Foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) met on Wednesday in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh ahead of the visit of US President Donald Trump, as he is scheduled to attend the GCC-US Summit and Arab-Islamic-US Summit on Sunday.

The meeting, which was chaired by Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed al-Khalifa, discussed topics that will be reviewed at the summits, as well as current regional issues and how GCC countries can strengthen cooperation to combat against terrorism.

Hani Farid Wofaa, a Saudi Arabian political analyst believes that Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia not only reflects the importance of Middle East issues to him, but he also wants to fix the cracks between the US and Gulf nations that appeared during the Obama administration.

“The previous administration of the United States did not attach enough importance to Arab countries, especially to the Middle East situation. But the new government led by Trump is very different, as it hopes to engage in regional affairs and thinks it can solve the current issues, which is what Saudi Arabia wants to see,” said Wofaa.

Earlier this month the White House announced that the US President Donald Trump to visit Saudi Arabia on May 23, making the kingdom as his first foreign trip as head of the United States.

Trump said he would begin to construct a new foundation to combat “terrorism” in the trip.

“My first foreign trip as president of the United States will be to Saudi Arabia, then Israel, and then to a place that my cardinals love very much, Rome,” Trump said.

On Thursday Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir praised Saudi Arabia’s "historic" ties with Washington and “expected” commercial and political deals to be signed during Trump’s visit to the kingdom.

Trump’s visit will “reinforce historic partnership” between Saudi Arabia and the United States, Jubeir said during a press conference he held Thursday

The Arab-Islamic-American Summit, which will be attended by 37 leaders, will focus on combating terrorism, trade, investment, youth and technology, Jubeir said.

(With Reuters)

Last Update: Wednesday, 20 May 2020 KSA 14:00 - GMT 11:00