CAIRO – Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi will travel to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday on his first official trip abroad since being sworn in, a move suggesting the Islamist leader wants to reassure the kingdom that strong relations are a priority.

Some Saudi officials are believed to have supported Morsi's former electoral rival, a former prime minister and ex-military general, in hopes of continuing the warm relationship once shared with Egypt's ousted leader Hosni Mubarak.

Egypt's official news agency MENA said Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah invited Morsi "to strengthen relations." The announcement came after Morsi met with Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Egypt on Saturday.