Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, will not attend next week’s G7 summit in Canada, a senior diplomat said on Thursday.
The crown prince, widely known as MBS, did not give a reason for declining Canada’s invitation to the annual gathering, the diplomat said.
Saudi Arabia is not a G7 member but can be invited as a guest to its annual gathering, which will be held this year in Kananaskis in the Canadian Rockies, from June 15-17.
MBS Limits Overseas Travel
MBS has rarely travelled internationally in recent years, and declined an invitation to the G7 Summit in Italy last year.
He postponed a planned trip to Japan last year, citing concerns over the health of his father, King Salman.
Saudi Arabia’s government media office did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper, which first reported that MBS would not join this year’s gathering, said the development may ease tensions within Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal party, where some members of parliament were upset that an invitation had been extended to MBS.
The Saudi crown prince has come under heavy criticism for his country’s human rights record. The kingdom denies accusations of human rights abuses.
Leaders from Ukraine, Mexico, India, Australia, South Africa, South Korea and Brazil are expected to join for parts of the G7 Summit. U.S. President Donald Trump will also be in attendance.
G7 Summit 2025
Canada, as the current chair of the G7, is set to host the 2025 summit in the Rocky Mountains, bringing together leaders from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the European Union.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has outlined a three-pronged agenda focusing on global and community protection, strengthening energy security while accelerating the digital shift, and fostering strategic partnerships with non-G7 nations.
Among the high-profile invitees expected to join the summit are Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Summit Amid Global Challenges
This year’s summit takes place amid a host of global challenges. Tensions over U.S. trade tariffs under President Trump remain a major issue, with Canada eyeing the summit as an opportunity for progress on bilateral trade.
Other key topics include continued support for Ukraine, collaborative efforts on climate action and global security, and advancing governance around artificial intelligence and digital transformation.
In addition to the main agenda, Canada is planning robust security arrangements and a series of bilateral meetings.
These are expected to include talks between President Trump and EU and Japanese leaders, along with possible side discussions involving the AUKUS and Quad alliances.
(With inputs from Reuters)
