Saudi Arabia's nod to SCO.

As the Kingdom steadily treads its path in line with Vision 2030, it won't stop startling those less vigilant watchers who trumpet stereotypes instead of more nuanced analyses.

The Cabinet's approval of Saudi Arabia's partnership with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization did not happen out of the blue. A meticulous process coupled with multiple bilateral and multilateral contacts has been afoot for the past four years.

Riyadh applied for SCO dialogue partner status in 2019, which was formally approved in September 2021 and officially granted...