The US welcomed on Sunday women's participation in the first municipal elections to be held in the kingdom.

"We congratulate the many men and women across the country who won seats and applaud the nearly 1000 women who ran and participated as candidates," US State Department spokesman John Kirby said .

The participation of women represents an important step forward in Saudi Arabia toward a more inclusive electoral process that will ensure all citizens are represented in a government accountable to all Saudi citizens, he said.

"As we have long said, the inclusion of all citizens in voting and governance is critical to the prosperity, stability, and peace of all nations, and we welcome this historic milestone."