RIYADH: US President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia this week is key to global stability and prosperity, the Kingdom’s ambassador to the US has said.
Princess Reema bint Bandar highlighted the enduring relationship between Saudi Arabia and the US as the president arrives in the Kingdom on Tuesday, his first state visit during his second stint in the White House.

“It is a moment pivotal for global peace, security and prosperity,” Princess Reema wrote in the Washington Times. “Today, as the world navigates new challenges and conflicts, that partnership is more critical than ever.”

Princess Reema, who presented her credentials to Trump in 2019 when assuming her role as ambassador, said the two nation’s alliance is “not just history; it is a reimagined future.”

Just before his last visit, Saudi Arabia had just embarked on major national reforms, known as Saudi Vision 2030, a mission that would impact every part of society and set the Kingdom on a stronger path to the future.

Nearly eight years after he made the Kingdom his first ever state visit, “Trump will step off Air Force One to find the Vision becoming a reality,”  Princess Reema wrote.

“As we proudly open our doors to Mr. Trump and his delegation, we look to highlight the tremendous journey our nation has undertaken and the new heights our relationship with the U.S. has reached, now including sectors such as manufacturing, technology, cybersecurity and even space exploration.”

The diplomat highlighted the real progress the Kingdom has made in a number of vital indicators.

“Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy now contributes 50% to the country’s real gross domestic product, marking a historic milestone. Saudi women make up nearly 40% of our workforce, with many in leadership positions, enjoying the same rights as men, including equal pay. Young Saudis are experiencing a renaissance in arts, entertainment, sports and science, all while preserving our proud cultural heritage. This is a new Saudi Arabia, open to the world, and we invite Americans to look more closely.”

The president is expected to take part in the Saudi-US Investment Forum, an invitation-only event to be held at Riyadh’s Ritz-Carlton hotel on Tuesday.

It has been reported that business figures like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Larry Fink are poised to attend, while Arab News sources reveal that about 15 Saudi ministers and top-level officials will be present, as well as the CEOs of some of the Kingdom’s biggest companies and giga-projects, in addition to hundreds of business ‘big-wigs’ from both countries.

“The Saudi Arabia that Mr. Trump will visit is investing billions of dollars in fostering new economic sectors such as tourism, artificial intelligence, clean energy, culture and sports. It is a dynamic society where youths are pioneering the future and women are at the forefront of the Vision,” the ambassador said.

Princess Reema said that sustainable partnership begins with reciprocity.

“The crown prince’s pledge of investing $600 billion in the United States over the next four years promises mutual prosperity that aligns with our diversification goals under Vision 2030 and Mr. Trump’s goals for economic growth.”

At the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, Trump hinted at even greater ambitions. He suggested he would ask the Saudi crown prince to raise the investment target to $1 trillion, describing it as a natural extension of a robust and trusted partnership.

Saudi Economy Minister Faisal Alibrahim confirmed at the forum that the $600 billion pledge encompassed both government-led procurement and private-sector investment in key areas such as defense, energy, infrastructure and technology.

In 2017, the countries signed a number of investment agreements worth about $400 billion.

Princess Reema also said the two nations’ collaboration has been important for dealing with global crises.

Amid an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape, leadership and alliances are more vital than ever, she wrote.

“Almost every major global challenge is being addressed with urgency through collaboration and a strong Saudi-U.S. alliance. From conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip to stability in Syria and Sudan, Saudi Arabia is playing a critical role in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges. Partnership with the United States is essential to success.”

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said this week Washington had pushed for a ceasefire between Pakistan and India over fears the latest military confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbors could turn into a “filthy” all-out war. 

India and Pakistan engaged in four days of armed conflict last week, the worst between them since 1999, pounding each other with fighter aircraft, missiles, drones and artillery fire. The conflict erupted after weeks of tensions over an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22 that India blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad denies involvement.

India struck multiple Pakistani cities on Wednesday with missiles, claiming it had targeted “terrorist” camps in response to the April 22 attack. Islamabad said 31 civilians were killed in the assault and vowed to retaliate, saying it had shot down five Indian fighter jets. Things came to a head on Saturday morning, when Pakistan said India had attacked three bases, and it struck back with attacks on multiple bases in India including a missile storage site in India’s north.

Hours later, US President Donald Trump announced he had brokered a ceasefire between the two states, calming fears of an all-out war.

Speaking to American news channel CNN in his first interview since the ceasefire, Dar said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told him on May 10 that India was ready to stop the fighting.

“After having seen our escalation, rather our counter-escalation in defense, I think certain capitals, particularly the US, realized it could be a really filthy next moves,” Dar said in the interview which aired on Monday night.

When asked what drove India to agree to a ceasefire, Dar said New Delhi must have realized “how serious the damage was on their side” after Islamabad dealt heavy losses to the Indian military in air combat and on the ground. 

“I’m sure they would have realized that they had miscalculated,” he added. 

Pakistan’s military has said it targeted several Indian military sites on Saturday and destroyed an S-400 missile defense system as part of its retaliatory ‘Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos,’ which translates to “Wall of Lead” in Arabic. 

Speaking about the Indus Waters Treaty, which India has unilaterally suspended during the latest tensions, Dar reiterated Islamabad’s position that it would be considered an “act of war” if India diverted or stopped its flow of waters.

Brokered in 1960 by the World Bank, the IWT grants Pakistan rights to the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — for irrigation, drinking, and non-consumptive uses like hydropower, while India controls the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej — for unrestricted use but must not significantly alter their flow. 

India can use the western rivers for limited purposes such as power generation and irrigation, without storing or diverting large volumes, according to the agreement.

When asked whether the two countries would go to war again if the water-sharing treaty was not resolved, Dar said:

“There are certain times when you have to take some very serious decisions,” he said. “Now, let’s look forward positively. We want to take the whole process forward in an honorable way and with dignity for both sides.”

Pakistan and India have a history of bitter relations. They have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir, a region split between them, since gaining independence from British colonial rule in 1947. Both acquired nuclear weapons in 1998.