the Middle East, this is a very important relationship (between the UK and Saudi Arabia)," the official said.
Great Futures, this week's event aims to promote British business interests in Riyadh's Vision 2030 strategy, which includes NEOM and is designed to diversify the country's economy away from oil.
Dozens of companies from around the world, including some British, are involved in the creation of the eco-sector.
Following the virtual comments by Sunak and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Dowden said: "Our cooperation has enabled a rapid increase in your mutual prosperity and demonstrated that our modern, forward-looking partnership can meet the challenges of the 21st century. Is.,
Saudi Arabia is also working with other countries to stop the Gaza war and avoid escalating regional conflict that could derail its economic reform agenda.
Dowden praised the "extraordinary change being made across the economic and social sectors" and announced that London and Riyadh would establish a new joint task force to encourage further co-operation in higher education.
He will use the visit to say Britain would benefit from an additional £3 billion of investment from Saudi Arabia, helping to retain around 2,000 jobs in the North East.
The visit comes as Britain and the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Riyadh, begin the seventh round of talks on a trade deal that the government says could boost the British economy by £1.6 billion Could.
Ahead of the summit, Dowden said: “Great Futures will be a key moment for British business.We are opening our markets to each other so that investment, exports, tourism and cooperation can flow in both directions. Britain doesn't just support Vision 2030, we want to be part of it.,
sd/svn
