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UN Chief Embarks on High-Stakes Regional Tour of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Oman

  • Writer: ATN
    ATN
  • Dec 9
  • 2 min read

 

Antonio Guterres

By ATN News


UNHQ, New York: UN Secretary-General António Guterres departs New York later today for a three-country tour of the Middle East, with a packed agenda spanning regional diplomacy, mission closure, and preparations for a major global forum on intercultural dialogue.

Guterres will arrive in Riyadh on Wednesday, where he is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with senior Saudi leadership, including Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. Discussions are expected to focus on a range of urgent regional challenges — from escalating tensions to humanitarian concerns — at a moment when diplomacy in the Middle East is under intense global scrutiny.

From Saudi Arabia, the Secretary-General will travel to Iraq on December 13 to formally mark the closure of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), ending a 22-year chapter of UN engagement in the country’s post-conflict political transition. Guterres is expected to express deep appreciation to UNAMI staff for their service and to the Government and people of Iraq for hosting the Mission since 2003. While in Baghdad, he will also hold talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and other senior officials.

The Secretary-General will then return to Riyadh to take part in the 11th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, held on December 14–15. The gathering — themed “Two decades of dialogue for humanity: Advancing a new era of mutual respect and understanding in a multipolar world” — marks the Alliance’s twentieth anniversary and comes at a time when polarization and geopolitical fragmentation are reshaping global relations.

Before concluding his trip, Guterres will visit Muscat on December 15 for discussions with His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman. Talks are expected to focus heavily on Yemen, including efforts to sustain fragile diplomacy and advance a political settlement.

The Secretary-General is scheduled to return to New York on December 16.

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