Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with UAE vice president — Channel NewsAsia

In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met on September 29 with Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. This was reported by Channel NewsAsia, citing official Saudi media.

Bilateral relations and regional situation

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the sides discussed bilateral relations between the countries and the situation in the region. Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman also attended the meeting.

The talks took place amid tensions between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi over the situation in Yemen. In December last year, Saudi Arabia accused the UAE of posing a threat to its national security through its support for southern Yemeni separatists, who launched a brief offensive in areas controlled by government forces.

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Houthi attacks

In July, Saudi and UAE officials began posting messages about friendship and unity on social media, which, according to the outlet, signaled a rapprochement between the two states. That same month, the Houthis launched a new campaign against Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces, seizing part of the territory and carrying out attacks on Saudi territory.

According to the outlet, the Houthis attacked Saudi tankers, oil facilities, airports and the country’s capital for several weeks. The Iran-backed group also announced a maritime blockade of Saudi vessels in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia carried out strikes against the Houthis and appealed to international allies for assistance.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE had previously had differences in foreign policy, including over Yemen, Sudan and the Horn of Africa, where they supported different forces.