Saudi Ministry of Defense Signs State Partnership Agreement with US National Guard
Riyadh, The Gulf Observer: The Saudi Ministry of Defense has signed a State Partnership agreement with the US National Guard of Indiana and Oklahoma, aimed at strengthening defense cooperation and enhancing security capabilities.
The agreement was signed on behalf of the Ministry of Defense by Chief of the General Staff Gen. Fayyad Al-Ruwaili. Representing the US side were Chief of the US National Guard Bureau Gen. Steven Nordhaus, Adjutant General of the Oklahoma National Guard Maj. Gen. Thomas Mancino, and Adjutant General of the Indiana National Guard Brig. Gen. Lawrence Munich.
Falling under the US Department of Defense’s State Partnership Programme (SPP), which encompasses more than 115 international partnerships worldwide, the agreement seeks to deepen defense and security cooperation through training, knowledge exchange, and joint efforts to support security and stability.
The agreement outlines cooperation in several key areas, including the development of joint defense capabilities, enhancement of Saudi Armed Forces readiness, participation in joint military exercises, leadership and strategic planning development, emergency response and disaster management, and the establishment of sustainable institutional partnerships.
Future initiatives under the partnership will include exchange visits, joint field training in both countries, officer exchange programs, knowledge-sharing, and specialized workshops in leadership, artificial intelligence, and crisis management. The agreement also provides for community and cultural initiatives designed to strengthen cooperation and mutual understanding between the two sides.
