Riyadh — US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, India’s NSA Ajit Doval, and UAE’s NSA Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Riyadh, confirming reports that the three Asian nations are cooperating to build a significant railway network.
The US is reportedly contemplating plans for the railway network as one of its primary initiatives in the Middle East to offset China’s expanding influence in the region, according to a story published on Friday by the American news website Axios.
According to a transcript from the White House, the meeting was held “in Saudi Arabia to advance their shared vision of a more secure and prosperous Middle East region interconnected with India and the world”.
According to two anonymous individuals who spoke to Axios, the significant cooperative infrastructure project would connect the Arab nations via a network of railways and India via shipping channels from ports in the region. The project will be one of many subjects covered during the visit, a US official told the media outlet.
The sources claim that during discussions held over the previous 18 months in another group dubbed I2U2, which consists of the US, Israel, the UAE, and India, the concept for the new endeavor was presented. The administration of President Joe Biden broadened the concept to include Saudi Arabia.
When speaking on Thursday at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Sullivan made a passing reference to the program when he said: “If you remember nothing else from my speech, remember I2U2, because you will be hearing more about it as we move forward”.
According to the briefing of Sullivan’s travel to Saudi Arabia, “With Crown Prince Mohammed, he reviewed significant progress in talks to further consolidate the now 15-month-long ceasefire in Yemen and welcomed ongoing UN-led efforts to bring the war to an end, as well as covering a range of other issues”.
Sullivan praised the Crown Prince for Saudi Arabia’s assistance in assisting US citizens fleeing Sudan. The four delegations decided to continue their regular discussions and follow up on the issues raised all day.
