On 25 September 2026, Comendador Anthony Bailey, Hon Consul-General of His Majesty The King of Tonga to the Portuguese Republic, attended a reception in Lisbon marking the 96th National Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The reception, held at the InterContinental Lisbon, was hosted by H.E. Ali Al-Yousef, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Portuguese Republic since August 2026, and brought together members of the diplomatic corps, Portuguese authorities and other invited guests.
Saudi National Day commemorates the unification of the Kingdom under King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud and the proclamation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932.
The occasion also provided an opportunity to celebrate the friendly and developing relations between the Kingdom of Tonga and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Formal diplomatic relations between the two Kingdoms were established on 14 December 2020, following a decision by His Majesty in Council in Tonga in November 2020. The Joint Communiqué establishing relations was signed at the Permanent Mission of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations in New York by H.E. Viliami Vaʻinga Tōnē, then Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Tonga to the United Nations, and H.E. Abdallah Y. Al-Mouallimi, then Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations.
Relations have subsequently developed through high-level exchanges and cooperation. On 1 December 2022, Tonga’s then Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, H.E. Fekitamoeloa Katoa Utoikamanu, was received in Riyadh by H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia. The two ministers reviewed bilateral cooperation and ways of strengthening relations between the two Kingdoms, as well as regional and international developments.
Relations received further impetus during the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, hosted by Tonga in Nukuʻalofa in August 2024. H.E. Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Cabinet Member and Climate Envoy, attended the meeting representing H.R.H. Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
On 28 August 2024, H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir delivered a written message from H.R.H. the Crown Prince to Tonga’s then Prime Minister, Hon. Huʻakavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni. Their discussions included bilateral relations and opportunities to increase cooperation in the fields of environment and climate.
During the same visit, H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir met H.R.H. Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala. He conveyed greetings from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and H.R.H. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to His Majesty King Tupou VI. The meeting provided a further opportunity to review relations and ways of strengthening cooperation between the two Kingdoms.
Saudi Arabia has also supported development in Tonga including assistance towards the establishment of a National Museum for Tonga, an important project for the preservation and presentation of the Kingdom’s history and cultural heritage.
The National Day reception held particular personal significance for the Consul-General, whose association with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia extends over back to 1995.
As Chairman of Painting & Patronage, Anthony Bailey has been closely involved in cultural and artistic initiatives promoting dialogue and exchange between Saudi Arabia, Europe and the wider international community. He has also served as Special Counsel to H.R.H. Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Governor of the Makkah Region, a distinguished Saudi statesman, artist, poet and longstanding patron of cultural and artistic exchange.
These longstanding personal and cultural connections complement the developing official relationship between the Kingdoms of Tonga and Saudi Arabia and the growing dialogue between Saudi Arabia and the Pacific region.
On the occasion of the 96th National Day, the Consul-General extended his warm congratulations and best wishes to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud; H.R.H. Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister; H.E. Ambassador Ali Al-Yousef who commences his new diplomatic mission and the Government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Links and social media
- Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Portugal — Official website
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Press Agency
- Consulate-General of the Kingdom of Tonga in Portugal — Website
- Consulate-General of the Kingdom of Tonga in Portugal — Instagram @tongainportugal
- Anthony Bailey — Instagram @anthonybaileyeu
- Facebook — His Majesty’s Diplomatic Services
#Tonga #TongaInPortugal #SaudiArabia #SaudiNationalDay #TongaSaudiArabia
