Riyadh: HH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud emphasized that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires a stabilized and safe environment, given the challenges besetting the region. In his inaugural remarks before the GCC-US Summit, which kicked off Wednesday in Riyadh and which he co-chaired with US President Donald Trump, the Saudi Crown Prince affirmed that the Gulf nations, collectively and in collaboration with the United States of America, are committed to de-escalating tensions in the region, ending the war in Gaza, and finding an enduring and comprehensive solution for the Palestinian cause based on the Arab Peace Initiative and the relevant international resolutions.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Saudi Crown Prince added that their move is intended to achieve security and peace for the peoples of the region, confirming that they are committed to supporting everything that would end crises and cease conflict through peaceful means. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to encourage dialogue among the Yemeni parties to reach a comprehensive political solution in Yemen, along with the efforts to end the crisis in Sudan through the Jeddah Platform, which is jointly sponsored by Saudi Arabia and the United States, with the objective of reaching a full ceasefire in Sudan, the Saudi Crown Prince underlined.
He stressed the importance of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic and supporting the efforts undertaken by the Syrian government to achieve security and stability. The decision taken by the US President to remove sanctions on the Syrian Arab Republic is commendable and would mitigate the suffering of the brotherly people of Syria and open a new chapter toward growth and prosperity, he highlighted.
The Saudi Crown Prince reaffirmed the support spearheaded by the Lebanese President and the Lebanese government for the state institutions' reform efforts, to ensure the exclusive authority of the state over the use of force, and to safeguard Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He welcomed the ceasefire deal between Pakistan and India and hoped that it would contribute to containing the escalation and restoring calm between the two countries.
Today's meeting with the US President comes as an extension of the historic bilateral relationship and strategic partnership between the Gulf nations and the United States of America, which has thrived throughout the past decades, becoming a model for cooperation, the Crown Prince underlined. He stated that the summit underscores the keenness to collectively work together to reinforce ties and expand and advance the strategic partnership to meet the aspirations of the Gulf nations and peoples.
The GCC-US Summit, convened with HE the US President Donald Trump in 2017, emphasized the importance of bolstering the security of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, protecting their interests, combating terrorism and driving terrorist groups out of existence, enhancing the military, security, and defense capabilities of the GCC states, confronting multiple threats, in addition to addressing regional and global challenges with a shared vision to achieve regional and global security, he stressed.
The Saudi Crown Prince pointed out that the GCC states share the US belief in the significance of economic partnership and trade cooperation, emphasizing that the United States is a key trade and investment partner for the GCC states, with the volume of trade exchange between the GCC states and the United States reaching approximately USD 120 billion in 2024. They look forward to working with the United States of America for trade exchange, cementing the economic relationship, and elevating new apertures to benefit from opportunities and cooperation in all fields to achieve the shared interests, he said.
Concluding his statements, the Saudi Crown Prince underlined that today's summit confirms the keenness to continue the collaboration and coordination toward regional and global issues, in acknowledgment of its importance in energizing support, security, and stability in the region and beyond. He hoped that the summit would achieve its shared objectives to serve the interests of growth, welfare, and progress for the peoples.