Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has ordered that a number of Egyptian citizens jailed in the kingdom be pardoned and released, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

The order came as the king arrived in Egypt to attend a joint conference of the European Union and League of Arab States LAS summit, which is set to start in the Rea Sea resort of Sharm El-Shiekh on Sunday.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the Egyptian prisoners to be pardoned were involved “in a number of different cases in accordance with the relevant rules and procedures in force or in violation of the rules of residency who are unable to pay the legally prescribed fines so that they can return to their country.”

The SPA noted that Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi “valued this noble gesture” which reflects “the great attention paid by the kingdom’s leadership to Egypt’s government and people.”

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi received Saudi Arabia's King Salman on Saturday afternoon at Sharm El-Sheikh airport, ahead of the first joint summit of Arab League and European Union leaders.

An official reception ceremony was held for Salman upon his arrival, Egypt's state news agency MENA reported.

A total of 24 leaders from the bloc’s 28 member states, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May, as well as the leaders of 21 Arab countries, will take part.

Other Arab leaders who arrived in Sharm El-Sheikh Saturday include the presidents of Yemen, Palestine, Tunisia, Morocco and Somalia.