Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Jordan to hold summit

 Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Jordan will hold a summit in Makkah on Sunday to discuss way to support Jordan out of its economic crisis.

“The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, within the context of his interest of the situation in the Arab nation and his keenness on its security and stability, has been following up the economic crisis in Jordan,” the Saudi Royal Court in a statement early on Saturday morning said.

“King Salman has made telephone calls to King Abdullah II of Jordan, Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, the Emir of Kuwait, and Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. They agreed to hold a meeting comprising the four countries in Makkah on Sunday, to discuss means of supporting Jordan to overcome its current crisis.”

Jordan has been facing its worst crisis in recent years and an ill-fated plan to raise taxes on individuals by at least five per cent and on companies by up to 40 per cent as part of austerity measures has sparked angry protests and the replacement of the prime minister. The proposal has been shelved.