Biden Aide Discusses Yemen with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince

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Facts

  • US national security adviser Jake Sullivan met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday to discuss what the White House called "significant progress" in Yemen peace efforts as negotiations between the kingdom and the Houthi rebels progress.1
  • Sullivan also held joint talks with Salman, United Arab Emirates national security adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al-Nahyan, and India’s national security adviser Ajit Doval “to advance their shared vision of a more secure and prosperous Middle East region interconnected with India and the world,” according to the White House.2
  • The White House statement also added that Sullivan thanked the crown prince for Saudi support extended to US citizens escaping the fighting in Sudan which started last month.3
  • Regarding Yemen, Sullivan highlighted the now 15-month-long truce with the Iran-aligned Houthis that has significantly calmed fighting on the ground. He also welcomed the ongoing UN-led efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict, which has killed tens of thousands of people and left millions on the verge of starvation.4
  • Washington's relationship with Saudi Arabia has been strained in recent years, especially after US Pres. Biden criticized the Kingdom for its human rights record and oil policies in the wake of the war in Ukraine and the increase in petroleum prices.5
  • A senior Israeli security official said on Friday that Israel was hoping for a breakthrough in efforts to normalize its ties with Saudi Arabia during Sullivan's visit there, but no mention of Israel was made in official statements.3

Sources: 1Reuters, 2Al Jazeera, 3France 24, 4LBCIV7, and 5Associated Press.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Al Arabiya English. The steps being made toward peace in Yemen are a sign of real progress, as the US and Saudi Arabia have worked together to end the conflict and alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people. Though relations between the Kingdom and the Biden admin. have been strained, cooperation is still occurring. With proper diplomacy, a permanent settlement can hopefully be reached in the near future by these two longtime allies.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by The Cradle. The only role that the US has played in Yemen has been enabling Saudi war crimes and obstructing the peace process. The US seeks to keep the region divided and unstable, as that makes dominating it far more straightforward. Peace can be achieved in Yemen, but such peace must be made outside of US hegemonic geopolitics.
  • Pro-China narrative, as provided by The Conversation. Though there is much talk regarding Washington's role in finding a political settlement in Yemen, it might be China that ultimately holds the keys to an agreement that ends the war. Chinese diplomacy has already created a détente between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and the next step could be ending regional conflicts like the one in Yemen. The US may have to step aside and let the PRC mediate the region's conflicts.