Riyadh confirms its partnership with Egypt and strengthens its relations with Jordan ahead of Biden’s trip to the region | Atalayar

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is on a diplomatic tour to several countries in the region in an attempt to strengthen relations. The first leg of this trip was Egypt, where the de facto Saudi leader arrived on Monday evening to meet President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

Après une cérémonie d’accueil à l’aéroport du Caire qui a reflété la cordialité entre les deux hommes, Bin Salman et Al-Sisi ont discuté de questions d’intérêt commun et de sujets liés à leurséré auxiliaries la capitalsé bilat Egyptian. at the end of the meeting, The two leaders signed 14 deals worth $7.7 billionAccording to Reuters

Saudi Arabia and conservative Egypt Close strategic cooperation In many areas. This visit, in the words of the Saudi ambassador in Cairo, Osama bin Ahmed Al-Naqli, “is an extension of an unbroken path of partnership and consultation,” and “consolidates and celebrates the ties that have been strengthened over the years,” according to an Arab report. News.

📹 | Arrival of HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman # Cairo Welcomed by the chief #EgyptAnd the Tweet embed. 🇸🇦🇪🇬
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– Ministry of Foreign Affairs 🇸🇦 (KSAmofaEN) June 20 2022

The meeting’s agenda includes regional and international issues. Including the war in Ukraine and its economic impact on the Middle East. Egypt – the world’s largest wheat importer – is one of the countries most at risk of food insecurity caused by conflict, with Russia and Ukraine accounting for 80% of the country’s total imports in 2021. Last March, a month after Russia invaded Ukraine, bread prices soared And its components such as flour by 15%. For this reason, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly chose to fix the selling prices of unsubsidized bread for the next few months.

On the other hand, Saudi Arabia has come under heavy pressure from the West Increase oil production To counter the rise in fuel prices due to the war.

Therefore, Mohammed bin Salman’s trip comes at a crucial time for the Middle East. As international relations expert Tarek Al-Bardisi explained to the Egyptian media, Echo Al-Balad, the region is facing Unprecedented political and economic challenges in the context of the Ukrainian crisis.

He said, “The aim of Mohammed bin Salman’s visit is to confirm the strength and steadfastness of Egypt and Saudi Arabia in facing this conflict, and this is the context of global turmoil.” As Al-Bardisi points out, energy capabilities from both countries. On the one hand, Riyadh and oil, and on the other hand, Cairo’s potential to export gas from the Mediterranean. For this reason, the expert says, President Joe Biden is focusing on the region “because he needs all the wealth that these countries have.” Biden is scheduled to visit the region in July. During this trip, Biden will participate in a meeting with a number of regional leaders, including bin Salman and Sisi.

Arrival of HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman # Cairo Welcomed by the chief #EgyptAnd the Tweet embed. 🇸🇦🇪🇬 pic.twitter.com/KSAQ1irhN8

– Ministry of Foreign Affairs 🇸🇦 (KSAmofaEN) June 20 2022

The economy is a key to overcoming the differences between Riyadh and Oman

After meeting at the presidential palace in Cairo, bin Salman heads to Jordan for talks with King Abdullah II. The visit of the Saudi prince to Oman aims to improve relations between the two kingdoms after several years of tension around it Guardianship of the Holy Places in Jerusalem and the Case of the King’s Half-BrotherHamza bin Hussein accused of attempting a coup against the king.

First, the alleged long-awaited rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia has raised concerns in Oman about the future of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the holy city, as well as other sites sacred to Muslims and Christians. The Jordanian royal family has been responsible for their protection since 1994When Israel and Jordan signed an agreement stating that Amman would be the custodian of these holy sites.

However, in recent years, several reports revealed Riyadh’s desire to control Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem. As a senior PA official admitted to Al-Monitor in 2018, Riyadh was making “a lot of efforts that year to remove Jordanian guardianship over the holy sites in Jerusalem.”

In addition to this dispute, Saudi-Jordanian relations were affected by the attempted coup against Abdullah II. Reports indicate the involvement of Basem Awadallah, the former head of the Jordanian Royal Court Former advisor to Mohammed bin Salmanin the failed coup.

However, this visit aims to Defuse tensions and improve bilateral relations ahead of Biden’s trip to the region. “King Abdullah will most likely be interested in a personal pledge from bin Salman not to interfere in Jordan’s domestic politics, particularly within the royal family,” analyst Aaron Majed was quoted by the Jerusalem Post as saying.

In this rapprochement, as is the case with other countries that seek to strengthen their relations with Riyadh, Economy plays a major role. “The tangible way for Riyadh to strengthen relations with Jordan is to increase economic aid to Amman, which suffers from cash flow problems,” Majed added. The Jordanian expert, Samar Muhareb, shares this opinion and tells the Israeli newspaper that a visit can do this “Provide relief from economic problems” due to the epidemic.

Also, the new phase between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, the country that bin Salman will visit after Jordan, is highly dependent on the economic issue due to the serious financial crisis affecting the Eurasian state.