Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman began his tour of the Arab Gulf by visiting the Sultanate of Oman, with visits to the remaining GCC countries to follow. What was remarkable about this visit was the warm welcome of the Saudi Crown Prince in Muscat, as Sultan Haitham bin Tariq broke protocol by receiving Prince Mohammed at the airport personally.
The question here is: Are we facing an ordinary “brotherly” tour or another visit of diplomatic protocol? The timing and sequence of events tell us that the Crown Prince’s visit to other Gulf states is not an ordinary one, nor is it another round of resolving difficulties or tensions in the region. Instead, this tour aimed to deepen mutual Gulf interests.
Since its inception, the Gulf Cooperation Council has endured several stormy crises, the most critical of which were Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait and the intra-Gulf dispute that nearly overtook the Council but ended with the well-known AlUla agreement.
Today, the Crown Prince’s latest regional tour comes at a very heated time in the region, one that could lead to a crisis unlike any other, against the background of Iranian nuclear negotiations open to all possibilities, the best of which are bad.
However, the nature of the visit can be understood from the nature of the visitor himself, Prince Mohammad bin Salman, a man of action, not words, and a clear leader who reaches every Gulf capital with his track record of achievement preceding him, under the leadership of King Salman bin Abdulaziz who assigned him the task of enacting change in Saudi Arabia.
The Crown Prince arrives in the Gulf capitals, and the results of his work are visible to anyone who wants to see them. He is not on this tour in pursuit of photo opportunities but rather achievements. He is known to be in a race against time for development and to speak the language of numbers and data.
Thus, as was evident in the visit to Oman, what is expected from this tour is that Crown Prince Mohammed wishes to move GCC relations toward a stage of deepening interests by strengthening mutual economic cooperation, making the Council’s relationship greater than simply one of mutual security coordination.
Yes, the GCC was exposed to the dangers of the intra-Gulf dispute, but after the AlUla agreement, Saudi Arabia moved to strengthen its Gulf partnerships and turn them into relations of mutual interest which is the primary concern of GCC members.
The Saudi Crown Prince’s approach suggests that interests, much like politics, are continuously shifting, but interests remain the factor that introduces rationality into divergence and disputes, and it facilitates the adoption of the language of dialogue. And, the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Oman culminated in the signing of significant agreements, which came after the establishment of partnership councils with Gulf countries, as well as Iraq.
It is true that there are disputes, even crises, in the region. However, it was made clear three years ago that Saudi Arabia opted to use different mechanisms to deal with crises, as each crisis is placed within its scope while ensuring continuity as determined by interests.
As the Saudi Crown Prince makes his visits to GCC states, his country is a continuous workshop under his leadership. All those examining what the Crown Prince has managed to accomplish in Saudi Arabia are aware that this leader does not have time to waste on flattery and praise.
Therefore, the Crown Prince’s visit is tantamount to shifting the relations of GCC countries to the level of interests that coalesce, especially since Saudi Arabia will host the Gulf Cooperation Council summit next week.
Any sensible person can understand the importance of the GCC and recognize, for example, that the reception and hospitality with which the Saudi Crown Prince was received by Sultan Haitham bin Tariq was not a courtesy. Rather, it was more of an official declaration of a new stage under the slogan of consolidating interests. This is what is most important, and it is what Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has done and continues to do.
