Saudi crown prince to visit key ally Egypt before tour of Britain and US
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will meet President Abdel Fattah El Sisi today as part of a three-day trip to Egypt.
Saudi Arabia has given Egypt billions of dollars in grants and soft loans, and free shipments of fuel worth tens of millions of dollars.
Riyadh counts Cairo among its Arab allies – Egypt supports the kingdom in a war against Iranbacked Houthi rebels in Yemen and joined a trade and diplomatic boycott of Qatar last year.
An Egyptian government source said on Thursday that Prince Mohammed’s choice of Egypt for his maiden overseas trip as crown prince “reaffirms Saudi-Egyptian co-operation at the highest level”.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s Supreme Court yesterday dismissed all legal challenges to transferring the Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia.
“The signature of the representative of the Egyptian state on the maritime borders agreement between the governments of Egypt and Saudi Arabia is undoubtedly an act of sovereignty,” the Supreme Court said in a statement, adding that approving the deal was down to Egypt’s legislative body.
The crown prince will travel next to London, on Wednesday, where Prime Minister Theresa May said she would welcome him.
“The partnership between the UK and Saudi Arabia already helps make both of our countries safer through intelligence-sharing, which has saved British lives, and more prosperous, with thousands of jobs created in the UK and substantial opportunities for British companies in Saudi Arabia,” Mrs May said.
“The visit of the crown prince will establish the platform for that relationship to become even stronger.”
The Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, will be a chaperone to Prince Mohammed for parts of the visit.
“Look forward to welcoming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the UK – an opportunity for constructive foreign policy discussions and to offer UK support for his programme of reforms to create a more inclusive and diverse Saudi Arabia,” Mr Johnson posted on Twitter.
Prince Mohammed is due to arrive in the United States on March 19 for an official visit that includes a meeting with the US President, Donald Trump, and key senior administration officials before heading to France in an effort to show the kingdom’s new foreign policy.