Saudi crown prince to visit Egypt, Jordan ahead of Türkiye

RIYADH

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman begins a regional tour today in Egypt that will also take him to Türkiye to bolster regional ties, a Saudi diplomat said.

After Cairo, Prince Mohammed, Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, will travel to Jordan and then on to Türkiye, the diplomat said.

During the tour, he will discuss “regional and international files and the future of international cooperation,” he said, adding that investment and energy deals are due to be signed.

Turkish President Tayyip Recep Erdoğan announced on June 17 that Prince Mohammed would be visiting Türkiye on June 22.

It would be the Saudi royal’s first visit to Türkiye since the brutal killing of Saudi insider-turned-critic Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul, which shocked the world and dealt a heavy blow to ties between the regional rivals.

The visit, following one by Erdoğan to Saudi Arabia in April, would seal efforts to heal ties between the two countries.

The Saudi diplomat said Prince Mohammed was also expected to visit Greece, Cyprus and Algeria, “probably in late July.”

The Saudi government has yet to confirm the crown prince’s upcoming trips.