On Friday, a senior delegation from the United States visited Saudi Arabia to discuss energy and security matters. This is the most senior U.S. delegation to visit the country since it announced a large crude oil production cut in the fall of last year. The delegation included White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, Brett McGurk, and Coordinator for Global Infrastructure and Energy Security, Amos Hochstein. They met with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, to discuss issues such as the conflict in Yemen, Saudi-Iran relations, and energy.
Relations between Saudi Arabia and the United States have been tense in recent years, particularly after the U.S. withdrew its support for the Saudi-led offensive in the Yemen conflict and the murder of Saudi journalist and dissident Jamal Khashoggi. However, energy concerns prompted the U.S. President Joe Biden to change strategies when Saudi Arabia and the UAE refused to increase crude oil production to bring down prices.
The delegation also met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss ending the war in Yemen and clean energy cooperation, among other topics. The visit comes just a week after OPEC+ announced a surprise oil production cut of an additional 1.6 million barrels per day, which may have prompted the Biden Administration to send the delegation.
While the U.S.-Saudi Arabia relationship has been strained in recent years, it remains an important one in the Middle East. The U.S. is Saudi Arabia's top arms supplier and a key partner in the region. As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout, the importance of energy security and cooperation between the two countries cannot be overstated. It is clear that the U.S. sees Saudi Arabia as a critical partner in its efforts to address energy security issues and regional conflicts.
In conclusion, the visit of the senior U.S. delegation to Saudi Arabia underscores the importance of the U.S.-Saudi Arabia relationship in addressing energy security and regional security concerns. While tensions between the two countries have been high in recent years, energy concerns have brought the two countries back to the negotiating table. It remains to be seen how the relationship between the two countries will develop going forward, but it is clear that energy security will be a key factor in any future discussions.
inputs from // Oilprice
