TONY BADRAN
How President Donald Trump has been forthright about the actual drivers of American policy in the Middle East
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman landed in Algeria on Sunday for a two-day official visit focused on investment and trade between the two countries. Before arriving in Algiers, the crown prince made a stop in Mauritania earlier on Sunday, where he met with President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. The two officials discussed bilateral relations and ways to boost development in the region.
Prince Mohammed resumed his regional tour after attending the G-20 summit in Argentina. This is the prince’s first trip abroad in the aftermath of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and also included stops in Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Tunisia, where he was greeted by protesters. On the sidelines of the G-20 summit, Mohammed met on Saturday with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Read More
Saudi Arabia and Algeria signed on Monday five joint projects in various fields during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the country as part of his first tour abroad since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Prince Mohammed met with Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia for talks focused largely on bilateral trade and investment. The two later announced the establishment of a Supreme Council for Saudi-Algerian Coordination that will focus on political ties and counter-terrorism cooperation. Meanwhile, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika called off a meeting with the Saudi prince due to health reasons. Read More
Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj of Libya's UN-backed government met on Sundaywith Jordan’s King Abdullah II during a visit to the kingdom. The king is expected to host a reconciliation meeting between Sarraj and military strongman Khalifa Hifter, who leads the armed forces for the rival Tobruk-based eastern government. Hifter reportedly arrived in Jordan last week.
Meanwhile in Tripoli, protesters stormed government headquarters in Tripoli. The protesters are demanding their unpaid salaries as well as medical treatment for injuries sustained during clashes in Tripoli in August and in earlier confrontations. Read More