Since Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz appointed Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz as crown prince in June 2017, citing the need to “safeguard the state’s structure and future, ensure its continuity on the principles it was founded upon to serve religion, the nation, and its people, and secure the well-being of its loyal citizens,” the Kingdom has entered a new era marked by ambitious aspirations.
Over the following eight years, Saudi Arabia underwent significant economic and social transformations, while its regional and global influence expanded.
The Kingdom assumed a leading political role, earning the trust not only of international and regional rivals but also of allies during times of tension.
Boosting global stability
Crown Prince Mohammed has led efforts to strengthen the Kingdom’s openness to the world across economic, cultural, and political fronts. In recent years, political outreach has expanded to unprecedented regions in Saudi and regional history, including the Caribbean and ASEAN countries.
The push aims to foster partnerships and open new avenues for cooperation, particularly in economy, investment, trade, and tourism.
Saudi Arabia has also expanded its foreign policy to support peace, development, and stability.
As the second anniversary of the Saudi-Iranian “Beijing Agreement” approaches, the Kingdom - under the direction of Crown Prince Mohammed - has hosted US-Ukraine talks as part of its efforts to mediate the conflict, leveraging its balanced ties with all sides.
Recent meetings in Diriyah and Jeddah between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine highlight Saudi Arabia’s credibility with both allies and rivals, as it continues to promote dialogue as a core solution to the Russia-Ukraine crisis while providing humanitarian aid and brokering prisoner exchanges.
Crown Prince Mohammed’s mediation previously secured the release of 10 prisoners from various nationalities fighting with Ukrainian forces, facilitating their transfer to Saudi Arabia before returning them home.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also praised the Crown Prince’s role in brokering a US-Russia prisoner exchange last year.
Saudi Arabia has also intensified efforts on the Palestinian issue, leading to a wave of international recognition for the Palestinian state.
According to the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, 149 countries now recognize Palestine, a milestone driven by Riyadh’s diplomatic push. Crown Prince Mohammed has reiterated that Saudi normalization with Israel is contingent on the establishment of a Palestinian state.
In a bid to unite Arab and Islamic positions and pressure the international community, Saudi Arabia hosted two consecutive summits in Riyadh and chaired the follow-up committee emerging from the meetings.
The Kingdom convened the first meeting of the International Coalition for Implementing the two-state solution, reinforcing its commitment to advancing Palestinian statehood.
Many analysts argue that Saudi policies under Crown Prince Mohammed in recent years have helped ease the impact of global crises.
By leveraging the Kingdom’s influence on complex issues and bringing all parties to the negotiating table, Riyadh has positioned itself as a key player in promoting peace through dialogue.
Hub for peaceful solutions
US-Ukraine negotiations in Jeddah this month resulted in an American-backed proposal for an immediate 30-day ceasefire and steps toward lasting peace in Ukraine.
The talks followed US-Russia negotiations - the first of their kind since the war began - held three weeks earlier, where senior delegations from Washington and Moscow agreed to form high-level teams to negotiate an end to the conflict and work toward reopening diplomatic channels.
Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic influence extends beyond Ukraine. The Kingdom’s “Initiative to End the Yemeni Crisis” supported a ceasefire between warring factions and led to a UN-announced roadmap for resolving the conflict.
In 2018, Saudi Arabia brokered the historic Jeddah Peace Agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea under the auspices of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, ending years of hostilities. Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh credited the agreement with cementing Saudi Arabia’s status as a pillar of regional peace.
In Sudan, Riyadh played a key humanitarian role during the civil war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, facilitating a large-scale evacuation of civilians in April 2023. Saudi Arabia also hosted the Jeddah talks, providing a platform for warring parties to negotiate a peaceful resolution.
Bridging Washington and Beijing
Over the past decade, Saudi Arabia has emerged as the only Middle Eastern country to host leaders from the United States, China, and Russia within months, despite escalating global tensions.
From the Ukraine war and trade disputes to the Gaza conflict and broader Middle East unrest, Riyadh’s diplomatic outreach has positioned it as a key player on the world stage.
The Kingdom’s growing influence is underscored by the volume, frequency, and seniority of visits and consultations - particularly since the Gaza war erupted - and the series of international summits held on Saudi soil aimed at advancing peace.
Alongside its rising regional and global influence, Saudi Arabia has played a pivotal role in Arab and Islamic affairs over the past eight years under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed.
Following his directives, the Kingdom has hosted seven major Arab and Islamic summits between 2018 and 2024: The Dhahran Arab Summit in April 2018 ; the Makkah Summit to Support Jordan in June 2018; the Emergency Arab Summit in Makkah in May 2019; the Arab-China Summit in December 2022; the Jeddah Arab Summit in May 2023; the Extraordinary Joint Arab-Islamic Summit in November 2023; and the Follow-up Summit in November 2024.
These summits reflect Saudi Arabia’s deepening commitment to shaping Arab and Islamic unity, with the Kingdom emerging as a key diplomatic hub under the Crown Prince’s leadership.
Saudi Arabia hosts 12 of 45 Gulf summits
Since Crown Prince Mohammed’s appointment, Saudi Arabia has also hosted 12 Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summits out of a total of 45, reflecting its central role in regional diplomacy.
These high-level gatherings underscore Saudi Arabia’s leadership within the GCC and its efforts to strengthen ties with global and regional partners.
Under Crown Prince Mohammed’s leadership, Saudi Arabia has become the leading Gulf nation for hosting regular GCC summits. Of the 45 regular sessions held, the Kingdom has hosted 12, followed by Kuwait with eight, Bahrain and Qatar with seven each, the United Arab Emirates with six, and Oman with five.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has also hosted several high-profile international summits.
It chaired the G20 Summit in November 2020 - held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic - when much of the world was under lockdown.
The Kingdom also hosted key gatherings with major international blocs, including the Saudi-Africa Summit and the Saudi-CARICOM Summit in November 2023, reinforcing its role as a global diplomatic hub.
