Joe Biden to visit Saudi Arabia next month, attend GCC summit

US President Joe Biden will visit Saudi Arabia on July 15 and 16 upon the invitation of King Salman, Saudi Press Agency reported.

The US president will meet with the king and his Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “to discuss areas of bilateral cooperation as well as joint efforts to address regional and global challenges.” 

A statement from the White House said that Biden will also attend a Summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council plus Egypt, Iraq and Jordan while in the Kingdom.

“The President appreciates King Salman’s leadership and his invitation. He looks forward to this important visit to Saudi Arabia, which has been a strategic partner of the United States for nearly eight decades,” the statement read.

While in Saudi Arabia, the US leader will discuss a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues. These include support to the UN-mediated truce in Yemen, which has led to the most peaceful period there since war began seven years ago, the White House added.

“He will also discuss means for expanding regional economic and security cooperation, including new and promising infrastructure and climate initiatives, as well as deterring threats from Iran, advancing human rights, and ensuring global energy and food security,” the statement said. 

The US leader will begin his travel in Israel, where he will meet with Israeli leaders to discuss Israel’s security, prosperity, and its increasing integration into the greater region, the White House statement said.

He will also visit the “West Bank to consult with the Palestinian Authority and to reiterate his strong support for a two-state solution, with equal measures of security, freedom, and opportunity for the Palestinian people.”

SOURCE: ARAB NEWS