US State Secretary to arrive in Saudi Arabia Mon.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia April 29-30 to discuss with regional partners the ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and secure the release of hostages. He will discuss the recent increase in humanitarian assistance being delivered to Gaza and underscore the importance of ensuring that increase is sustained, the State Dept. said in a press release on Saturday. The Secretary will also emphasize the importance of preventing the conflict from spreading and discuss ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace and security in the region, including through a pathway to an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel, Spokesperson of the Dept. Matthew Miller noted. The Secretary will participate in a Ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council to advance coordination on regional security. At the World Economic Forum's special meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth, and Energy for Development, the Secretary will coordinate with our partners to ensure continued progress on climate change mitigation and the global energy transition, Miller added. Source: Kuwait News Agency