Saudi crown prince to visit Egypt, Jordan ahead of Turkey

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman begins a regional tour on Monday in Egypt that will also take him to Turkey to bolster regional ties, a Saudi diplomat said.

After Cairo, Prince Mohammed, Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, will travel to Jordan and then on to Turkey, the diplomat said.

During the tour, he will discuss "regional and international files and the future of international cooperation", he said, adding that investment and energy deals are due to be signed.

President Tayyip Recep Erdogan announced on Friday that Prince Mohammed would be visiting Turkey on June 22.

It would be the Saudi royal’s first visit to Turkey since the brutal killing of Saudi insider-turned-critic Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul, which shocked the world and dealt a heavy blow to ties between the regional rivals.

The visit, following one by Erdogan to Saudi Arabia in April, would seal efforts to heal ties between the two countries.

The Saudi diplomat said Prince Mohammed was also expected to visit Greece, Cyprus and Algeria, "probably in late July". The Saudi government has yet to confirm the crown prince’s upcoming trips.