Saudi crown prince to skip Algeria summit over health concerns
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Loading... - Janet Parker
- 24 Oct 2022
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Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will not attend an upcoming summit in the Algerian capital due to an ear condition, the royal court confirmed Sunday.
The statement came nearly 24 hours after the Algerian presidency issued its own statement saying the crown prince had apologized for not being able to attend the Arab summit scheduled for Nov. 1 because doctors had counseled against it.
The lack of detail in that statement set off speculation over what might be ailing the 37-year-old, who is first in line to the Saudi throne.
"The medical team at the royal clinics recommended that (Prince Mohammed) avoid traveling by plane for long distances without stopping" in order to avoid pressure and trauma to the ear, said the Saudi statement issued Sunday night.
This "makes it impossible for His Highness to visit sister Algeria, taking into account the length of the journey going and returning within a period not exceeding 24 hours."
Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan will lead the Saudi delegation instead, the statement said.
A story published earlier Sunday by Saudi state media about a call between Prince Mohammed and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune made no mention of the summit or any advice from Prince Mohammed's doctors.
It said that during the call "the aspects of bilateral relations between the two fraternal countries were reviewed," and that the two leaders discussed "opportunities for joint cooperation." Read More…
