Doctors have advised Prince Mohammed not to travel, so he cannot attend the Arab Summit set for November 1 in Algiers, according to a statement released by the Saudi Embassy in Washington.
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, who is aged 37 and reportedly battling illness, will not be attending the upcoming summit in Algeria, according to the Algerian presidency.
There was no immediate response from Saudi Arabia concerning the health of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has quickly risen to prominence under King Salman, following comments from Algeria. In recent years, the Al Saud royal family has focused on King Salman’s health, with analysts suggesting that Prince Mohammed could rule the OPEC-leading country for decades after becoming king.
A statement issued by the Algeria Press Service said that President Abdelmadjid Tebboune had announced that Prince Mohammed had phoned him.
According to the statement, Prince Mohammed apologized for not being able to attend the Arab Summit in Algiers on November 1, due to the advice of his doctors that he not travel.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, Tebboune spoke with the prince, but he neglected to mention what the physicians suggested. Instead, he emphasized that the discussion focused on ‘the aspects of bilateral relations between the two fraternal countries and prospective collaboration.
The recent meeting of the Arab League in Algeria was the first since the world’s outbreak of coronavirus.
The Arab League, which comprises 22 nations in the Middle East and North Africa, has been suspended because of the long-running war in Syria. While the body has been largely fractious and unable to enforce its mandates, it has otherwise been unified in its call for an independent Palestinian state.
After Prince Mohammed bin Salman came to power as a deputy crown prince in 2015, King Salman removed Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who had once been a powerful figure in Saudi counterterrorism efforts and an American ally. Two years later, he became crown prince.
With his ascension to power, Saudi Arabia has witnessed swift alterations, including women driving and cinemas being opened. In addition to imprisoning corrupt Saudi officials at a luxury hotel in Riyadh, he has also spearheaded a corruption crackdown. Even as the Saudi military carries out a destructive war in Yemen, he has become internationally condemned for his participation.
Intelligence agencies in the United States have determined that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the murder and dismemberment of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, a critic of his governance. Although the Saudi government has denied that Prince Mohammed was involved in Khashoggi’s death, the prosecution of the team that murdered him has been kept secret.
Saudi Arabia leading OPEC and allied countries to an oil production cut of 2 million barrels per day recently came under intense American criticism.
Image Credit: AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan, File
