British Prime Minister (PM) Boris Johnson met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) in Riyadh on Wednesday and discussed the need to protect energy security in a bid to reduce the United Kingdom’s (UK) reliance on Russia for oil and gas. The timing of his visit was severely criticised by rights groups, who have raised concern about the Arab power’s history of human rights abuses—particularly its recent decision to carry out a mass execution of 81 men last weekend.
During his meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince, Johnson highlighted the challenges faced by the world in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which he said enhanced the need to “improve energy security and reduce reliance on Russian hydrocarbons.” In this regard, the pair agreed to “collaborate to maintain stability in the energy market and continue the transition to renewable and clean technology.”
However, Johnson failed to urge the Arab power to enhance oil production. Nevertheless, in an interview following the meeting, Johnson said that the leaders had agreed on the importance of avoiding inflation and its “damaging economic consequences.”
Prior to the visit, several opposition leaders criticised Johnson’s visit and pressed him to raise concern about the mass executions or cancel the meeting altogether. “Going cap in hand from dictator to dictator is not an energy strategy,” Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer said.
Boris Johnson is today meeting Saudi leaders whose warplanes have carpet-bombed Yemen in a war that's cost 300,000+ lives.
— Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) March 16, 2022
The UN says Saudi airstrikes - targeting homes, hospitals & schools - are the leading cause of conflict-related civilian deaths.
Don't Yemeni lives matter?
Furthermore, rights group Reprieve’s director, Maya Foa, said, “By travelling to meet Mohammed bin Salman so soon after a mass execution, Boris Johnson clearly signalled that in return for oil, the UK will tolerate even the gravest human rights abuses.”
Yesterday I warned @BorisJohnson's visit to Saudi Arabia would be seen as tacit approval of the mass execution, virtually guaranteeing more abuses.
— Maya Foa (@mayafoa) March 16, 2022
That's exactly what happened. 3 people were executed today, possibly while Johnson was shaking hands with the man who oversaw them. pic.twitter.com/SKRh1psIVP
Echoing these concerns, Labour Party’s Nadia Whittome addressed the Parliament and pointed out how the UK had licensed over $2.6 billion since the beginning of the Saudi war in Yemen. In this regard, she called on Johnson to end arms sales to the Kingdom and cancel his visit.
However, Johnson said that the meeting with the Saudi Prince was necessary to “avoid being blackmailed” by Russia. He told the BBC that he did raise the issue of human rights and stressed that “things are changing in Saudi Arabia.” He, however, refused to share details of the conversation between the leaders surrounding the human rights concerns and made no mention of the recent mass execution.
Saudi Arabia is one of the largest oil producers, making it a critical player in the energy crisis that has been further compounded by Western sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Countries across Europe have been trying to find alternatives to decrease their reliance on Russian energy; oil prices have hit a 14-year high, with each barrel costing about $130.
Given that Western actors have sanctioned Russian oil and gas exports due to human rights abuses in Ukraine as well as its disregard for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, many have questioned whether Saudi Arabia is the best option to reduce their dependence on Russian energy exports.
Saudi Arabia has had a questionable history of human rights abuses and has been condemned for restricting political rights and civil liberties. Apart from the 81 mass executions on Saturday, the Saudi government executed three more people on the same day that Johnson landed in Riyadh. UK rights group Reprieve called it a “provocative act” that sought to “flaunt the Crown Prince’s power.”
Prince Salman has also received criticism for his alleged involvement in the assassination of American-Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018. While the Saudi government denied any involvement in the incident, a United Nations (UN) investigation has shown that the state was responsible for the “deliberate, premeditated execution.” MBS, however, has said that the assassination was carried out by rogue actors.