JEDDAH: The secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Hissein Brahim Taha, held talks with the EU ambassador to the Saudi Arabia, and its special representative to the OIC, Patrick Simonnet, in Jeddah on Tuesday. During the meeting, the pair discussed the constructive dialogue between the OIC and the EU, and the fruitful cooperation between them in various fields, stressing the desire to strengthen relations. They also exchanged views on a number of issues of common interest, including the Palestinian cause, Afghan crisis, the situation in the Sahel countries, Lake Chad, issues facing Muslim communities and minorities, Islamophobia and hate crimes. Relations between Saudi Arabia and the EU and its member states are decades old and are becoming increasingly close. The last two years have, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, seen an unprecedentedly high level of visits by European heads of state, foreign ministers and the EU high representative to Riyadh, along with visits by many Saudi ministers and officials to European capitals.