The invitations were extended to the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, along with Jordan and Egypt. The agenda will include topics related to joint Arab action, as well as a reconstruction plan for Gaza that may include $20 billion from the region.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has extended invitations to the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, along with Jordan and Egypt, for an informal meeting set to take place in Riyadh on Friday, according to reports.
The gathering aims to strengthen ties and bolster cooperation among the participating nations, continuing a tradition of periodic meetings among the GCC, Jordan, and Egypt. These discussions have long served as a platform for enhancing regional coordination on various pressing issues.
The source also revealed that the agenda will include topics related to joint Arab action, as well as discussions on decisions to be addressed at the upcoming Extraordinary Arab Summit. The summit is scheduled to take place in Egypt on March 4, where regional leaders are expected to tackle key challenges and further their collective goals.
The meeting is likely to cover the regional issues and wars in Gaza and Ukraine. The leaders are expected to discuss a reconstruction plan for Gaza that may include $20 billion from the region for reconstruction, Arab News reported.
The Arab proposal involves forming a national Palestinian committee to govern Gaza and international participation in reconstruction without displacing Palestinians abroad. The plan see reconstruction taking place over a three-year period, sources said, according to Arab News.
Egypt said Tuesday that it will host an emergency Arab summit on March 4 to discuss plans to rebuild the Gaza Strip without displacing its Palestinian inhabitants.
The summit follows a proposal by US President Donald Trump to take over Gaza and resettle its Palestinian inhabitants after Israel’s genocidal war to develop it into what he called “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
Last week, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi confirmed that his country is preparing a “comprehensive” plan to rebuild Gaza without displacing Palestinians.
Trump’s plan for Palestinian resettlement has been rejected by the Arab world and many other nations, who say it amounts to ethnic cleansing.
The controversial idea came amid the ceasefire agreement that took effect in Gaza on Jan. 19, halting Israel’s genocidal war, which has killed at least 48,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.
Meanwhile, recently in Johannesburg, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with his counterparts from the UK, China, Australia, and France separately in Johannesburg on Thursday.
On the sidelines of a meeting of G20 foreign ministers held for the first time in Africa, Prince Faisal discussed regional and international developments with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
With Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Prince Faisal discussed intensifying coordination on issues of common interest. Ways to enhance and develop joint relations were reviewed by Prince Faisal and his Australian counterpart Penny Wong.
Prince Faisal also discussed regional developments and efforts made to achieve stability and peace in the region with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot.
Earlier this week, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman received U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at Al-Yamamah Palace. The meeting underlined the strong ties between Saudi Arabia and the United States, with discussions focused on enhancing bilateral relations and addressing regional and global issues.
During their talks, both leaders explored opportunities to further cooperation in various fields and exchanged views on pressing regional and international developments. Efforts to bolster security and stability in the region were a central theme of the discussions.
The meeting was attended by key Saudi officials, including Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Ambassador to the U.S.; Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, Minister of State and National Security Adviser; and Dr. Bandar bin Obaid Al-Rasheed, Secretary to the Crown Prince.
On the U.S. side, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Alison Dilworth, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Andrew Peek, Senior Adviser to the Secretary of State Michael Needham, and Director of Policy Planning Michael Anton were part of the delegation.
ALSO READ: Russian Officials in Saudi to Set Stage for Trump-Putin Meet
ALSO READ: Trump’s Dealmaker in Saudi for Controversial Gaza Plan
