Ahmed Atef, Hoda Jassim (Capitals)
Today, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is hosting the “Jeddah Summit for Security and Development” in Jeddah, which was called by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and the United States of America.
The Bahraini Royal Court announced that King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa will leave today for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to lead the Bahrain delegation to the Jeddah Summit for Security and Development.
According to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), the representative of the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and the Crown Prince, Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, is heading to the Kingdom to participate in the summit, while the Omani News Agency confirmed that Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, Sultan of Oman, assigned the Deputy Prime Minister for Relations International cooperation and the Special Representative of the Sultan, Asaad bin Tariq Al Said, to participate in the work of the summit.
For his part, the Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Nayef Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf, stressed the importance of convening the Jeddah Summit for Security and Development, which kicks off today in Jeddah, at the invitation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Al-Hajraf stressed what this summit represents as a regional and international platform to address security issues, challenges, areas of development and aspirations, and to integrate efforts towards enhancing stability and prosperity in the region and the world, especially in light of the accelerating challenges it is witnessing at all levels and fields.
He valued the initiative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, led by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his Crown Prince, to call for this summit, which reflects the pioneering role of the Kingdom, which this year chairs the current session of the Supreme Council of the Cooperation Council.
He stressed the GCC’s belief in its constructive and pivotal role as a basic pillar of security and stability in the region and as a leading model for comprehensive development, an engine for the economy and a partner towards the future by strengthening its position and presence on the regional and international arenas.
Al-Hajraf expressed his aspiration that the Jeddah Summit for Security and Development would represent the launch of a new phase based on a common understanding of dealing with security and stability challenges and collective action, to cooperate in the areas of development and prosperity to achieve common goals and build the future.
Meanwhile, King Abdullah II of Jordan is participating today in the Jeddah Security and Development Summit, which he arrives at from the United States, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.
The summit, which brings together the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the United States, Egypt and Iraq, in addition to Jordan, will discuss regional and international developments, and ways to expand cooperation between the participating countries, especially in the economic fields, food security, energy and water.
On the sidelines of the summit, the Jordanian monarch will hold meetings with the participating leaders to discuss a number of regional issues, foremost of which is the Palestinian issue, as well as efforts to find political solutions to crises in the region and strengthen bilateral relations.
For his part, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi confirmed that the Jeddah conference will discuss prospects for cooperation in energy and climate change files.
Al-Kazemi said, during a press conference he held before leaving the capital, Baghdad, for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to participate in the summit, that Iraq seeks to zero problems and achieve balance in relations, and that it will not be a springboard to threaten any of the neighboring countries.
He stated that he would discuss with the US President the file of the strategic agreement in the aspects of health and the economy.
According to experts in political affairs, the issues of energy, food security, strengthening of US-Arab relations and stability of the region are at the top of the important files dealt with by the summit.
American political analyst Hadeel Owais told Al-Ittihad that the United States of America realizes the importance of strengthening its relations with the countries of the Middle East, particularly the Gulf states.
Ambassador Hassan Haridi, the former assistant foreign minister, says that the Jeddah summit is expected to discuss a number of important issues between America and the countries of the Middle East, and the issue of strengthening peace in the Arab region and facing security and economic challenges comes.
Haridi added to Al-Ittihad that the food security of the countries of the region will be discussed at the upcoming summit in light of an expected global food crisis, in addition to talking about the developments of the truce observed by the United Nations in Yemen and the humanitarian situation there.
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