Members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the United States announced on Saturday that they would provide $11 billion to overcome regional and international food security challenges.
The United States welcomed the “decision of the Arab Coordination Group (ACG), which includes 10 Arab and national institutions specialized in financial development, to provide a minimum of $10 billion in response to food security challenges”, according to the official Saudi news agency, SPA, which cited a statement by the GCC and the United States following a US-Arab summit in the Saudi city of Jeddah.
The statement said GCC countries welcomed the U.S. announcement of new short- and long-term food security assistance for the Middle East and North Africa region.
The GCC also expressed appreciation for “the creation of Combined Task Force 153 and Task Force 59, which will enhance joint defense coordination between GCC member states and U.S. Central Command to better monitor maritime threats.” and to improve naval defenses using the latest technologies and systems,” he added.
US President Joe Biden concluded a four-day trip to the Middle East region on Saturday that included stops in Saudi Arabia, Israel and the West Bank.
The tour is seen as an attempt to assert American leadership in the region against Russia and China.
A summit was held on Saturday and brought together Biden, the leaders of the GCC countries, Egypt, Iraq and Jordan.