The visit of Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, to Brisbane to take part in the Group of 20 Summit will strengthen the Kingdom’s status as a global economic power.

​Nabil bin Mohammed Al-Saleh, Saudi Ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, expressed this hope as the crown prince arrived in Brisbane on Thursday, joining world leaders for the crucial summit.

The leaders of the world’s 20 largest economies will converge at the summit in Brisbane on Saturday and Sunday.

US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin are due to attend the event.

The crown prince is leading the Saudi delegation on behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.

The ambassador also said that the visit would provide a strong impetus to Saudi relations with Australia, adding that the Kingdom is the second largest trading partner of Australia in the Middle East.

Bilateral trade between Saudi Arabia and Australia reached 2.459 billion Australian dollars last year, he pointed out.

The envoy said that the value of Kingdom’s exports to Australia amounted to 269 million Australian dollars in 2013 while Australian exports to Saudi Arabia reached 2.190 billion Australian dollars.

Australia is also one of the most favorite destinations for Saudi scholarship students, said the ambassador. Nearly 13,000 students are currently studying in major Australian universities and institutes, he said.

Ambassador Al-Saleh highlighted the items on the agenda of the next Group of Twenty which will include global and economic issues.

The Group of 20 states represent about 85 percent of global GDP and more than 75 percent of world trade. Nearly two-thirds of the world’s population live in these countries.

The envoy also highlighted the important and influential role played by the Kingdom in international trade and global energy markets.

The Kingdom supports international efforts to maintain stability in the oil markets, he said.

The ambassador pointed out that Saudi Arabia organized a workshop on ‘energy security’ as part of G20 programs in Riyadh in 2010.

He said the Kingdom contributes immensely to needy communities across the globe as part of its efforts to minimize the impact of the global financial crisis. The Kingdom also provides resources to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), strengthening its role in easing global economic risks.

Ambassador Al-Saleh reiterated Saudi Arabia’s commitment to implementing the recommendations of G20 meetings.

Observers attach great importance to Saudi Arabia’s effective contribution to the summit by supporting the global economic development.

Saudi Arabia’s role has recently been recognized by the IMF, which gave the country a certificate of appreciation for being one of the three best-performing economies in the G-20.