US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed next week as he makes stops in Israel, Palestine, Morocco and Algeria, the State Department said Thursday.
Blinken will start his trip in Israel and Palestine, where he’ll meet top officials from both sides.
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He will underscore Washington’s commitment to Israel’s security while discussing the need to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
State Department Spokesman Ned Price said Blinken would also discuss Iran’s destabilizing activities.
US President Joe Biden’s campaign promise to reopen the US consulate in Jerusalem will “certainly be a topic of discussion” in his meetings in Israel and Palestine, Acting Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Yael Lampert told reporters in a phone call Thursday.
Blinken will then fly to Morocco to meet with the country’s top officials.
“While in Rabat, the Secretary will also meet Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss regional security and international developments,” Price said.
For her part, Lampert said that Iran, Yemen, Syria, global energy markets and Ethiopia would be among the topics Blinken would discuss with Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince.
“This is a valued and really important, strategic relationship for us. And it's an opportune moment for this meeting; there's a lot to discuss,” Lampert said.
On the last leg of his trip, Blinken will head to Algeria. While in Algiers, Blinken will inaugurate the United States as the Country of Honor at the Algiers International Trade Fair, the largest trade show of its kind in Africa.
“During the course of his trip, the Secretary will emphasize to all of the foreign leaders he meets that the United States stands in solidarity with the government and people of Ukraine in the face of the Kremlin’s aggression,” Price said. “We will continue to work closely with our allies and partners to impose further costs on Putin and his enablers if Putin does not change course.”
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