It is a mark of the historic ties between Saudi Arabia and the United States that the two nations have not allowed disagreements on tactics to overwhelm what essentially remains a shared strategic vision for the Middle East and the world.
There have been considerable moves on the diplomatic front to strengthen these bonds over the past few years as they have come under strain because of various crises in the region, including the conflagrations in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and elsewhere.
A prime example of these diplomatic efforts is the nine-day visit to the US by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is scheduled to meet President Barack Obama, several leading US political leaders and top businesspeople.
This is the prince’s third visit to America since becoming the deputy crown prince and head of the Council for Economic and Development Affairs. There have also been significant behind-the-scenes talks between Prince Mohammed and leading US officials before the current visit, highlighting the continued commitment to keeping lines of communication open.
Major items on the two nations’ agenda continue to be ensuring peace and security in the region and globally, particularly the fight against terrorism in all its guises. This is vital considering the attacks that have taken place around the world over the past five years, including the latest tragedy in Orlando that saw several people killed and maimed.
There has been widespread and in-depth coverage in the US media of the trip, which is a reflection of the intense desire by everyone to see an end to crises.
There is also likely to be serious discussions on the growing neo-imperialist designs of Iran in the region, particularly its backing of terrorist groups in Yemen, Syria and elsewhere. The Kingdom will continually urge the United States to take a more active role in tackling Iran.
The US State Department in June this year highlighted the threat posed by Tehran in its Country Reports on Terrorism 2015. Justin Siberell, acting coordinator for counterterrorism, said at a briefing in Washington that the United States was continuing efforts to “disrupt Iran’s support for terrorism.”
“Iran remains the leading state sponsor of terrorism globally. As explained in the report, Iran continues to provide support to Hezbollah, Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza, and various groups in Iraq and throughout the Middle East,” said Siberell.
“Confronting Iran’s destabilizing activities and its support for terrorism was a key element of our expanded dialogue with the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, following the leaders’ summit at Camp David in May of last year,” he said.
Another important aspect of the prince’s visit is the business and trade opportunities that will be explored, particularly in light of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy that seeks to reduce the country’s dependence on oil, and ensure income based on investments.
Prince Mohammed is expected to outline major investment opportunities for American firms during his visit. A report in the Washington Post this week highlighted the ambitious plan, which it described as “nothing short of a top-to-bottom rethink of how the Kingdom takes in money (more investments, new taxes) and how it spends it ...”
“The Saudi economic retooling began in April with plans to sell shares in the centerpiece of the Kingdom’s oil economy, the petro-giant Saudi Arabian Oil Co., universally known as Aramco. Then Prince Mohammed sketched out bold proposals to create the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, which could sink money into everything from property to business ventures worldwide,” the report stated.
“At the same time, the rulers want to trim costs. Possible moves include reducing some of the subsidies for Saudi citizens, such as low-cost water and electricity, and imposing more taxes and fees on the Kingdom’s extensive foreign workforce,” the report stated.
The Saudi Arabian General Authority for Statistics has revealed that trade between the two nations in the first quarter of 2016 amounted to SR30.4 billion, with the Kingdom’s exports at SR12.1 billion, representing 9 percent of its total exports, while imports were at SR18.3 billion.
Saudi Arabia is the 12th largest trading partner of the United States, which in turn is the second largest trading partner of the Kingdom. The United States also holds the largest share of stock in joint operations, include the Sadarah chemical company, a $20 billion joint venture between Dow Chemical Company and Saudi Aramco.
Saudi Arabia is an important partner of the United States, with the report in the Washington Post stating that the country holds $116.8 billion in United States debt. This shows how the two countries are inextricably linked, and how important it is for both sides to reach agreements on all fronts that are mutually beneficial.
There have been considerable moves on the diplomatic front to strengthen these bonds over the past few years as they have come under strain because of various crises in the region, including the conflagrations in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and elsewhere.
A prime example of these diplomatic efforts is the nine-day visit to the US by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is scheduled to meet President Barack Obama, several leading US political leaders and top businesspeople.
This is the prince’s third visit to America since becoming the deputy crown prince and head of the Council for Economic and Development Affairs. There have also been significant behind-the-scenes talks between Prince Mohammed and leading US officials before the current visit, highlighting the continued commitment to keeping lines of communication open.
Major items on the two nations’ agenda continue to be ensuring peace and security in the region and globally, particularly the fight against terrorism in all its guises. This is vital considering the attacks that have taken place around the world over the past five years, including the latest tragedy in Orlando that saw several people killed and maimed.
There has been widespread and in-depth coverage in the US media of the trip, which is a reflection of the intense desire by everyone to see an end to crises.
There is also likely to be serious discussions on the growing neo-imperialist designs of Iran in the region, particularly its backing of terrorist groups in Yemen, Syria and elsewhere. The Kingdom will continually urge the United States to take a more active role in tackling Iran.
The US State Department in June this year highlighted the threat posed by Tehran in its Country Reports on Terrorism 2015. Justin Siberell, acting coordinator for counterterrorism, said at a briefing in Washington that the United States was continuing efforts to “disrupt Iran’s support for terrorism.”
“Iran remains the leading state sponsor of terrorism globally. As explained in the report, Iran continues to provide support to Hezbollah, Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza, and various groups in Iraq and throughout the Middle East,” said Siberell.
“Confronting Iran’s destabilizing activities and its support for terrorism was a key element of our expanded dialogue with the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, following the leaders’ summit at Camp David in May of last year,” he said.
Another important aspect of the prince’s visit is the business and trade opportunities that will be explored, particularly in light of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy that seeks to reduce the country’s dependence on oil, and ensure income based on investments.
Prince Mohammed is expected to outline major investment opportunities for American firms during his visit. A report in the Washington Post this week highlighted the ambitious plan, which it described as “nothing short of a top-to-bottom rethink of how the Kingdom takes in money (more investments, new taxes) and how it spends it ...”
“The Saudi economic retooling began in April with plans to sell shares in the centerpiece of the Kingdom’s oil economy, the petro-giant Saudi Arabian Oil Co., universally known as Aramco. Then Prince Mohammed sketched out bold proposals to create the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, which could sink money into everything from property to business ventures worldwide,” the report stated.
“At the same time, the rulers want to trim costs. Possible moves include reducing some of the subsidies for Saudi citizens, such as low-cost water and electricity, and imposing more taxes and fees on the Kingdom’s extensive foreign workforce,” the report stated.
The Saudi Arabian General Authority for Statistics has revealed that trade between the two nations in the first quarter of 2016 amounted to SR30.4 billion, with the Kingdom’s exports at SR12.1 billion, representing 9 percent of its total exports, while imports were at SR18.3 billion.
Saudi Arabia is the 12th largest trading partner of the United States, which in turn is the second largest trading partner of the Kingdom. The United States also holds the largest share of stock in joint operations, include the Sadarah chemical company, a $20 billion joint venture between Dow Chemical Company and Saudi Aramco.
Saudi Arabia is an important partner of the United States, with the report in the Washington Post stating that the country holds $116.8 billion in United States debt. This shows how the two countries are inextricably linked, and how important it is for both sides to reach agreements on all fronts that are mutually beneficial.
