Saudi Arabia finally congratulated Joe Biden on Sunday over his victory in the United States presidential election, more than 24 hours after he defeated Donald Trump, who had close personal ties with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).
The former US vice president pledged in his campaign to reassess ties with the kingdom, demanding more accountability over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Riyadh’s Istanbul consulate and calling for an end to US support for the Yemen war.
As other Arab states raced to applaud the Democrat challenger, MBS, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, remained silent on the US vote even as he sent warm words to the president of Tanzania on his re-election. Trump has refused to concede the race and vowed to challenge the result.
At 19:32 GMT on Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and his son, MBS, congratulated Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on winning the election, state news agency SPA reported.
“King Salman praised the distinguished, historic and close relations between the two friendly countries and their people which everyone looks to strengthen and develop at all levels,” SPA added.
MBS’s relationship with Trump had provided a buffer against international criticism over Riyadh’s rights record sparked by Khashoggi’s murder, Riyadh’s role in Yemen’s war and the detention of women activists.
Those areas may now become points of friction between Biden and Saudi Arabia, a major oil exporter and buyer of US arms.
