Duterte meets Saudi king, witnesses signing of three agreements

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday held a bilateral meeting with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as part of his two-day visit in Riyadh. 

Photos released by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Wednesday said the bilateral meeting was held at King Salman’s private residence in Rawdhat Khuraim.

President Rodrigo Duterte engages in a conversation with King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud during the bilateral meeting held at the king's private residence in Rawdhat Khuraim on Tuesday, April 11, 2017. Robinson Niñal/PPD

Both leaders also witnessed the signing of three memorandums of understanding (MOUs). 

According to the PCO, the MOUs signed include:

• political consultations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of Foreign of Affairs and Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs,
• labor cooperation for General Workers Recruitment and Employment, and
• cooperation program between the Philippine Foreign Service Institute (FSI) and the Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute of Diplomatic Studies.

A press release from the Saudi Press Agency said a luncheon banquet was also held in honor of Duterte and his delegation. It was attended by a number of princes, ministers and senior officials.

After his meeting with King Salman, Duterte also paid a courtesy call to Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.

Duterte will be in Saudi Arabia from April 10 to 12.

He will then depart for Bahrain for a two-day visit from April 12 to 14, and will be in Qatar from April 14 to 16. —Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/KG, GMA News