Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Negotiations in the Gulf Cooperation Council Dr. Abdulaziz Hamad Al-Owaisheq, stressed on Friday that political, geopolitical and economic files would prevail over the Jeddah summit, in light of international tension resulting from the repercussions of the war in Ukraine and Iran’s destabilizing activity.
On the importance of US President Joe Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia, Al-Owaisheq told Asharq Al-Awsat: “Although the current situation is delicate, the visits of US presidents to the Kingdom and the meetings between the leaders of the two countries are familiar, given the historical relations that bind the two countries over nearly nine decades, since the signing of the first economic agreement between them in 1933, and the granting of oil concessions with American companies in the same year.”
He stressed that this historical dimension had a special importance, in light of a multifaceted international crisis.
The GCC assistant secretary-general explained that the war in Ukraine did not only impact security of the European continent, but had repercussions on the rest of the world, including the Gulf region and the Middle East, with a negative influence on the recovery of the global economy, energy and food security, high levels of inflation, and shortages in energy and food supplies.
The visit also comes at a time when the United States is engaged in a sharp political and economic competition with China, and needs all the tools of power to assert its presence at the international level, including restoring its role in the Gulf region and the Middle East, and confronting Iranian escalation in the wake of the failure of the nuclear talks, according to Al-Owaisheq.
“There are important political, security and economic files that the summit can address, including reaching a common vision for dealing with Iran, curbing its destabilizing activities in the region, and urging it to engage in peaceful solutions…” he said.
Al-Owaisheq stressed the importance for the United States to affirm its commitment to the security and stability of the region and to provide the necessary support to its partners there.
He also said that the two sides will emphasize the need for energy security and the stability of oil markets, noting that the US side was seeking to increase energy production and the region’s contribution to achieving energy security.
In addition, Al-Owaisheq emphasized that investments with the United States would gain special attention for countries of the region.
In this context, he pointed to the role of investment in enhancing cooperation, whether between rich states or less developed countries, to strengthen the economy, provide jobs, promote foreign exchange, transfer technology, and train the workforce.
